Japan-based Sony Group Corporation (TYO: 6758; NYSE: SONY) has agreed to acquire a 2.5% stake in Bandai Namco (TYO: 7832) for $464m (¥68B), purchasing approximately 16 million shares. The deal is positioned as a strategic partnership aimed at deepening collaboration across gaming, anime, and content distribution, with a particular emphasis on anime and manga IP.
While the move doesn’t grant Sony control, it reinforces its long-standing ties with one of Japan’s most valuable content conglomerates. Bandai Namco operates across multiple segments, including Digital Business (games publishing and development), Toys and Hobby, IP Production (anime, music, and films), and Amusement (IP licensing and merchandising). Its portfolio spans iconic franchises such as Dragon Ball, Mobile Suit Gundam, Tekken, and One Piece.
Source: Bandai Namco
For Bandai Namco, the deal will maximize its IP value, as Sony will support both content creation and global rollout, while providing access to its platform technology stack and infrastructure. According to its FY’25 report, Bandai Namco generated ~$8.4B (¥1.24T) in revenue — a 15% YoY increase — with operating profit nearly doubling to ~$1.2B (¥180B).
Source: Bandai Namco
Source: Bandai Namco
Despite a strong FY’25, Bandai Namco lowered its forecast for FY’26, suggesting that the Sony partnership may serve as a strategic lever for long-term stability and global reach.
At a time when cross-media IP strategies are central to global platform expansion — and anime continues to scale as a worldwide monetization engine (e.g., Demon Slayer, Jujutsu Kaisen) — Sony is tightening its grip on the anime-industrial complex. With full ownership of Aniplex and Crunchyroll, this deal is less about equity returns and more about securing a long-term position in Japan’s transmedia value chain.
The move also aligns with Sony’s broader strategy of minority investments in premium IP holders, following previous deals with Kadokawa (parent of FromSoftware) and Epic Games — allowing it to secure upstream content without resorting to full-scale M&A.
Following the partnership announcement on July 24, Bandai Namco (TYO: 7832) shares rose slightly by 0.1% on July 25 and then slipped 0.4% by July 28. Sony’s (TYO: 6758) shares, meanwhile, fell roughly 2.1% on July 25 and another 1.8% on July 28, reflecting cautious sentiment around the deal despite its strategic narrative reinforcement.
