Toei, Kodansha And Other Anime Firms Launch YouTube Streaming Initiative, Overseas Plans In Consideration

The Variety reported that Toei Animation, Kodansha and other anime content providers have banded together to start a channel on YouTube. The goal is to have 30 companies providing 3,000 anime titles by 2022, with the number of views per month reaching 300 million.

Called Animelog, or Anilog, the channel was launched Friday by Analyzelog, a company that supports corporate digital strategies. The target audience for the channel is currently local, but there are also plans to add sub-titled content in English and Chinese for overseas fans.

The Anilog YouTube channel launched with content such as Black Jack and Future Boy Conan streaming in Japan. The channel aims to provide 3,000 anime titles from 30 companies, including Nippon Animation, Tezuka Productions, Toei Animation, Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Shinei Animation, and Kodansha, by the year 2022.

Analyzelog said in a statement about the new channel:

There exists a problem of illegal video distribution service these days, but “AnimeLog” will distribute only officially licensed animations and operate as a safe channel that families can enjoy together.

Benjamin Grubbs founded Analyzelog in 2018 with seed capital backing from U.S. venture investor, Next10 Ventures.

Source: Variety (Mark Schilling), Animation Business Journal (Tadashi Sudo)