Toei Animation
Japanese animation studio and rights-management company behind globally recognized franchises including Dragon Ball, One Piece, Sailor Moon, Digimon, and Pretty Cure.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Toei Animation is a Japanese animation studio and entertainment-rights business controlled primarily by Toei Company. Its corporate origins reach back to January 1948, when animators Kenzō Masaoka and Sanae Yamamoto founded Japan Animated Films, commonly shortened to Nichidō Eiga. Toei Company acquired the studio in 1956 and renamed it Toei Animation, originally using the Japanese corporate name Tōei Dōga. The company’s English and Japanese naming were aligned in 1998. The studio became one of Japan’s most influential animation producers by combining theatrical animation, television series, comic adaptations, character merchandising, licensing, and international distribution. Its catalog covers several generations of Japanese popular culture, beginning with early television and theatrical works and expanding through series such as Sally the Witch, GeGeGe no Kitarō, Mazinger Z, Galaxy Express 999, Cutie Honey, Dr. Slump, Dragon Ball, Saint Seiya, Sailor Moon, Slam Dunk, Digimon, One Piece, Magical Doremi, Toriko, World Trigger, and Pretty Cure. Many of these properties have been adapted into films, home-video releases, games, toys, apparel, live events, and other licensed products. Toei Animation’s business is broader than producing animation footage. It manages and licenses characters and intellectual property, distributes and sells titles internationally through wholly owned overseas subsidiaries, participates in co-productions and strategic partnerships, and has provided outsourced animation for Japanese and overseas clients. Its historical external-production work has included projects associated with Rankin/Bass, Marvel Productions, Sunbow Entertainment, Hanna-Barbera, DIC Entertainment, and other companies. The studio has also been involved in Japanese dubbing of selected foreign animated productions. The company operates from Tokyo and maintains Toei Animation Phils. in the Philippines. Its Higashiōizumi facilities include the Toei Animation Museum. Pero, the cat protagonist of the studio’s 1969 film Puss in Boots, functions as a corporate mascot. Toei Animation has received major recognition for works including Galaxy Express 999, Saint Seiya, and Sailor Moon, each of which won an Animage Anime Grand Prix award in the relevant period. In the 2020s, Toei Animation continued to develop its established franchise portfolio while seeking new partnerships, production capacity, and original intellectual property. A 2021 strategic partnership with South Korean entertainment group CJ ENM expanded its international collaboration agenda. A March 2022 ransomware incident disrupted internal systems, the online store, and broadcast schedules, affecting planned releases and episodes. In 2025, the company announced Eterna Animation, a label intended to focus on original works, and announced an Osaka studio to expand domestic production capacity and recruit creators outside Tokyo. The studio therefore remains active as both a major anime producer and a global franchise-management business.
History
Toei Animation began in January 1948 as Japan Animated Films, founded by Kenzō Masaoka and Sanae Yamamoto. The company was part of Japan’s formative animation industry and was often known as Nichidō Eiga. In 1956, Toei Company purchased the studio and reorganized it as Toei Animation, then operating under the Japanese name Tōei Dōga. This acquisition gave the studio access to the broader Toei entertainment organization and established the corporate relationship that continues today. From the 1960s onward, Toei Animation developed a substantial production identity of its own. It used dedicated production offices and created theatrical films and television programs, while also adapting popular Japanese manga and developing original characters. Its output helped define the format and commercial model of serialized television anime. The studio’s early and middle-period successes included Sally the Witch, GeGeGe no Kitarō, Mazinger Z, Galaxy Express 999, and Cutie Honey. Staff members and alumni associated with the company included prominent animators and filmmakers such as Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata, Yasuji Mori, Leiji Matsumoto, and Yōichi Kotabe. During the 1980s and 1990s, Toei Animation expanded its international and franchise significance. Dragon Ball, Saint Seiya, Sailor Moon, and Slam Dunk became important properties in Japan and overseas. The company also performed commissioned animation work for foreign partners, particularly during the 1960s and 1980s, working with organizations connected to Rankin/Bass, Marvel Productions, Sunbow, Hanna-Barbera, DIC, and World Events Productions. Although outside-production work became less prominent from the 1990s onward, international sales, licensing, and distribution remained central to its business. The company’s 1998 renaming aligned its Japanese corporate name more closely with the English brand. Toei Animation subsequently continued expanding its television and film portfolio through properties such as Digimon, One Piece, Magical Doremi, Toriko, World Trigger, and Pretty Cure. It also developed international operating capabilities, including Toei Animation’s Philippine studio and wholly owned overseas organizations involved in licensing and distribution. The studio’s catalog became increasingly valuable across theatrical releases, television, streaming, home entertainment, merchandise, publishing, and games. In October 2021, Toei Animation announced a strategic partnership with CJ ENM, reflecting the increasing importance of cross-border content development. In March 2022, a targeted ransomware attack disrupted the company’s systems and temporarily affected the online store, internal operations, and planned anime broadcasts. One Piece scheduling was affected, and Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero was postponed before later release. Toei Animation announced the resumption of affected broadcasts in April 2022. In 2025, Toei Animation announced Eterna Animation, an original-content label whose first announced project was Foxing, planned for 2026. Later that year it announced an Osaka studio, intended to add domestic production capacity, attract creators from the Kansai region, and address labor shortages concentrated in the Japanese animation industry. The company’s present identity combines a large legacy catalog with continuing production, licensing, international distribution, strategic partnerships, and efforts to build new intellectual property.
- 2025
Eterna Animation label announced
[1]Toei Animation announces a label for original works, beginning with Foxing.
- 2025
Osaka studio announced
[1]The company announces a second domestic animation studio in Osaka to expand production and recruitment.
- 2022
Ransomware incident disrupts operations
[1]A cyberattack temporarily suspends systems and affects several production and broadcast schedules.
- 2021
CJ ENM partnership announced
[1]Toei Animation announces a strategic partnership with CJ ENM.
- 1998
Corporate naming is aligned
[1]The Japanese corporate name is changed to match the English Toei Animation name.
- 1992
Sailor Moon wins an Animage Anime Grand Prix
[1]Sailor Moon receives the Animage Anime Grand Prix, reinforcing Toei’s role in major television anime.
- 1987
Saint Seiya wins an Animage Anime Grand Prix
[1]Saint Seiya receives the Animage Anime Grand Prix.
- 1981
Galaxy Express 999 wins an Animage Anime Grand Prix
[1]Galaxy Express 999 receives the Animage Anime Grand Prix, one of the studio’s notable awards milestones.
- 1962
Dedicated production offices are used
[1]Toei Animation begins operating through its own production offices rather than relying on Toei’s television division.
- 1956
Toei acquires and renames the studio
[1]Toei Company purchases Japan Animated Films and reorganizes it as Toei Animation, then known in Japanese as Tōei Dōga.
Products and positioning
A major Japanese animation house positioned around long-running, internationally marketable anime franchises, integrated character licensing, global distribution, and large-scale television and theatrical production.
Television and theatrical animation franchise · 1986
Dragon Ball
A globally prominent action-adventure franchise adapted from Akira Toriyama’s manga. Toei Animation produced major television series and films in the franchise, including Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball GT, Dragon Ball Super, and related theatrical projects. The property supports extensive licensing, home entertainment, streaming, merchandising, and game activity.
Television and theatrical animation franchise · 1999
One Piece
A long-running animated adaptation of Eiichiro Oda’s manga about Monkey D. Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates. The television series is one of Toei Animation’s central ongoing productions and has generated feature films, specials, international distribution, merchandise, games, and other licensed extensions.
Television and theatrical animation franchise · 1992
Sailor Moon
A magical-girl franchise based on Naoko Takeuchi’s manga. Toei Animation’s 1990s television adaptation became a major international property and helped establish the studio’s expertise in character-driven series with strong merchandising, theatrical, home-video, and licensing potential.
Television and multimedia franchise · 1999
Digimon
A multimedia property centered on digital creatures and their human partners. Toei Animation produced the influential Digimon Adventure television series and subsequent animated installments, films, and specials, supporting a broader ecosystem of games, toys, cards, publishing, and international licensing.
Television and theatrical animation franchise · 2004
Pretty Cure
A continuing magical-girl television franchise built around changing casts, transformation themes, action, friendship, and collectible characters. Toei Animation produces the series and associated theatrical films, with licensing and merchandise forming important parts of the property’s commercial model.
Television and theatrical animation franchise · 1968
GeGeGe no Kitarō
An enduring supernatural series based on Shigeru Mizuki’s manga and centered on the yokai character Kitarō. Toei Animation has produced multiple television and film adaptations across different periods, making it one of the studio’s long-running Japanese cultural properties.
Television and theatrical animation franchise · 1986
Saint Seiya
An action-fantasy franchise based on Masami Kurumada’s manga. Toei Animation’s television and film adaptations helped make the series an important international anime title and contributed to the studio’s reputation for mythology-driven action franchises.
Theatrical and television animation franchise · 1978
Galaxy Express 999
A science-fiction property associated with Leiji Matsumoto. Toei Animation produced major theatrical and television adaptations, including the film recognized with an Animage Anime Grand Prix award in 1981.
Controversies
2022
Ransomware attack
A targeted ransomware attack disrupted internal systems and the online store and contributed to delays affecting several anime broadcasts and a Dragon Ball film release.
2021
Employee overwork and discrimination allegations
Two employees accused Toei Animation of overwork and discriminatory treatment involving sexual minorities, including inappropriate references to employees identifying as X-gender.
2021
Copyright claims against Totally Not Mark
Toei Animation’s claims against more than 150 videos by YouTuber Mark Fitzpatrick generated criticism concerning fair use, review content, and the vulnerability of online creators to automated or platform-based copyright enforcement.
Brand decisions
2025
Creation of Eterna AnimationStrategyBackground
Toei Animation identified a need to develop original works alongside its established franchise portfolio.
Action taken
The company announced Eterna Animation as a label focused on original productions and introduced Foxing as its first announced work.
Aftermath
Foxing was announced for release in 2026; further performance information was not available in the reference material.
2025
Expansion through an Osaka studioStrategyBackground
The Japanese animation industry faced a serious labor shortage, while production talent and creative communities were concentrated heavily in Tokyo.
Action taken
Toei Animation announced an Osaka studio to increase production capacity, recruit creators from Kansai, and build regional ties.
Aftermath
The studio was presented as a second domestic production base; operational results were not yet available in the reference material.
2022
Operational response to ransomware attackOtherBackground
A network intrusion temporarily halted or restricted internal systems and disrupted planned anime broadcasts and releases.
Action taken
Toei Animation investigated the incident, suspended affected systems, and later announced the resumption of broadcasts.
Aftermath
One Piece scheduling and the release timing of Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero were affected before operations and broadcasts resumed.
2021
Strategic partnership with CJ ENMStrategyBackground
Toei Animation sought broader international cooperation and new content opportunities in an increasingly cross-border entertainment market.
Action taken
The company announced a strategic partnership with South Korean entertainment conglomerate CJ ENM.
Aftermath
The partnership expanded the company’s stated framework for cooperation with a major South Korean content group; specific financial terms were not provided in the reference material.
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