Sony's Kadokawa Investment Sparks Goal of 9000 Original IPs Per Year

Kadokawa's Ambitious Goal: 9,000 Original IP Publications Annually

Following a significant investment from the Sony Group, securing a 10% stake, Kadokawa Corporation has set a bold target: publishing 9,000 original intellectual property (IP) titles per year by fiscal year 2027. This ambitious plan represents a 50% increase over their 2023 output.

Kadokawa President Takeshi Natsuno, in an interview with the Nikkei newspaper, outlined the strategy. Leveraging Sony's extensive global distribution network, Kadokawa aims for significant international expansion. Their medium-term plan projects 7,000 titles by fiscal year 2025, demonstrating confidence in achieving their ultimate goal. To support this expansion, Kadokawa plans to increase its editorial staff by 40%, reaching approximately 1,000 employees, ensuring efficient workflow and sustainable growth.

Image From Kadokawa’s Official Website

A Media Mix Strategy for Enhanced Storytelling

This ambitious publishing plan is complemented by a "media mix strategy." Kadokawa intends to leverage its IPs across multiple platforms, creating anime and game adaptations to enrich the storytelling experience. Natsuno emphasized the goal of fostering diversity and variety in their creations, aiming to cultivate major successes.

This collaboration benefits Sony as well. With Crunchyroll, its anime streaming service boasting over 15 million paid subscribers, Sony gains access to a wealth of new content from Kadokawa's extensive IP library. This includes titles like Bungo Stray Dogs, Oshi no Ko, The Rising of the Shield Hero, Delicious in Dungeon, and My Happy Marriage, along with popular video game IPs such as Elden Ring, Dragon Quest, the Danganronpa series, and Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story.

Sony's interest in expanding into multimedia entertainment, including live-action adaptations and co-producing anime for international distribution, aligns perfectly with Kadokawa's expansion strategy.