Aniplex

In September 1995, Sony Pictures Entertainment Visual Works, later renamed Aniplex in 2003, started as a joint venture inside Sony. Today it is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment Japan, sitting at the center of a sprawling anime and entertainment empire. The company plans, produces, and distributes some of the most popular anime series ever made, including Fullmetal Alchemist, Gurren Lagann, the Monogatari series, Puella Magi Madoka Magica, the Fate series, Sword Art Online, and Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba.

Beyond animation, Aniplex handles theatrical films, video games, merchandise, home media, soundtracks, and live events like musicals and concerts. It publishes the mobile juggernaut Fate/Grand Order and operates the e-commerce site Aniplex Online. Through its North American subsidiary Aniplex of America (founded in March 2005, based in Santa Monica, California) and a branch in Shanghai, the company extends its reach globally. Aniplex also co-owns Crunchyroll with Sony Pictures Entertainment, a streaming platform with over 120 million registered users.

The company holds memberships in the Association of Japanese Animations, the Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association, the Recording Industry Association of Japan, and the Japan Video Software Association. With a paid-in capital of 480 million JPY and leadership under Chairman Atsuhiro Iwakami and President Shu Nishimoto, Aniplex continues to dominate the anime landscape, blending production, distribution, and cross-media synergy under the Sony umbrella. [edit]