Tokyo media advertising group CyberAgent announced on Wednesday that it has entered into a business alliance with animation studio MAPPA and acquired an equity stake in its parent company, MHD Co., Ltd. [1]. The partnership brings together MAPPA’s animation production teams and CyberAgent’s media, gaming, and advertising operations [2]. Under the CyberAgent MAPPA agreement, the two Tokyo companies want to strengthen their ability to create new anime and deliver it to audiences worldwide through coordinated broadcasting, streaming, and retail sales [1].
Scope of the CyberAgent MAPPA Alliance
The business alliance covers work from early project planning through animation production, broadcasting, streaming, game adaptations, merchandise, and live events [1]. Prior to this CyberAgent MAPPA alliance, the two companies collaborated on anime planning, streaming on the ABEMA platform, and mobile game tie-ins [2]. This partnership deepens that working relationship across multiple entertainment formats [3]. While individual production budgets have not been made public, both firms said they will explore joint initiatives that let anime stories reach viewers beyond Japan [1].
The two companies identified a shared creative first approach as the core foundation of their partnership [1]. CyberAgent said this culture respects the time and passion that animators pour into each title [2]. MAPPA has similarly built its reputation by participating directly in project planning from early concept stages, rather than simply taking contract work from outside production committees. According to Japanese trade outlet Anime! Anime!, both firms want to elevate the global value of Japanese animation through direct coordination between production studios and distribution channels [4]. In a joint statement, executive leadership noted that great stories need strong international distribution channels to cross borders and connect with viewers [1].
MAPPA was founded in 2011 and has produced global hits such as Jujutsu Kaisen, Chainsaw Man, and Hell’s Paradise. The studio also produced Attack on Titan Final Season and the recent Ranma 1/2 remake [3]. Beyond television series, the studio entered the music sector with its own record label and currently operates the MAPPA Expo 15th Anniversary exhibition at Tokyo’s Yurakucho Museum [1].
MAPPA Ownership and Studio Independence
As part of the agreement, CyberAgent bought an equity stake in MHD Co., Ltd., the holding company that owns MAPPA [1]. The exact financial terms and purchase price were not made public in Wednesday’s announcement. Even with CyberAgent joining as a minority investor, MAPPA’s management structure will stay completely unchanged. The studio will continue to produce works as an independent animation house, keeping its existing leadership under Representative Director and CEO Manabu Ōtsuka [2].
Studio independence has been a central priority for MAPPA as it expanded its operations over the past decade [3]. In January, Netflix formed a strategic partnership with MAPPA, making the streaming service the exclusive worldwide home for several original anime projects developed by the studio. That agreement allows Netflix and MAPPA to cooperate from early story concepts through merchandise licensing. In February, MAPPA absorbed sibling studio Contrail through a merger, taking over all of its assets and contractual obligations [1]. Representative Director and CEO Manabu Ōtsuka has consistently favored partnerships that preserve the studio’s creative control while securing dependable funding for ambitious television and feature projects. Studio executives believe this ownership structure gives them access to broader media channels without sacrificing their creative schedule [2].
The CyberAgent MAPPA investment links the studio directly to one of Japan’s largest digital advertising and media groups [1]. CyberAgent, founded in 1998, operates major commercial units in internet advertising, mobile gaming, and streaming television [3]. Studio leaders said these combined capabilities will help future anime productions reach audiences in multiple countries [2].
Executive Statements on Creative Culture
CyberAgent President Takahiro Yamauchi explained that deep respect for traditional anime production motivated the partnership. “We have entered into a partnership with MAPPA Co., Ltd. and invested in its parent company, MHD Co., Ltd.,” Yamauchi said in an official statement. “We have deep respect for anime culture that has been cultivated over many years, and for the passion that creators pour into each and every work.” Yamauchi added that he and Ōtsuka share a common outlook as business leaders of the same generation in the anime sector, working to bring Japanese animation to broader global audiences [1].
Yamauchi added that the companies plan to combine their strengths to support international releases [2]. “As fellow leaders of our generation in the industry, Mr. Otsuka and I adopt ‘Creative First’ as our shared value,” Yamauchi said. “We devote our full efforts from a long-term perspective to enhance the true value of Japan’s anime worldwide [1].” Both executives confirmed that the alliance is intended to operate from a medium- to long-term perspective [2].
MAPPA CEO Manabu Ōtsuka focused on the practical benefits of teaming up with an established media partner [3]. “We have always asked ourselves how best to create and deliver our works so that audiences can enjoy them more deeply,” Ōtsuka said. “Along the way, we have come to realize how important it is to work closely with partners who bring different strengths and to think together, beyond the interests of any single company, about what would make the experience better for the people who enjoy our works [1].” He stated that MAPPA will protect production quality while working at a sensible pace [2].
Joint Projects Planned by CyberAgent MAPPA
The joint projects planned by CyberAgent MAPPA will connect production pipelines to consumer platforms [1]. The companies will evaluate opportunities for new anime adaptations, original intellectual property, and streaming releases on ABEMA [2]. CyberAgent operates ABEMA as a free and subscription streaming service in Japan, regularly broadcasting late-night anime blocks and hosting events like the annual ABEMA Anime Festival. Last December, ABEMA unveiled its original anime initiative, titled Project PRISMation, signaling CyberAgent’s growing interest in developing proprietary franchises alongside its established late-night animation broadcasting blocks and festival showcases [3].
Game adaptations provide another route for collaboration. CyberAgent owns gaming powerhouse Cygames, which produced global mobile hits like Granblue Fantasy and Uma Musume Pretty Derby [1]. The group also holds visual novel developer Nitroplus under its group umbrella, giving both companies immediate game development resources [3]. MAPPA’s action-heavy animation catalog provides prime material for console and mobile gaming tie-ins, while CyberAgent’s development studios can build interactive titles in tandem with anime broadcasts [1].
Merchandising and overseas marketing will round out the joint ventures [2]. CyberAgent manages figure brand SHIBUYA SCRAMBLE FIGURE, which produces high-end scale figures for popular anime series. In addition, the group founded CA America to handle global marketing campaigns for Japanese entertainment properties. These existing businesses give MAPPA an immediate path to distribute merchandise, collectible goods, and promotional campaigns in overseas markets [3].
CyberAgent In-House Animation Units
CyberAgent has spent several years assembling an extensive network of in-house animation production studios [3]. In February 2024, the company launched its Anime and IP Business Division to oversee anime planning, manga adaptations, and merchandising [2]. That unit followed earlier investments like the CA-Cygames Anime Fund, set up in 2017 to finance production committees. In 2025, CyberAgent founded Studio Kurm under producer Maiko Okada, who worked on Ranking of Kings, and CA Soa under former Sunrise producer Masakazu Ogawa. These studios give the conglomerate direct creative capacity across different animation styles [3].
The group also reorganized its in-house animation studio holdings earlier this year. Cygames Pictures (which worked on anime inspired by mobile games) became a consolidated subsidiary of CyberAgent on February 27. The studio changed its business name to Cypic on April 6. In June, CyberAgent opened Canvas Kyoto to train young animators in Japan’s Kansai region [1].
In addition to studio drawing talent, CyberAgent has explored technology tools for production workflows. The company founded its AI Lab in 2016 and released a Japanese large language model in May 2023. It later created development groups named Game AI Lab and Animation AI Lab in October 2023. In April 2024, CyberAgent published company guidelines for creators using generative AI, warning that current tools can’t deliver finished production art and cautioning staff to avoid copyright infringement. Cygames also founded its Cygames AI Studio in December to research machine learning applications [1].
- ONLINE NEWS Cayanan, J. (2026, November 11). CyberAgent announces business alliance with animation studio MAPPA. Anime News Network. [Article Link]
- ONLINE NEWS Nazru, A. (2026, November 11). CyberAgent enters business partnership with MAPPA, acquires stake in anime studio’s parent company. Animehunch. [Article Link]
- ONLINE NEWS Tan, M. (2026, November 11). CyberAgent announces MAPPA partnership. Anime Trending. [Article Link]
- ONLINE NEWS Nakase, K. (2026, November 11). CyberAgent signs business alliance agreement with MAPPA of Jujutsu Kaisen and Chainsaw Man to cooperate across wide range of areas. Anime! Anime!. [Article Link]
