AniBiz secures $6 million from major Japanese media companies

AniBiz, an anime licensing platform developed by Nakama, has raised $6 million in initial funding from three prominent Japanese entertainment entities: TBS Group, Toei Animation, and TV Tokyo Holdings.

The platform, which launched in July 2026, serves as a business-to-business marketplace designed to streamline how global companies discover and license anime intellectual property. The founding team includes Crunchyroll founder Kun Gao alongside former Crunchyroll executives Brady McCollum and Sae Whan Song.

Since its launch, AniBiz has expanded its network from 20 to over 30 licensing partners. New rights holders include ABC Animation, DMM.com, and Shochiku, joining established partners such as Pony Canyon and TOHO Global. Executives from Toei Animation and TV Tokyo Holdings stated that the investment aims to provide the necessary infrastructure to protect established characters while maximizing the global value and reach of anime intellectual property.