Photo courtesy of Anime Ltd.. TM & ©TOHO CO., LTD. ©Anime Ltd. All rights reserved.
Special Thanks to Fetch Publicity
Tokyo, December 19, 2025 – Japanese entertainment leader TOHO Co., Ltd. announced today that it has reached an agreement to acquire a 100% equity share of UK-based distribution company Anime Limited from PLAION PICTURES GmbH. The company will be operated as a subsidiary of Toho Global, Toho’s consolidated subsidiary overseeing overseas business.
The new subsidiary company has retained Anime Limited founder and Managing Director Andrew Partridge and the full Anime Limited staff. This acquisition will provide Toho with immediate film distribution, home video, TV sales, and merchandise and licensing capabilities in the UK and France.
This acquisition aligns with the Toho Group’s long-term management strategy, ‘TOHO VISION 2032,’ which identifies ‘Overseas’ and ‘Animation’ as key growth drivers. It follows the company’s aggressive global expansion in late 2024, including the acquisition of the U.S.-based distributor GKIDS, INC. in October and the launch of Toho Entertainment Asia Pte. Ltd. in Singapore in November. Toho will establish its European regional headquarters in London within this year. With this move, Toho has now successfully secured bases in all major regions: Asia, North America, and Europe.
In tandem with the sale of Anime Limited, Toho and Plaion Pictures have agreed to establish a strategic alliance, with Plaion Pictures extending Toho’s distribution capabilities in Germany, Italy, and other European markets.
The expansion comes at a time of rapid growth for the industry. The European anime market is estimated at approximately $4.77 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach nearly $9.05 billion by 2030, growing at an annual average rate (CAGR) of 11.2%. Toho aims to capture this demand by combining its direct distribution capabilities in the UK and France with PLAION PICTURES’ extensive network across the region.”
Anime Limited was founded in 2012 and is one of the UK’s leading Japanese content distributors as well as a top e-commerce provider through its ALL THE ANIME online store. Toho and Anime Limited have worked together for many years on such hits as Makoto Shinkai’s YOUR NAME and WEATHERING WITH YOU, Studio TRIGGER’s PROMARE, the Toho-produced GODZILLA MINUS ONE. Additional Anime Limited distributed titles include NARUTO, BLEACH, ATTACK ON TITAN. Anime Limited also has a 15-year history of cooperation with the US based GKIDS, now a Toho subsidiary.
Combining the strengths of TOHO Global, Anime Ltd, and Plaion Pictures will now maximize the value of IP, such as anime and Godzilla, in Europe.
About Anime Limited.
Based out of Glasgow, Anime Limited is Europe’s premiere distributor for Japanese animation, renowned for bespoke collector’s editions of fan-favourite anime and soundtracks, connecting Western audiences with creators across languages and oceans, and helping to bring anime front and centre in cinemas. Anime Limited proudly produces releases from the biggest franchises in anime including Cowboy Bebop, Attack on Titan, NEON GENESIS EVANGELION, Mobile Suit Gundam, Tokyo Ghoul, Your Name, Weathering With You, Mirai, BELLE and JUJUTSU KAISEN.
About Toho Co. Ltd.
Toho Company provides high-quality entertainment to a wide range of customers through its film production, distribution, and exhibition business, which is solidly supported by its real estate business including the Shinjuku Toho Building and Hibiya Chante, animation production, DVD software production and sales, and TOHO Cinemas' efforts to expand its network of multiplex cinemas. Among these, "Godzilla," which has been around since 1954, is Toho's flagship IP that has many fans around the world and has been loved for many years.