Part 7/11:
China's Strategic Goals in Anime and Manga
China’s aggressive investments in Japanese anime and manga are driven by a desire to develop its own multimedia franchises. Tencent and other Chinese firms recognize the global appeal of Japan’s IP—such as Neon Genesis Evangelion, Doraemon, and others—and aim to „mine“ these assets for domestic adaptation and expansion into new markets.
By acquiring stakes in leading studios and engaging in negotiations for future investments, Tencent seeks to embed itself deeply into the Japanese creative ecosystem. The goal is to create multi-platform franchises that meld anime, manga, and gaming into a cohesive, lucrative multimedia universe—very much like Hollywood’s approach with comic book properties.