Sony’s strategic grip on the anime industry has tightened further following the announcement that animation production house Egg Firm has become a wholly owned subsidiary of Aniplex. Operating under the umbrella of Sony Music Entertainment Japan, Aniplex continues to consolidate major creative talent. Egg Firm is highly regarded for its management of Reki Kawahara’s seminal works, including the Sword Art Online and Accel World series, as well as its pivotal role in the production of Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation.
With this acquisition, Egg Firm joins a prestigious roster of Aniplex subsidiaries that includes A-1 Pictures (the studio behind Solo Leveling) and CloverWorks. This expansion complements Sony’s ownership of Crunchyroll, the primary vehicle for distributing Aniplex’s major cinematic and episodic releases, such as Chainsaw Man Movie – Reze Arc and Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle. Furthermore, Sony holds a controlling interest in Kadokawa, the massive media conglomerate that owns several of the industry’s most lucrative intellectual properties. This level of vertical integration places Sony in a league of its own, with Netflix—currently bolstering its lineup through a partnership with MAPPA—standing as its only significant global competitor.
Egg Firm first made its mark in 2016 with the production of The Disastrous Life of Saiki K. in collaboration with J.C. Staff. Founded in 2015 by former Genco producer Nobuhiro Osawa, the studio quickly became a hub for high-profile creative alliances involving Reki Kawahara, screenwriter Ichiro Okouchi (Code Geass), and visionary director Akiyuki Shinbo. Their strategic investment in the creation of Studio Bind in 2019 was a masterstroke, resulting in the massive success of Mushoku Tensei.
Sony’s trajectory reveals a calculated effort to dominate the anime landscape from every angle. By controlling everything from the original IP to production and final distribution—highlighted by the launch of HAYATE Inc. in March 2025—the company has created a closed-loop ecosystem. While this ensures high production standards and streamlined releases, it has also sparked concerns among the fanbase regarding a potential monopoly. As Sony fortifies its position, the industry watches to see how rivals like Netflix will respond to this unprecedented consolidation of power.
Source: Polygon
