Toei Company

Overview

Toei Company is one of Japan's largest film and animation studios, operating across live-action film production and distribution, animation, television content, cinema exhibition, and real estate. Founded in 1951, the company reported consolidated net sales of JPY 179.9 billion (approximately USD 1.2 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 2025, with operating profit of JPY 35.2 billion and an operating margin of 19.5%. These were among the company's best results since 2004.

Toei Animation, the consolidated subsidiary responsible for the company's animation output, reported separate net sales of JPY 100.8 billion for the same fiscal year. Toei Animation's revenue is driven by overseas licensing (JPY 33.2 billion in FY2025), domestic licensing (JPY 17.4 billion), and film segment revenue (JPY 37.3 billion), with franchises including Dragon Ball, One Piece, Sailor Moon, Digimon, Pretty Cure, and the Super Sentai series (adapted internationally as Power Rangers).

For filmmakers seeking to understand Japanese studio infrastructure, Toei operates two physical production facilities (Tokyo Studios in Nerima and Kyoto Studios in Uzumasa), a digital post-production center, an animation studio in Oizumi, and a cinema chain (T-Joy) with 232 screens across 23 sites in Japan. The company also operates Toei Kyoto Studio Park, a theme park and film set open to the public.

History

Toei was founded in 1951 through the merger of Toyoko Eigasha and Oizumi Eiga. The studio expanded rapidly, acquiring the Kyoto studios of Toa Eiga and building one of the most prolific studio systems in Japanese cinema. During the 1950s and 1960s, Toei produced dozens of films per year using contract actors, directors, and technicians. The studio's jidaigeki (period dramas) and yakuza films defined popular Japanese cinema for decades.

Toei Animation was established in 1956 as Japan's first dedicated animation studio. Its first feature, Hakujaden (1958), the first feature-length color anime film. The studio's franchises have since generated billions in global merchandise and licensing revenue. Dragon Ball alone has produced over 20 theatrical films, with Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero (2022) grossing over JPY 2.5 billion domestically. One Piece Film: Red (2022) grossed JPY 18.7 billion, making it the highest-grossing Toei Animation film to date.

In June 2010, Toei completed its Digital Center in Nerima, a four-story, 51,161 sq ft facility for digital post-production including advanced CG and 3D work. In January 2018, the new Toei Animation Oizumi Studio (9,804 sq m, steel construction, 4 floors) was completed and went into operation.

Facilities

Toei Tokyo Studios (Oizumi, Nerima-ku)

Toei Tokyo Studios is one of Japan's largest television and film production facilities. The studio lot contains multiple sound stages of varying sizes:

Additional facilities include white cyclorama stages (No. 17 at 80 tsubo, No. 20 at 130 tsubo), 79 staff rooms across 10 buildings, art and property warehouses, a 111-seat cafeteria, and a 40-seat cafe room. Stage rental rates range from JPY 100,000 per day (70 tsubo stages) to JPY 330,000 per day (250 tsubo Stage 6) during standard hours (8:00 to 18:00), with overtime rates at JPY 10,000 to 33,000 per hour.

Toei Kyoto Studios (Uzumasa, Kyoto)

Toei's Kyoto facility specializes in jidaigeki (period drama) production, with historical sets, temple and street backlots, and traditional architecture not available at the Tokyo studios. The Kyoto lot also houses Toei Kyoto Studio Park, a theme park open to the public that generates event-related revenue (JPY 920 million in the first half of FY2025).

Toei Animation Oizumi Studio

Completed in January 2018 by Shimizu Corporation, the Oizumi Animation Studio is a 9,804 sq m, four-story steel building in Nerima, Tokyo. It serves as Toei Animation's primary production facility.

Toei Digital Center

Completed in June 2010, the Digital Center is a 51,161 sq ft four-story facility for digital post-production, including a 21,251 sq ft sound stage with state-of-the-art recording equipment.

Cinema Exhibition (T-Joy)

T-Joy Co., Ltd. operates 232 cinema screens across 23 sites in Japan, including two screens directly managed by Toei. A new location, T-Joy Emi Terrace Tokorozawa, opened in September 2024 with 12 screens and 1,872 seats.

Financial Performance

Toei's consolidated financial results for the fiscal year ended March 2025:

Revenue breakdown by segment (H1 FY2025):

• Film and video-related business: JPY 64.4 billion (74.8% of total), including movie (JPY 5.4B), TV content (JPY 4.7B), and content licensing (JPY 48.2B)
• Entertainment-related business: Cinema complexes and events
• Event-related business: Toei Kyoto Studio Park (JPY 6.6B)
• Architectural interior design: Toei Kenko Co., Ltd.

Toei Animation's standalone FY2025 results: net sales of JPY 100.8 billion (up 13.7%), operating profit of JPY 32.4 billion (up 38.8%), with overseas licensing contributing JPY 33.2 billion.

Strategic Direction

Toei's mid-to-long-term strategy, announced as "NEW TOEI WAVE 2033," targets:

• Overseas sales ratio: Increase from approximately 30% to 50% by 2033
• Operating profit baseline: JPY 25 to 40 billion
• ROE: 8% or higher
• Content investment: JPY 240 billion in production costs over ten years
• Infrastructure investment: JPY 60 billion, including JPY 36 billion in production facilities and JPY 24 billion in real estate

Key initiatives include redeveloping the Kyoto Uzumasa area (Kyoto Studios) and Oizumi area (Tokyo Studios) to address aging facilities, introducing virtual production and AI technologies, and producing 2 live-action films per year (one each at Tokyo and Kyoto Studios) plus at least 1 animated film per year, targeting JPY 3 billion in domestic box office per title.

Notable Productions

House Style / Genre Focus

Toei produces two distinct categories of content. The animation division (Toei Animation) builds long-running series from manga properties, targeting global merchandise and licensing revenue. Franchises like Dragon Ball, One Piece, and Pretty Cure run for hundreds of episodes and generate revenue across decades.

The live-action division focuses on jidaigeki (period dramas) and yakuza films at the Kyoto studios, plus contemporary theatrical features and television dramas at the Tokyo studios. Toei distributes approximately 15 to 20 live-action theatrical films per year.

Toei does not produce arthouse cinema, documentary features, or festival-circuit films. The company targets mainstream Japanese audiences and international anime fans. The animation output prioritizes action, adventure, and fantasy genres adapted from manga.

How They Typically Find Talent / Take Submissions

Toei Animation develops properties through partnerships with manga publishers (Shueisha, Shogakukan) and original IP creation. The company employs animators, directors, and writers through standard Japanese industry hiring practices, including recruitment from animation schools and internal promotion.

For live-action, Toei works with established Japanese directors, screenwriters, and talent agencies. The company maintains contract relationships with actors through its historical studio system, though this has modernized significantly. Toei does not accept unsolicited script submissions from outside writers.

International co-productions and licensing deals run through Toei's content business segment, which handles sales at major markets including NATPE, MIPCOM, and the Asia TV Forum.

Recent Output / Slate Year

Toei's FY2025 (April 2024 to March 2025) delivered record financial results driven by animation licensing and theatrical releases. Key recent output:

• One Piece Film: Red (2022): JPY 18.7 billion domestic, highest-grossing Toei Animation film
• Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero (2022): JPY 2.5 billion domestic, strong international performance
• T-Joy Emi Terrace Tokorozawa opened September 2024 with 12 screens and 1,872 seats
• 2 live-action films per year targeted at JPY 3 billion domestic box office each

The "NEW TOEI WAVE 2033" strategy targets JPY 240 billion in content investment over 10 years, with plans to increase overseas sales from 30% to 50% of total revenue.

What Filmmakers Should Know

For Animation Professionals

Toei Animation is one of the founding institutions of Japanese animation. The company's model of producing long-running series based on manga properties, combined with extensive international licensing, provides a case study in how Japanese animation achieves global commercial reach. Toei Animation's overseas licensing revenue (JPY 33.2 billion in FY2025) exceeds its domestic licensing revenue (JPY 17.4 billion), reflecting the global demand for its IP.

For Live-Action Filmmakers

Toei's domestic distribution infrastructure covers the Japanese theatrical market alongside Toho. The company distributes approximately 15 to 20 live-action theatrical films per year. Toei occasionally produces internationally oriented content, but its primary focus is the Japanese domestic market. The Tokyo and Kyoto studios are available for rental to outside productions.

For International Buyers

Toei's content business segment handles international sales of both live-action and animated titles. Recent international sales activity includes screening rights for Shin Kamen Rider and Battle Royale in North America, The Forbidden Play in Central and South America, and the Battles Without Honor and Humanity and Female Convict series in the US and UK.

Watch: Trailers & Behind the Scenes

See Also

For understanding how Japanese animation reaches global audiences, see Distribution Deals Explained. To model revenue across international territories, use the Revenue Forecast Calculator. For comparing distribution options across markets, use the Distributor Comparison Tool.