Toho International

Toho International, Inc.
Company typeSubsidiary
FoundedMay 1953
Headquarters
Los Angeles
,
California
Key people
Kōji Ueda (President)[1]
ParentToho
Subsidiaries

Toho International, Inc. (国際東宝㈱, Kokusai Tōhō Kabushiki Gaisha)[2] is an American company that is a subsidiary of Japanese entertainment company Toho.[3][4][5] Founded in May 1953, the company was initially created to sell films by Toho in North and South America; amongst their first features to export overseas were Seven Samurai and Godzilla (both 1954).[3] Toho International currently manages the licensing, marketing, and distribution of Toho's movies and other products.[2]

In January 2023, Toho International announced it had acquired 50% stakes in Frederator Networks animated television series Bee and PuppyCat, Bravest Warriors, and Bravest Warriors spin-off Catbug.[6] In December of the same year, Toho announced its intent to acquire a 25% stake in American production and distribution company Fifth Season, majority-owned by CJ ENM, for $225 million.[7] In October 2024, it was announced GKIDS would become a subsidiary of Toho International.[8]

  1. ^ Salkowitz, Rob. "Godzilla Spotted Approaching America! New Japanese Production Arriving In December". Forbes. Retrieved 2023-10-17.
  2. ^ a b "東宝、国際展開を本格化　米国子会社に154億円投資". animationbusiness.info. Retrieved 2023-10-17.
  3. ^ a b Ryfle & Godziszewski 2017, p. 148.
  4. ^ Frater, Patrick (2023-01-05). "Toho International Buys Stakes in a Trio of Western Anime Properties From Frederator Network". Variety. Retrieved 2023-10-17.
  5. ^ Frater, Patrick (2023-07-07). "Japan's Toho to Embrace North America's Japanese Pop Culture Fandom With Godzilla and Anime E-Commerce Launches (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 2023-10-17.
  6. ^ Frater, Patrick (2023-01-05). "Toho International Buys Stakes in a Trio of Western Anime Properties From Frederator Network". Variety. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
  7. ^ Shackleton, Liz (10 December 2023). "Japan's Toho Acquires 25% Stake In Fifth Season; Korea's CJ ENM Remains Majority Shareholder". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
  8. ^ Tangcay, Jazz (October 15, 2024). "Animation Distributor GKIDS Acquired by Japan's Toho". Variety. Retrieved October 16, 2024.