The studio behind Jujutsu Kaisen and Chainsaw Man has just gained a new partner with significant experience in the entertainment industry. Japanese company CyberAgent announced a business alliance with MAPPA and confirmed it acquired a stake in MHD, the animation studio’s parent company. The deal was officially presented on November 11 and includes collaborations beyond producing new anime series.

CyberAgent, for those unfamiliar, is one of Japan’s major entertainment groups, responsible for businesses like the streaming platform ABEMA and the game developer Cygames, known for franchises such as Uma Musume: Pretty Derby and Granblue Fantasy. The company now aims to leverage this experience to develop new opportunities alongside MAPPA.

However, a key detail: CyberAgent has not fully purchased MAPPA. The investment was made by acquiring a stake in MHD, whose presidency is also held by Manabu Otsuka, the studio’s current CEO. The companies did not reveal the amount of money involved or the percentage of shares exchanged.

According to the official statement, the alliance will combine MAPPA’s production capabilities with CyberAgent’s business expertise. This includes collaborating from the early planning stages of an anime to its international distribution, including possible video game adaptations, official merchandise, and fan events.

In other words, both companies aim to participate in more aspects of a franchise, rather than just producing a series and leaving other activities to other firms. However, no specific projects have been announced as a result of this deal, so expecting video game adaptations of MAPPA’s popular works would be premature.

Although the announcement may seem like a brand-new collaboration, the two companies have been working together for some time. In fact, one of their first projects was Rage of Bahamut: Genesis, an anime produced by MAPPA in 2014 based on Cygames’ video game. Since then, they have also collaborated on planning other productions, distribution via ABEMA, and various gaming-related projects.

In an interview published alongside the announcement, the presidents of both companies explained that their professional relationship began about eight years ago. Manabu Otsuka, president of MAPPA, and Takahiro Yamauchi, president of CyberAgent, highlighted that they share a vision on the importance of caring for works and finding better ways to reach international audiences.

Yamauchi noted that both companies share the philosophy Creative First, focused on respecting creators’ work. For his part, Otsuka assured that MAPPA will continue paying special attention to the quality of its productions while leveraging its new partner’s strengths to expand the experiences it can offer viewers.

For now, MAPPA confirmed it will maintain its administrative structure and continue operating as an independent animation studio. This means the deal does not imply any announced change in its direction or that CyberAgent will automatically take control of its upcoming productions.

The alliance is part of a trend by both companies to expand their activities around anime. MAPPA has been more directly involved in the commercial management of its works for several years, while CyberAgent has strengthened its investments in animated production, video games, and content distribution.

Thus, the agreement could open new opportunities for developing franchises and reaching audiences in other countries. However, its results will depend on the projects the companies decide to undertake, as no new series, films, or video games tied specifically to this investment are yet known.

What would you like to see first from this partnership: a new original MAPPA anime or a video game based on one of its most popular franchises?