Toei’s $3.2 Billion Gambit to Move Beyond One Piece and Become Anime’s Disney
Anime giant Toei Animation has unveiled phase one of a $3.2 billion, decade-long push to become the Disney of anime, signaling a bold new chapter and a bid for global dominance.
Toei Animation just laid its cards on the table: a decade-long push to turn itself into something like anime's Disney. We are talking big money, big scope, and a clear intent to stop thinking of anime as something exported from Japan and start building it for the whole planet from day one.
The plan, in plain English
- By 2033, Toei wants to stand as a 500 billion yen brand (roughly $3.2 billion).
- They are ramping up production capacity and hiring hundreds of new staff to support it.
- At least three new studios are opening across Asia within the next five years.
- About 40 new projects are in the pipeline, and 25 of those will come from international creators and studios.
- North America, China, and Europe are getting extra focus, each positioned as a creative hub to develop local productions.
- Big tech push: VR, AR, and AI to speed up the pipeline and unlock new creative tools, plus more 3D and CG to raise quality while cutting down on repetitive grunt work for animators.
Why now
Toei has been a pillar of the anime industry for nearly 70 years. This plan is them saying: the next chapter is global, and it is not just about shipping subtitled episodes overseas. It is about originating shows for international audiences and investing in talent and tools to make that happen.
What this means for creators
On paper, it might sound like a terrifying scale-up for artists. In practice, Toei is pitching it as the opposite: more jobs, more support, and more freedom. The studio says it will actively address Japan's notorious animator shortage by bringing on a few hundred people as part of this expansion.
"Pro, Pro, Pro!!" — short for "Produce, Product, and Project" — is Toei's new internal system that lets animators and staff pitch their own series and shorts, with the studio amplifying creators' work and stories online to a global audience.
Because the strategy is international by design, creators could end up moving between studios across different countries, not just Japan. Toei specifically calls out opportunities across Southeast Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East. If they actually follow through on that, it is a real pathway for fresh voices to get in the door.
The tech bet
Toei is leaning hard into digital transformation. The shorthand: VR and AR for new ways to visualize and iterate, AI for speed and workflow support, and a bigger role for 3D/CG to boost consistency and polish while easing the load on animators. If they get that balance right, it could mean better-looking shows without burning out the people making them.
The global rollout
The first phase of this 10-year plan is now in motion. Within five years, those additional Asian studios are supposed to be online to support the growing slate. The idea is to build out regional hubs in North America, China, and Europe that do more than market shows — they help make them, locally, then roll them out globally.
What they are building on
Toei is not starting from scratch. This is the studio behind One Piece, Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, Sailor Moon, and Digimon Adventure — all evergreen brands with real pull. For the curious: IMDb has One Piece at 9.0, Dragon Ball at 8.5, Dragon Ball Z at 8.8, Sailor Moon at 7.6, and Digimon Adventure at 7.9. Solid foundation for a world tour.
My two cents
It is a massive swing, and the goal is loud on purpose. If Toei actually gives creators real autonomy, nails the tech without flattening the artistry, and makes international originals that still feel like, well, anime — not generic 'global content' — this could be the rare corporate plan that actually benefits both the studio and the people making the shows.