The Boom Continues: Toho Announces Plans to Double Anime Production by 2032

The anime industry is experiencing an unprecedented global surge, and entertainment giant Toho, who is behind series like The Apothecary Diariesand My Hero Academia, is betting big on the boom. In a bold move, the company has revealed its plan to more than double its annual anime output from 14 cours to 30 by 2032. This ambitious target highlights Toho's confidence in anime’s enduring popularity and its growing importance within its business portfolio.

However, Toho's expansion is not without complications, according to toho.co.jp. As a producer rather than an animation studio, Toho coordinates funding, distribution, and rights management rather than creating the anime itself. This raises critical questions about how it can achieve such a significant increase in production, especially as the industry grapples with a chronic shortage of animators and production staff.

Toho’s Corporate Strategy and Structural Advantage

Toho Animation Has a New Strategy to Produce More Anime

Toho's strength lies in its ability to manage projects at a high level, leveraging relationships with animation studios, licensors, and distributors. By scaling up its internal staff and investing in planning and coordination roles, it aims to increase the number of productions it oversees without directly taking on the burden of animating each title. This allows the company to grow its anime portfolio while avoiding the bottlenecks that studios themselves often face.

Maomao outside the palace dressed up in a fine gown with makeup in The Apothecary Diaries.

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Still, Toho's success will depend heavily on its partnerships with animation studios. The planned doubling of output implies not only more projects but also more strain on already stretched creative teams. While Toho may not animate, it will need to secure collaborations with capable studios that can deliver quality work consistently, which is an increasingly challenging task in the current labor landscape.

Industry-Wide Expansion and Sustainability Concerns

Will Toho Animation and Other Anime Studios Survive This Rapid Growth?

Toho is not alone in chasing growth. Kadokawa is another major player in the anime sphere, and is also expanding its production footprint. This trend suggests a broader shift in the anime business model, where more large-scale companies are taking active roles in content production. With streaming services hungry for new content and global audiences more engaged than ever, the incentives to produce more anime are strong.

But growth at this pace comes with risk. The anime industry's labor shortages are well-documented, with animators often facing long hours and low pay. Unless systemic changes are made—such as improved working conditions, better compensation, and talent development—ramping up production may lead to burnout and a decline in quality. Toho and others must consider long-term sustainability alongside immediate gains. As the anime boom continues, companies like Toho, behind The Apothecary Diaries and My Hero Academia, are poised to play a larger role in shaping the industry’s future. But their ambitions must be balanced by a commitment to supporting the workforce that brings these beloved stories to life.

Source: toho.co.jp