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Toho
Toho is expanding its global distribution infrastructure with direct subsidiaries in North America, Europe, and Asia, and is producing several high-profile live-action and anime projects, including the Godzilla Minus Zero sequel and the Netflix series Gas Man.
Synthesized from 12
Yomimono stories · updated
4d ago
Toho is building a direct global distribution network. After acquiring US distributor GKIDS in October 2024 and launching a Singapore-based Asian hub in November 2024, Toho acquired all shares of Glasgow-based Anime Limited from Germany's Plaion Pictures in December 2025. The deal gives Toho immediate distribution capabilities in the UK and France across theatrical, home video, TV, streaming, and merchandise, and Toho established a European regional headquarters in London led by its overseas division Toho Global. Anime Limited founder Andrew Partridge joined the leadership team. A parallel strategic alliance with Plaion extends Toho's reach into Germany, Italy, and other European markets. Toho cited the European anime market's estimated value of $4.77 billion in 2024 as context.
The company is also pushing its flagship Godzilla franchise internationally. Godzilla Minus Zero, the sequel to Takashi Yamazaki's Oscar-winning Godzilla Minus One, will open in Japan on November 3, 2026, and in North America and the UK and Ireland on November 6, distributed by Anime Limited. It is the first Japan-produced Godzilla film to open near-simultaneously in Japan and major Western markets, and the first Japanese production advertised as 'Filmed for IMAX.' Production is underway at TOHO Studios with ROBOT and Shirogumi.
Toho is also active in streaming and anime. The Netflix series Gas Man, a reboot of Toho's 1960 film, streams worldwide from July 2, 2026, with an eight-episode run and a production that included the first full closure of Tokyo Station front for a Japanese shoot. TOHO animation is producing a television anime of the manga Dokagui Daisuki! Mochizuki-san with studio Passione, betting on a property with multiple award nominations.
Key facts
- European distribution acquisition
- Toho acquired all shares of UK distributor Anime Limited from Plaion Pictures, gaining distribution in the UK and France and establishing a London European HQ. ↗
- Godzilla Minus Zero release window
- Godzilla Minus Zero opens in Japan on November 3, 2026, and in North America and the UK and Ireland on November 6, 2026. ↗
- IMAX filming claim
- Godzilla Minus Zero is the first Japanese production advertised as 'Filmed for IMAX.' ↗
- Godzilla Minus Zero staff
- Takashi Yamazaki returns as director, screenwriter, and VFX supervisor, with Naoki Sato composing the music. ↗
- Gas Man premiere
- The eight-episode Netflix series Gas Man streams worldwide from July 2, 2026. ↗
- Gas Man production scale
- Filming ran from September 2024 to April 2025 across about 120 locations, including the first full closure of Tokyo Station front for a Japanese film shoot. ↗
- Dokagui anime adaptation
- TOHO animation announced a television anime adaptation of the manga Dokagui Daisuki! Mochizuki-san, produced by Passione. ↗
- Godzilla-0.0 promotional booth
- Toho hosted a Godzilla booth at Tokyo Toy Show 2026 on August 29-30, featuring a statue and diorama from the upcoming film Godzilla-0.0. ↗
Timeline
- Aug 29, 2026 Crunchyroll Reveals Speakers for Anime Future Forum in New York
- Aug 20, 2026 Toho Brings Godzilla Booth to Tokyo Toy Show 2026 With Godzilla-0.0 Statue
- Aug 4, 2026 Dokagui Daisuki Mochizuki-san Comedy Gourmet Manga Gets TV Anime by Passione
- Jul 20, 2026 Isao Tsuge Details the Three Meanings Behind Gas Man's Coat
- Jul 11, 2026 Godzilla Minus Zero Teaser Reveals New Cast, IMAX Filming, Global Release
- Jul 10, 2026 Preorders Open for Toho Monster Collection Special Edition Vol. 2 and Vol. 3
- Jun 28, 2026 My Hero Academia Animal Beach Ball Pop-Up Shop 2nd Edition Brings Villain Goods
- Jun 8, 2026 Netflix Series Gas Man Trailer Reveals July 2 Premiere
- May 31, 2026 Aniplex President Iwakami to Become Sony Music CEO in April
- May 30, 2026 Toho Acquires UK Distributor Anime Limited, Establishes European HQ in London
- May 16, 2026 Anime Studio Execs Debate Production Committee Model at Startup Event
- May 16, 2026 Anime Studios Shift Toward Full-Time Jobs, Survey Shows
Synthesized by Yomimono from the cited Yomimono stories below, each itself
sourced, then editorially reviewed. Every
fact links the story it came from.
Facts
- Announced
- Godzilla-themed booth at Tokyo Toy Show 2026 (Tokyo Toy Show 2026) · 2026-08-20
- Announced
- acquisition of all shares of UK distributor Anime Limited from Plaion Pictures · 2026-05-30
- Announced
- establishment of a European regional headquarters in London · 2026-05-30
- Announced
- strategic alliance with Plaion Pictures for distribution in Germany, Italy, and other European markets · 2026-05-30
Connections
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Claim activity
When a claim about Toho was confirmed, debunked, or disputed against
open-web sources. The record stays even after a claim drops off the facts list.
- Confirmed Toho produces Godzilla Minus Zero 9h ago · source
- Confirmed strategic alliance with Plaion Pictures for distribution in Germany, Italy, and other European markets May 31 · source
- Confirmed establishment of a European regional headquarters in London May 31 · source
- Disputed acquisition of all shares of UK distributor Anime Limited from Plaion Pictures May 31 · source
All coverage
2d ago
The Dragon Quest 40th anniversary exhibition Dragon Quest the DIVE will run in Osaka from January 26 to March 14, 2027, at Grand Front Osaka's North Building Knowledge Capital Event Lab. Tohokushinsha and Square Enix announced the dates on September 7. The Tokyo run, held July 17 to September 6 at Tokyu Plaza Harajuku's Harakado, drew more than 90,000 visitors and sold out all tickets. The main attraction is the Dragon Quest VR RIDE, an immersive ride using Meta Quest 3 headsets and motion seats. Riders cross plains on a killer panther, dodge monsters in a forest, and fly through the sky with wind effects. After the ride, visitors move through zones including a castle, field, town, and item shop. A special ticket includes a framed three-pin badge set of Roto's Sword, the Sky Sword, and the Hero's Sword Kai, with the 40th anniversary logo. Ticket sales begin September 8 at 10:00 through the Square Enix app, followed by a Lawson Ticket advance sale October 6 and general sale October 21. A collab cafe with a menu different from Tokyo's will also run, open only to ticket holders.
Aug 29
Crunchyroll announced the first program details for the Crunchyroll Anime Future Forum, set for October 7, 2026, at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York. The invitation-only event expects more than 400 anime industry figures. Speakers include executives from Shueisha, Toho, MAPPA, and Aniplex, plus Guillermo del Toro, James Gunn, and the co-directors of Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse. Sony Group CEO Hiroki Totoki opens the event.
Aug 20
Toho will host a Godzilla-themed booth at Tokyo Toy Show 2026, held August 29-30 at Tokyo Big Sight. The booth features a large statue and diorama from the upcoming film Godzilla-0.0, early displays of original merchandise, a Chibi Godzilla greeting for middle school students and younger, and giveaways tied to Toho's official membership service.
Aug 4
TOHO animation announced on Tuesday that Kamome Maruyono's comedy gourmet manga Dokagui Daisuki! Mochizuki-san is receiving a television anime adaptation. Animation studio Passione is producing the anime. TOHO revealed the adaptation at the end of a one-hour cooking video loop that began streaming on Tuesday, and Maruyono drew an illustration to celebrate the announcement. The manga centers on Mikoto Mochizuki, a woman with intense enthusiasm for eating enormous quantities of food. The ongoing series launched simultaneously in Hakusensha's Young Animal Zero magazine and the Young Animal Web manga site in May 2024. Hakusensha published the first compiled book volume in October 2024, and will publish the fourth volume on September 29. The manga was nominated in the 18th Manga Taisho awards in 2025, and was included on the list of top 20 manga for male readers in the 2026 edition of Takarajimasha's Kono Manga ga Sugoi! guidebook. It also ranked #8 in the top 10 series in the Web Manga category of the Next Manga Awards 2024, and was the inaugural winner of that year's new Nichirei Prize.
Jul 20
Isao Tsuge, the character design supervisor for the Netflix series "Gas Man," has explained the three concepts embedded in the blue-gray coat worn by the titular character. In an interview with Cinema Today, Tsuge said the coat's color first represents the gas-like nature of the character, second conveys a sense of otherness, and third shows respect for the 1960 original film, which also featured blue and gray tones. Tsuge, who has worked on films including "Departures" and "Shin Godzilla," designed the Gas Man after receiving the role two months before filming began. He praised actor UTA, who plays the Gas Man, for delivering emotionless lines with precise timing while also showing natural warmth in scenes with a young girl. Tsuge noted he has known UTA since childhood through his father, actor Masahiro Motoki, with whom Tsuge worked on "Departures" and "Gemini." The series, a reboot of Toho's 1960 special effects film "The Gas Man First Number," is directed by Shinzo Katayama and stars Shun Oguri and Yu Aoi alongside UTA. All eight episodes are now streaming on Netflix.
Jul 11
TOHO and Anime Limited have announced Godzilla Minus Zero, the sequel to Takashi Yamazaki's Oscar-winning Godzilla Minus One. A new teaser trailer and poster were released on July 9, 2026, confirming that Min Tanaka joins the cast as biologist Kanji Murakami. Returning cast members include Ryūnosuke Kamiki, Minami Hamabe, and Hidetaka Yoshioka from the first film. The film is the first Japanese production to be advertised as 'Filmed for IMAX.' It will open in Japan on November 3, 2026, which is Godzilla Day, commemorating the original 1954 film's release. The same week, it will open in North America on November 6, and in the United Kingdom and Ireland on November 6 as well, distributed by Anime Limited. This marks the first time a Japan-produced Godzilla film will open near-simultaneously in Japan and major Western markets. Yamazaki returns as director, screenwriter, and VFX supervisor, with Naoki Satō composing the music. Production is underway at TOHO Studios with ROBOT and Shirogumi.
Jul 10
Preorders for DeAgostini's Toho Monster Collection Special Edition Vol. 2 and Vol. 3 are now available on Amazon.co.jp. Each set includes four 1/700 scale PVC figures, a special magazine, seven posters, and an assembly guide. Vol. 2 is priced at 19,800 yen and Vol. 3 at 29,600 yen, with both scheduled for release on August 31, 2026. The figures are produced in cooperation with BANDAI SPIRITS.
Jun 28
The second edition of the Animal Beach Ball pop-up shop for My Hero Academia runs June 27 to July 12 at Tokyo Anime Center in Shibuya. Newly drawn visuals feature Tomura Shigaraki, Dabi, and Himiko Toga holding animal beach balls. Goods include acrylic stands, concept necklaces, and mochocho collaboration items. Online sales begin June 29.
Jun 8
Netflix and Toho have released the main trailer and key art for the eight-episode series "Gas Man," a reboot of Toho's 1960 special effects film "The First Gas Man." The series, directed by Shinzo Katayama and executive produced by Yeon Sang-ho, follows detectives Kenji Okamoto (Shun Oguri) and Kyoko Kono (Yu Aoi) as they pursue a killer who can turn his body into gas. The trailer shows the Gas Man, played by debut actor UTA, announcing a press conference where he will reveal his methods and next target. Suzu Hirose and Kento Hayashi play video streamer siblings, and Yutaka Takenouchi plays a former yakuza-turned-company president. Filming ran from September 2024 to April 2025 across about 120 locations, with location scouting covering over 1,000 sites. The production achieved the first full closure of Tokyo Station front for a Japanese film shoot after 18 months of negotiations. The series streams worldwide on Netflix from July 2.
May 31
Aniplex president Atsuhiro Iwakami will become the next president and CEO of Sony Music Entertainment Japan, effective April 2026, as reported by the Nikkei and covered by Animenomics. Iwakami, who has led Aniplex for ten years, will be the first executive with a video production background to head the Japanese music giant. The appointment reflects the growing influence of Aniplex within Sony Music Group, as more than half of Sony Music's sales in Japan now come from non-music sources, including Aniplex. Aniplex produced both "Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle," the highest-grossing anime film globally, and "Kokuho," Japan's highest-grossing live-action film. External revenue from Sony Music's visual media and platform business, which includes Aniplex, rose 42.8 percent in the nine months ended December 2025 compared to the same period last year. Prior to leading Aniplex, Iwakami worked on productions such as the "Monogatari" series, "Puella Magi Madoka Magica," and "Sword Art Online," and produced the mobile game "Fate/Grand Order" and the "Demon Slayer" anime adaptation.
May 30
Toho, the Japanese entertainment company behind Godzilla Minus One, announced on December 19 that it has acquired all shares of Glasgow-based anime distributor Anime Limited from Germany's Plaion Pictures. The acquisition gives Toho immediate distribution capabilities in the UK and France across theatrical, home video, TV, streaming, and merchandise. Toho will also establish a European regional headquarters in London, led by Toho Global, its overseas business division. Anime Limited founder and managing director Andrew Partridge will join the leadership team of the new European base. In a parallel move, Toho and Plaion Pictures have agreed to a strategic alliance, with Plaion extending Toho's distribution reach into Germany, Italy, and other European markets. The deal follows Toho's acquisition of US distributor GKIDS in October 2024 and the launch of a Singapore-based Asian hub in November 2024. Toho cited the European anime market's estimated value of $4.77 billion in 2024, projected to reach $9.05 billion by 2030, as context for the expansion. Financial terms were not disclosed.
May 16
At SusHi Tech Tokyo, executives from Production I.G, CoMix Wave Films, and MAPPA discussed alternatives to the production committee model. MAPPA's Manabu Otsuka, Production I.G's Mitsuhisa Ishikawa, and CoMix Wave Films' Noritaka Kawaguchi shared how their studios retain ownership. Studio Chizu's LLP model was also highlighted as a long-term alternative.
May 16
New survey data from the Japan Animation Creators Association shows a sharp rise in full-time salaried roles at anime production studios. In 2024, 47 percent of respondents held permanent positions, up from 17 percent in 2013. Non-permanent work fell from three in four to one in two over the same period. Average monthly working hours dropped to about 190, and median annual earnings rose to ¥4 million, though work stress remains high.