Warner Music Japan (WMJ) and NBCUniversal Entertainment Japan (NBCUJ) announced on December 12th that they have formed a strategic partnership for anime music.

Expanding the Reach of Anime Music

Under this partnership, WMJ will take on the responsibility of producing and promoting new music for NBCUJ artists. Additionally, WMJ will acquire the sub-distribution rights for a vast catalog of over 9,000 songs, including anime-related tracks, owned by NBCUJ. These songs will be digitally distributed worldwide starting in early 2025. WMJ will also handle the sub-distribution of physical products like CDs.

Strengthening the Anime Music Industry

To effectively implement this partnership, WMJ has established a new "Anime Business Division." Industry veterans Koichiro Natsume and Hiroyasu Shinohara have been appointed as external advisors, bringing their expertise to the division.

Collaborating for Future Success

The two companies will also collaborate on music tie-ups for anime works. This includes exploring opportunities for WMJ artists to contribute opening or ending theme songs for NBCUJ's anime productions.

A Global Vision for Anime Music

WMJ aims to leverage this partnership to enter the rapidly growing anime music market both domestically and internationally. NBCUJ, on the other hand, will utilize the global reach of Warner Music Group's distribution and label services to expand the reach of its music catalog and connect with a wider audience.

Executive Comments

Takeshi Okada, CEO of Warner Music Japan
"I am pleased that through this partnership with NBCUJ, we can take a strategic step towards delivering Japanese music to the world through anime works. With the spread of digital platforms such as streaming and SNS, the popularity of Japanese anime has been rapidly expanding both domestically and internationally, and the number of audiences who come into contact with the works has also increased. Through these works, domestic artists and their music have the potential to acquire new fans on a global scale. This partnership not only allows us to deliver NBCUJ's back catalog music to fans around the world through Warner Music's network, but also provides an opportunity for Warner Music artists to further develop their careers through anime-related collaborations."

Shoji Doyama, CEO of NBCUniversal Entertainment Japan
"Matching anime with music is essential to greatly move the hearts of anime fans. Through this strategic partnership, we expect that the combination of NBCUJ's anime and Warner Music's music will bring great excitement to anime fans around the world. I am also pleased that NBCUJ's artists' music can be delivered to more people through Warner Music's worldwide distribution."

Source : ORICON NEWS