Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) has announced the first round of selection results for the IP360 Subsidy program which aims to strenghten its content industry.
Among the companies chosen to receive the grants are Aniplex, Wit Studio, and Mappa, known for producing and animating hit works like Demon Slayer, Attack on Titan and Vinland Saga.
A total of 19 companies were selected from those who applied, and eight of those companies from the anime segment, with gaming (7) and live action (4) making up the rest.
The list of anime companies chosen are:
- Aniplex
- Wit Studio
- CoMix Wave Films
- Twin Engine
- Trigger
- Production I.G
- K2 Pictures
- Mappa
CoMix Wave Films and Twin Engine are receiving the grant for general animation production business operations, while Mappa was selected for the production of a new animation work.
Wit Studio will be getting the fund for a new theatrical animation, along with Trigger and K2 Picture. Meanwhile Production I.G has been selected for the production of high-quality, large-scale theatrical works through the establishment of a sustainable creator environment.
Additionally, Aniplex is receiving the subsidy to fund a sustainable production system enhancement project.
The selected companies can receive a maximum subsidy amount of up to 1.5 billion yen. The final allocated amount for each applicant is calculated based on the average sales of their top three past works.
The subsidy is designed to cover 50 percent of production costs for selected projects of these anime studios. Eligible expenses under the grant span from pre-production to localization and promotion, with the subsidy period lasting up to two years and concluding no later than February 2028.
The program includes a revenue-sharing mechanism, which mandates that companies return a portion of the public funds if project revenues exceed a specified threshold.
This development comes on the back of a recent report which revealed that the Japanese government might provide subsidies to manga publishers and entertainment companies, such as Shueisha, Bandai Namco, and Crunchyroll, encouraging them to utilize AI translations and other measures to accelerate global expansion.
The subsidy initiative aligns with the Japanese government’s broader economic strategy, which aims to achieve 20 trillion yen in overseas sales of Japanese content by 2033.
Source: Otaku Research Institute
