Culture Entertainment Group Inc.
A Japanese entertainment group spanning film, music, publishing, advertising, merchandise and games, built out of the content arm of Culture Convenience Club (TSUTAYA).
Last updated September 26, 2026
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Overview
Culture Entertainment Group Inc. (カルチュア・エンタテインメント グループ株式会社) is a Japanese entertainment holding company headquartered in Meguro Central Square, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo. It was established in December 2014 as Culture Entertainment Inc., carved out of Culture Convenience Club (CCC), the company behind the TSUTAYA retail and rental chain, to take over CCC's content procurement, planning and production functions. Its stated mission is to open up tomorrow through emotionally moving entertainment, providing creative entertainment that enriches daily life. The group operates across five core business domains: film/drama (planning, production, theatrical distribution, licensing and media mix), music (live event planning and production such as Tsutalock Festival, creator management, streaming and media mix), publishing (practical books, novels, comics and overseas licensing), media/advertising and brand production (magazines, web media, events and content production), and merchandise (IP utilization, product development, goods sales, e-commerce and figure manufacturing). Representative works include the Academy Award-winning film Drive My Car, the Netflix drama First Love, the film adaptation of ReLIFE, the manga Yama no Susume, the magazines FIGARO japon and Pen, and the classic manga Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. Through subsidiaries and affiliates, the group controls a broad portfolio of publishing houses (Tokuma Shoten, Shufunotomo, CE Media House, Earth Star Entertainment, Fukkoku.com, Chuoh Publishing), film production and distribution companies (C&I Entertainment, Bridgehead, Sedic International, PLAN K Entertainment, BBB), music and creator businesses (CE Music Creative, otto, LOY), merchandise and figure makers (PROOF), Webtoon studio SZ Media, and digital marketing firm XROSSOVER. It also operates e-commerce and fan services such as FAN+Life and the online lottery Kuji Luck Online. In March 2022 the company completed a management buyout (MBO), moving from a consolidated subsidiary of CCC to an equity-method affiliate, and in February 2022 it raised capital from a group of strategic investors including Amuse, TOPPAN, Hakuhodo, Nihon Shuppan Hanbai, BookLive and MIXI. In October 2024 it changed its name to Culture Entertainment Group Inc. and shifted to a pure holding company structure, while a newly split operating company, Culture Entertainment Inc., took over the business operations. The group continues to expand through acquisitions and partnerships in Japan and Asia, including a 2023 Webtoon studio joint venture in South Korea and a 2026 entry into the Indian market via PLAN K Entertainment's Asia Premium subscription on Prime Video India.
History
The roots of Culture Entertainment Group lie in Culture Convenience Club (CCC), the operator of the TSUTAYA bookstore and video rental chain. In 1988, CCC established Culture Publishers Inc., which later became a business division. In 2002, the DVD/CD home delivery rental service TSUTAYA DISCAS launched, followed by the founding of C&I Entertainment (formerly IMJ Entertainment) in 2003, BBB in 2004, Earth Star Entertainment in 2006, and PROOF in 2011. In 2014, CCC acquired the magazine businesses Newsweek Japan edition and Pen from Hankyu Communications and established CE Media House (formerly CCC Media House). In December 2014, Culture Entertainment Inc. was established as a wholly owned subsidiary through a company split from CCC, taking over CCC's content procurement, planning and production functions. Initially focused on video content, the company quickly expanded into publishing, music and merchandise through subsidiaries. In 2015 it founded C-Publishing Service and held the first TSUTAYA CREATORS' PROGRAM; in 2016 it announced its first film production, a live-action adaptation of the manga ReLIFE. In 2017 it acquired Tokuma Shoten and Shufunotomo as subsidiaries, and established PLAN K Entertainment in a joint venture with South Korea's SBS. In 2018 it moved its office from Shibuya Garden Tower to Meguro Central Square and held the first Tsutalock Festival at Makuhari Messe, and founded CE Music Creative (formerly CCC Music Lab). In 2019 it established otto. In 2021, the film Drive My Car, co-produced by subsidiary C&I Entertainment, won the Best Screenplay award at the 74th Cannes Film Festival. In 2022 it won the Golden Globe for Best Non-English Language Film and the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film. In February 2022, the company completed a third-party allotment of new shares to investors including Amuse, INCLUSIVE, TOPPAN, Nihon Shuppan Hanbai, Hakuhodo DY Media Partners, BookLive and MIXI. In March 2022, it completed an MBO, transitioning from a consolidated subsidiary of CCC to an equity-method affiliate. In 2023, the group established SZ Media, a Webtoon production studio, in a joint venture with Korea's JAEDAM MEDIA and SOMY MEDIA; acquired the VTuber production company LOY (operating 'kawaii'); acquired film production company Bridgehead; and formed capital and business alliances with UUUM and Gakken Holdings. In 2024, it acquired publisher Chuoh Publishing, established a new group mission and brand identity with a refreshed logo, and in October changed its name to Culture Entertainment Group Inc., transitioning to a pure holding company structure while a newly split operating company, Culture Entertainment Inc., took over business operations. It also acquired digital marketing company XROSSOVER in December 2024. In 2025, it acquired film production company Sedic International, formed capital alliances with GENDA Capital and Animax Broadcast Japan, and agreed to integrate its browser game platform TSUTAYA Online Game into GMO Media's V Point Game Park by October 31, 2025. In 2026, it acquired game companies Studio Rex and BlasTrain from Drecom, and PLAN K Entertainment entered the Indian market with the Asia Premium subscription on Prime Video India.
- 2026
Studio Rex and BlasTrain acquired from Drecom; PLAN K Entertainment enters India with Asia Premium on Prime Video India
- 2025
Sedic International acquired; capital alliances with GENDA Capital and Animax; TSUTAYA Online Game integrated into V Point Game Park
- 2024
Chuoh Publishing acquired; new group mission and brand identity; renamed Culture Entertainment Group Inc. and moved to holding company structure
- 2023
SZ Media Webtoon studio established; LOY and Bridgehead acquired; alliances with UUUM and Gakken Holdings
- 2022
Drive My Car wins Golden Globe and Academy Award; third-party share allotment to strategic investors; MBO completed
- 2021
Drive My Car wins Best Screenplay at the 74th Cannes Film Festival
- 2019
otto Inc. established
- 2018
Office moved to Meguro Central Square; first Tsutalock Festival held at Makuhari Messe; CE Music Creative established
- 2017
Tokuma Shoten and Shufunotomo acquired as subsidiaries; PLAN K Entertainment established with SBS
- 2016
First film production announced: live-action adaptation of manga ReLIFE
Products and positioning
A diversified Japanese entertainment group that both creates and commercializes content across film, music, publishing, advertising and merchandise, leveraging media-mix strategies and a wide network of subsidiaries and partners.
Drive My Car (film)
Academy Award-winning film co-produced by subsidiary C&I Entertainment.
First Love (Netflix drama)
Netflix original drama starring Hikari Mitsushima and Takeru Satoh.
ReLIFE (film)
Live-action film adaptation of the popular manga, the company's first film production.
Yama no Susume (manga)
Popular manga about high school girls enjoying outdoor activities.
FIGARO japon (magazine)
Fashion and lifestyle magazine for women.
Pen (magazine)
Quality magazine proposing unique styles with new perspectives and aesthetics.
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (manga)
Hayao Miyazaki's classic manga, serialized since 1982.
Tsutalock Festival
Music event planned and produced by CE Music Creative.
FAN+Life
E-commerce site selling in-house IP products.
Kuji Luck Online
Online lottery service.
Sources6 sources
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