Press Release
CyberAgent Announces Partnership with MAPPA Co., Ltd. and Invests in Its Parent Company MHD
CyberAgent, Inc. (Head Office: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director and President: Takahiro Yamauchi; TSE Prime Market: 4751) today announced that it has entered into a business alliance agreement with MAPPA Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Nakano-ku, Tokyo; President & CEO: Manabu Otsuka), a company engaged in animation production and licensing, and has acquired a stake in MAPPA's parent company, MHD Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Nakano-ku, Tokyo; President & CEO: Manabu Otsuka).
Through this partnership, the two companies will honor the passion poured into every work and the appeal each one holds, while expanding both the possibilities of anime creation and the opportunities for audiences to connect with these works. Together, they aim to create experiences that allow people around the world to discover new stories and enjoy the works they love more deeply and for years to come.
Through this partnership, the two companies will honor the passion poured into every work and the appeal each one holds, while expanding both the possibilities of anime creation and the opportunities for audiences to connect with these works. Together, they aim to create experiences that allow people around the world to discover new stories and enjoy the works they love more deeply and for years to come.
Background of the Partnership
The CyberAgent Group believes that outstanding works are born from creators’ freedom to imagine and their willingness to rise to new challenges, embracing a "creator-first" culture rooted in respect for their creativity. MAPPA likewise deeply values the passion that creators bring to their craft. Taking an active role in its projects from the planning stage onward, the studio has continued to take on new challenges in both the creation of works that leave a lasting impression on audiences and the business that surrounds them.
The two companies have previously worked together on a range of projects, including anime planning, broadcasting and streaming on ABEMA, and game adaptations. Through these collaborations, they have found that they share a sincere commitment to their craft and a desire to deliver ever-better works to fans. To deepen this relationship and take on new challenges together over the long term, they have now entered into this partnership.
The two companies have previously worked together on a range of projects, including anime planning, broadcasting and streaming on ABEMA, and game adaptations. Through these collaborations, they have found that they share a sincere commitment to their craft and a desire to deliver ever-better works to fans. To deepen this relationship and take on new challenges together over the long term, they have now entered into this partnership.
Overview of the Partnership
By combining MAPPA’s animation production capabilities with the expertise the CyberAgent Group has built through its various media, game, and advertising businesses, the two companies will work together to strengthen their ability both to create anime and to deliver it to audiences. They will explore collaboration across a wide range of areas, from planning and production to broadcasting and streaming, games, merchandise, and events. In doing so, they will pursue works and new ways of enjoying them that only this partnership can make possible, while connecting those works with fans across borders. While honoring the culture and creative achievements built up over the years by the many people involved in anime, the two companies aim to contribute to the further development of the anime industry by continuing to create and deliver works that fans around the world will cherish for a long time.
Executive Comments
Takahiro Yamauchi, Representative Director and President, CyberAgent, Inc.:
"We have entered into a partnership with MAPPA Co., Ltd. and invested in its parent company, MHD Co., Ltd. We have deep respect for anime culture that has been cultivated over many years, and for the passion that creators pour into each and every work.
As fellow leaders of our generation in the industry, Mr. Otsuka and I adopt 'Creative First' as our shared value. By bringing CyberAgent's expertise across anime, game, and media business operations, we want to realize multifaceted initiatives together for great stories to cross borders and reach audiences. We devote our full efforts from a long-term perspective to enhance the true value of Japan's anime worldwide."
"We have entered into a partnership with MAPPA Co., Ltd. and invested in its parent company, MHD Co., Ltd. We have deep respect for anime culture that has been cultivated over many years, and for the passion that creators pour into each and every work.
As fellow leaders of our generation in the industry, Mr. Otsuka and I adopt 'Creative First' as our shared value. By bringing CyberAgent's expertise across anime, game, and media business operations, we want to realize multifaceted initiatives together for great stories to cross borders and reach audiences. We devote our full efforts from a long-term perspective to enhance the true value of Japan's anime worldwide."
Manabu Otsuka, President & CEO, MAPPA Co., Ltd.:
"We have always asked ourselves how best to create and deliver our works so that audiences can enjoy them more deeply. Along the way, we have come to realize how important it is to work closely with partners who bring different strengths and to think together, beyond the interests of any single company, about what would make the experience better for the people who enjoy our works.
We are grateful that the team at CyberAgent shares these beliefs and sees the possibilities that can open up when our two companies work together, and this has led us to deepen our collaboration. We will continue to create with great care for quality and at the right pace, sharing the appeal of our works so that audiences around the world can enjoy them."
"We have always asked ourselves how best to create and deliver our works so that audiences can enjoy them more deeply. Along the way, we have come to realize how important it is to work closely with partners who bring different strengths and to think together, beyond the interests of any single company, about what would make the experience better for the people who enjoy our works.
We are grateful that the team at CyberAgent shares these beliefs and sees the possibilities that can open up when our two companies work together, and this has led us to deepen our collaboration. We will continue to create with great care for quality and at the right pace, sharing the appeal of our works so that audiences around the world can enjoy them."
About MAPPA Co., Ltd.
MAPPA is an independent Japanese animation studio established in 2011.
With television anime at its core, MAPPA develops and produces a wide range of animated works, including films, commercials, and online videos, without limiting itself to any particular genre. Its notable works include JUJUTSU KAISEN, Attack on Titan The Final Season, and Chainsaw Man.
In addition to animation production, MAPPA runs its own licensing business in Japan and overseas, handling merchandising, streaming, events, and other initiatives in-house to share the appeal of its works with audiences.
MAPPA is currently holding MAPPA EXPO 15th Anniversary, an exhibition commemorating its 15th anniversary. The studio also launched its music label, mappa records, in 2025, collaborating with composers and artists to create music that complements the worlds of its productions. Through these and other initiatives, MAPPA is committed to creating opportunities for audiences to engage more deeply with its works.
MAPPA is also engaged in community and educational initiatives in partnership with local governments and educational institutions, including locally rooted activities in Nakano, Tokyo, where it is headquartered, and classes on animation production held throughout Japan.
With television anime at its core, MAPPA develops and produces a wide range of animated works, including films, commercials, and online videos, without limiting itself to any particular genre. Its notable works include JUJUTSU KAISEN, Attack on Titan The Final Season, and Chainsaw Man.
In addition to animation production, MAPPA runs its own licensing business in Japan and overseas, handling merchandising, streaming, events, and other initiatives in-house to share the appeal of its works with audiences.
MAPPA is currently holding MAPPA EXPO 15th Anniversary, an exhibition commemorating its 15th anniversary. The studio also launched its music label, mappa records, in 2025, collaborating with composers and artists to create music that complements the worlds of its productions. Through these and other initiatives, MAPPA is committed to creating opportunities for audiences to engage more deeply with its works.
MAPPA is also engaged in community and educational initiatives in partnership with local governments and educational institutions, including locally rooted activities in Nakano, Tokyo, where it is headquartered, and classes on animation production held throughout Japan.
About CyberAgent Anime & IP Division
The Anime & IP Division at CyberAgent aims to expand the IP business by planning and producing anime projects, from developing original anime to adapting popular manga, as well as merchandising of popular IPs.
CyberAgent has operated dedicated anime channels on ABEMA since its launch in 2016 and, in 2017, co-established the CA-Cygames Anime Fund with Cygames, which specializes in investing in anime IP. The company entered the anime industry by acquiring rights such as streaming and game adaptation through investment in third-party production committees. In February 2024, we established the Anime & IP Division to further strengthen our structure. Focused on IP development and anime planning and production, we have consolidated collaborative projects with ABEMA, along with advertising, promotion, merchandising, and retail functions. With an eye on the global market, we conduct comprehensive business operations ranging from planning to monetization. Through communication strategies and promotions tailored to the cultures and characteristics of fans in each country and region, we are working to expand awareness of the titles both domestically and internationally and to build fan communities.
CyberAgent has operated dedicated anime channels on ABEMA since its launch in 2016 and, in 2017, co-established the CA-Cygames Anime Fund with Cygames, which specializes in investing in anime IP. The company entered the anime industry by acquiring rights such as streaming and game adaptation through investment in third-party production committees. In February 2024, we established the Anime & IP Division to further strengthen our structure. Focused on IP development and anime planning and production, we have consolidated collaborative projects with ABEMA, along with advertising, promotion, merchandising, and retail functions. With an eye on the global market, we conduct comprehensive business operations ranging from planning to monetization. Through communication strategies and promotions tailored to the cultures and characteristics of fans in each country and region, we are working to expand awareness of the titles both domestically and internationally and to build fan communities.