IG Port

IG Port is a Japanese holding company focused on animation production, manga and publishing, intellectual property management, and related media businesses. It was created in December 2007 through the merger of Production I.G and Mag Garden. The transaction reorganized Production I.G into a holding-company structure and placed most operating activities in a newly established subsidiary that retained the Production I.G name. Following the merger, IG Port owned Production I.G, Mag Garden, and Xebec, giving the group a combination of animation-production capabilities and manga-publishing assets. The group’s business model is built around developing, producing, managing, and exploiting intellectual property across multiple media. Its animation interests have included theatrical and television animation, streaming-oriented projects, digital production, and the management or licensing of titles and characters. Mag Garden contributes publishing and manga expertise, while Production I.G has been associated with high-profile animation franchises and productions for Japanese and international audiences. The wider group has also been linked with studios such as Wit Studio, although individual subsidiaries and production relationships can change over time. IG Port expanded its technology and production footprint in 2014 by announcing Signal.MD, a subsidiary intended to develop fully digital animation techniques and support animation aimed at children and families, including work suited to smart-device distribution. This initiative reflected the industry’s shift from traditional production workflows toward digital pipelines, mobile consumption, and new forms of distribution. The company also restructured its studio portfolio when it transferred Xebec’s production operations to Sunrise, now associated with Bandai Namco Filmworks, in April 2019. IG Port said that Xebec’s primary production business had experienced prolonged deficits and that licensing income had not offset the weakness. The transfer illustrated the group’s willingness to dispose of or reorganize operations that were not financially sustainable while retaining its broader focus on animation and intellectual property. IG Port reported revenue of ¥11.872 billion for the fiscal year ended in May 2022, its first fiscal year with revenue above ¥10 billion. Net profit for that period fell sharply to ¥5 million, which the company attributed to the combined accounting effects of streaming projects, licensing sales, and amortization expenses. The company indicated that the reduction was expected to normalize in the following fiscal year. Because its performance depends on project timing, licensing cycles, production costs, and the success of individual titles, its results can vary materially from year to year. In 2025, IG Port entered a capital and business alliance with Sanrio. Sanrio became IG Port’s fourth-largest shareholder on July 3, 2025. The alliance points toward closer cooperation between IG Port’s animation and content-production capabilities and Sanrio’s character and merchandising ecosystem, although the available reference material does not specify the full commercial scope or individual projects arising from the arrangement. IG Port is therefore best understood not as a single animation studio, but as a listed content group coordinating production companies, publishing assets, technology initiatives, and intellectual-property businesses. Its public identity is closely connected with Production I.G and internationally recognizable animation properties, while its corporate strategy has also involved portfolio management, digital production, licensing, and partnerships.

IG Port was established on December 1, 2007, through the merger of the Japanese animation studio Production I.G and manga publisher Mag Garden. The merger was announced on July 4, 2007. Before the transaction was completed, Production I.G was reorganized into a holding company and transferred most of its former operating functions and management responsibilities to a new subsidiary also called Production I.G. This structure allowed the listed parent to coordinate several content businesses while preserving the Production I.G operating identity. After the merger, IG Port fully owned the reorganized Production I.G, Mag Garden, and Xebec. The combination brought together animation production, manga publishing, and additional studio capacity. It also created a corporate platform for developing and licensing intellectual property across publishing, television, film, home video, streaming, and other media channels. Production I.G’s reputation in sophisticated animation and Mag Garden’s publishing operations formed the core of the group’s creative portfolio. On September 19, 2014, IG Port announced the creation of Signal.MD with capital of ¥30 million. The subsidiary was established in October 2014, with Katsuji Morishita of Production I.G serving as its president at the time of formation. Signal.MD was intended to develop full-digital animation technology and to build a production foundation for animation directed at children and families. The move reflected the growing importance of digital workflows, smart-device distribution, and audience segments beyond the group’s established adult-oriented and general animation activities. The group later reduced its direct studio footprint. On November 20, 2018, IG Port announced that Xebec’s production operations would be transferred to Sunrise. The company explained that Xebec’s main business of producing animation and other screen content had been operating at a deficit for an extended period, while licensing income had not compensated for the shortfall. The transfer was completed on April 1, 2019, at a stated cost of ¥300 million. This was a portfolio-management decision rather than a withdrawal from animation: IG Port continued to operate through its remaining content and publishing interests. IG Port’s financial results demonstrate the project-based nature of its business. For the fiscal year beginning in June 2021 and ending in May 2022, the company reported revenue of ¥11.872 billion, its first annual revenue total above ¥10 billion. Despite the revenue milestone, net profit fell by 99 percent to ¥5 million. IG Port attributed the decline to the way income from streaming projects and licensing sales was matched with amortization expenses, and stated that the effect was expected to return toward normal levels in the following fiscal year. On June 17, 2025, IG Port entered a capital and business alliance with Sanrio. Sanrio became IG Port’s fourth-largest shareholder on July 3 of that year. The alliance added a character-focused strategic partner to IG Port’s animation and intellectual-property activities. The available reference material does not provide details of the investment amount, governance arrangements, or specific joint projects. Across its history, IG Port has operated as a content holding company rather than a single-label studio. Its principal activities include animation planning and production, publishing, digital production initiatives, and rights and licensing management. The group’s profile is anchored by Production I.G and related internationally distributed animation properties, while its corporate decisions have included new-subsidiary formation, studio divestment, and strategic capital partnerships.

• 2025

  Sanrio capital and business alliance

  [1]IG Porten.wikipedia.org

  IG Port entered a capital and business alliance with Sanrio, which became its fourth-largest shareholder in July.

• 2022

  Revenue exceeds ¥10 billion

  [1]IG Porten.wikipedia.org

  IG Port reported ¥11.872 billion in revenue for the fiscal year ended May 2022.

• 2019

  Xebec production operations transferred

  [1]IG Porten.wikipedia.org

  The transfer of Xebec’s production operations to Sunrise was completed on April 1.

• 2014

  Signal.MD established

  [1]IG Porten.wikipedia.org

  IG Port created Signal.MD to pursue fully digital animation technology and animation for children and families.

• 2007

  Production I.G and Mag Garden merger announced

  [1]IG Porten.wikipedia.org

  The companies announced the merger that would create IG Port as a holding-company structure.

• 2007

  IG Port established

  [1]IG Porten.wikipedia.org

  IG Port was established on December 1 following the reorganization of Production I.G and its merger with Mag Garden.

A listed Japanese content group combining high-end animation production, publishing, digital production capabilities, and intellectual-property management for domestic and international media markets.

• Animation · 2007

  Animation production

  IG Port coordinates animation-related businesses through subsidiaries and affiliated creative operations. The work encompasses planning, production management, television and streaming animation, theatrical projects, and related exploitation of finished titles. Production I.G is the group’s best-known animation company and has been associated with technically ambitious and internationally distributed productions.

• Publishing · 2007

  Manga and publishing

  Mag Garden provides the group with manga-publishing and editorial capabilities. This business supports the development and circulation of manga properties and can create a source of intellectual property for later adaptation, licensing, and cross-media use.

• Animation technology · 2014

  Digital animation technology

  Signal.MD was formed to develop fully digital animation technology and establish production capabilities for children’s and family-oriented animation, including content suited to smart-device consumption.

• Licensing · 2007

  Intellectual-property licensing

  The group manages and monetizes rights connected with animation and publishing properties. Licensing income is an important part of the business model, although the company has also noted that licensing returns do not always offset the costs of animation production.

• 2025

  Enter capital and business alliance with SanrioM&A

  Background

  IG Port pursued a strategic relationship with Sanrio, a major character and intellectual-property company.

  Action taken

  The companies entered a capital and business alliance, and Sanrio became IG Port’s fourth-largest shareholder on July 3, 2025.

  Aftermath

  The alliance expanded IG Port’s strategic relationship with a character-merchandising and licensing partner; specific joint initiatives are not detailed in the available source.

  Source

• 2019

  Transfer Xebec production operations to SunriseStrategy

  Background

  IG Port stated that Xebec’s principal animation and screen-content production business had been loss-making for a long period and that licensing revenue had not covered the deficit.

  Action taken

  The group transferred Xebec’s production operations to Sunrise, completing the transaction on April 1, 2019.

  Aftermath

  IG Port reduced its direct studio operations while continuing its broader animation, publishing, and licensing activities.

  Transfer cost. ¥300 million (Completed April 1, 2019)

  Source

• 2014

  Create Signal.MD for digital and family animationStrategy

  Background

  IG Port identified fully digital production, smart-device distribution, and children’s and family animation as areas requiring dedicated capabilities.

  Action taken

  The company established Signal.MD with capital of ¥30 million and appointed Katsuji Morishita of Production I.G as its president at formation.

  Aftermath

  Signal.MD became part of IG Port’s expanded animation-production and technology portfolio.

  Initial capital. ¥30 million (2014)

  Source

• 2007

  Merge Production I.G with Mag GardenM&A

  Background

  Production I.G and Mag Garden pursued a combination of animation-production and manga-publishing capabilities.

  Action taken

  Production I.G was reorganized as a holding company and IG Port was established to own the operating entities, including a new Production I.G subsidiary.

  Aftermath

  The transaction created a listed content group spanning animation production, publishing, studio operations, and intellectual-property management.

  Source

1. 1IG Porten.wikipedia.org
2. 2IG Port official websiteigport.co.jp