[Background]
Japan’s anime industry reached a record market size of more than 3.8 trillion yen in 2024 (Source: The Association of Japanese Animations, “Anime Industry Report 2025”), with overseas markets, including international streaming and merchandise sales, driving its growth. The spread of streaming services has rapidly connected Japanese anime to the global market, and with fan communities expanding through social media, anime has become firmly established as a global pop culture phenomenon that transcends the boundaries of “subculture.”
Reflecting this momentum, the Japanese government has positioned the content industry as one of the 17 strategic fields in the Japanese government’s national growth strategy and has set ambitious targets: overseas sales of the content industry are to grow from 6.1 trillion yen in 2024 to 20 trillion yen by 2033, with anime growing from 2.1 trillion yen to 6 trillion yen over the same period.
At the same time, production capacity has not kept pace with strong demand, and many established and major studios have their production capacity booked several years in advance. In this environment, having an anime studio with proven production capabilities is key to establishing a strong competitive advantage in the global anime market.
Guided by Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group’s purpose, “Trust for a flourishing future,” Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group, Inc. has positioned the asset management business as a core growth area in its Medium-Term Management Plan (FY2026–FY2028), announced in May 2026. As it works to strengthen its investment management capabilities across the Group and create high value-added investment opportunities, it aims through this initiative to expand alternative investment opportunities and contribute to the development of Japan’s world-renowned content industry.
[Aims of the Fund]
COMISMA is a startup that has created more than 440 original IPs, building on its manga app “GANMA!”, which focuses on original works. Its flagship title, “My Love Story with Yamada-kun at Lv999,” has surpassed 6.5 million copies in cumulative circulation (including print and digital) and continues to grow as a major manga-based IP beloved by fans, with a TV anime adaptation, a live-action film adaptation, and overseas publication in 17 languages. In recent years, COMISMA has been launching more than 100 new manga titles each year, consistently producing numerous hits.
Qzil.la Inc. (“Qzil.la”), a wholly owned subsidiary of COMISMA, is a new-generation anime studio specializing in high-end animation production. Its track record includes the theatrical anime “Sekiro: No Defeat” (released September 4, 2026), based on FromSoftware, Inc.’s “SEKIRO: SHADOWS DIE TWICE,” as well as animation production for well-known titles such as the opening and ending sequences of “Kingdom” (Season 6) and the ending sequence of Episode 11 of “Chainsaw Man” (Season 1). The studio brings together a diverse group of highly regarded creators active across the anime industry.
The Fund aims to expand access to domestic and international capital for anime production projects by combining COMISMA and Qzil.la’s ability to create and acquire hit IP and their anime production expertise, with SuMiTB’s fund arrangement functions and investor network.
The Fund will also offer new investment opportunities to companies that have been interested in participating in the anime business but have previously found it difficult to access, as well as to investors interested in the anime industry (including overseas and individual investors).
Through the Fund, COMISMA and SuMiTB will strengthen the provision of investors’ capital and enhance profit returns to creators, aiming to build a platform that brings together the next generation of outstanding creators, while contributing to the further growth of Japan’s anime industry.
[Comment from SuMiTB]
Hideto Minegishi, General Manager of Investment Products Development Department /
Masaaki Yokota, General Manager of Growth Business Support Department
“Japan’s anime industry is a key industry with global growth potential. Leveraging the financial intermediation capabilities and investor network we have cultivated as a trust bank, we will work with the COMISMA Group, a startup with strengths in the global anime market, to create a new framework for channeling capital into the anime and content industries. Through this, we will support the endeavors of creators and contribute to the sustainable growth and enhanced innovation of Japan’s world-renowned content industry.”
[Comment from COMISMA Inc.]
Koki Sato, CEO
“We are delighted to have reached an agreement with Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank to establish a new anime fund as a joint initiative. We believe this initiative holds great significance for a Japanese startup working to build a business with a global impact.
Harnessing the power of finance and technology, we will continue to do our utmost to serve as a bridge between the content and IP industries, such as manga and anime, and established industries.”
[For Media Inquiries]
Public Relations, COMISMA Inc.
E-mail: pr@comicsmart.co.jp
■ Overview of COMISMA Inc.
Main Business: IP platform business
Headquarters Location: 9th Floor, PMO Jimbocho, 2-10-4 Kanda-Jimbocho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-0051
Representative: Koki Sato, CEO
Company URL: https://www.comicsmart.co.jp/en/
