Bandai Namco Filmworks

Bandai Namco Filmworks is a Japanese entertainment company formed in April 2022 through the merger of Sunrise Inc., Bandai Namco Arts, and Bandai Namco Rights Marketing. Its roots go back to September 1972, when a group of former Mushi Production staff founded Sunrise Studio as an animation division of Shoeisha. The studio gained independence in 1977, becoming Nippon Sunrise, and later rebranded to Sunrise in 1987. Bandai acquired the studio in 1994, and it became part of Namco Bandai Holdings in 2005. The 2022 restructuring brought together Sunrise's animation production, Bandai Namco Arts' home video and music operations, and the licensing arm to create a unified film and anime business.

The company is led by President Makoto Asanuma, who previously headed Sunrise. It operates through several divisions: Sunrise handles animation production, Bandai Visual manages home video distribution, and Bandai Channel runs streaming services. It also owns production studios BN Pictures, Actas, Eight Bit, and the advertising agency Sotsu. Iconic franchises under its umbrella include Mobile Suit Gundam, Love Live!, Cowboy Bebop, and Code Geass. The company's headquarters are in Kami-Igusa, Suginami, Tokyo.[edit]