A major new alliance is forming in Japan’s anime industry.
Financial giant SBI Holdings and anime production company Twin Engine have signed a basic agreement for a capital and business alliance centered on IP creation and anime production.
The announcement was made on 19 May, 2026.
According to the statement, SBI Holdings plans to acquire shares in Twin Engine and make the studio an equity-method affiliate, following due diligence and further procedures.
Why are SBI Holdings and Twin Engine partnering up?
The partnership is being framed around the expansion of global entertainment and anime IP development.
Twin Engine stated that its strategy of “continuously creating and nurturing global IP” aligns with SBI Group’s efforts to build what it calls a “neo-media ecosystem.”
The companies say the collaboration will focus on creating new IP from multiple sources, including manga, novels, and indie games, before expanding them into anime, live-action works, merchandise, events, and overseas distribution.
What anime has Twin Engine produced?
Twin Engine is one of Japan’s largest anime production groups, operating through 18 creative units.
The company highlighted several recent productions in the announcement, including:
- Cosmic Princess Kaguya!
- Nippon Sangoku
- Witch Hat Atelier
- The Mononoke movie trilogy
According to the statement, “Cosmic Princess Kaguya!” remained in Netflix’s Top 10 for 11 consecutive weeks and surpassed JPY2.5 billion (around US$1.5 million) at the box office.
What will the partnership involve?
The alliance includes several major initiatives.
- A new joint venture for original anime IP
The companies plan to establish a joint venture focused on developing next-generation original anime projects for global audiences.
Twin Engine will contribute planning and production capabilities, while SBI Group will provide financial infrastructure and investment support.
- A planned 100 billion yen content fund
Twin Engine will also support a planned 100 billion yen content fund from SBI Group by providing anime industry expertise and hands-on production support.
The companies say the goal is to strengthen Japanese content production and maximize the value of projects and investments.
- Overseas expansion and merchandising
The partnership will additionally use SBI Group’s international network across Asia and the Middle East to expand Twin Engine titles globally through streaming, merchandise, and events.
The announcement also mentions collaboration across digital media, regional revitalization projects, and creator-focused production systems.