ContentAge Enters into a Capital and Business Alliance with Asobisystem

ContentAge Inc. (Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Sosuke Noda), which operates IP development, general advertising, and entertainment agency businesses, has completed a third-party allotment of new shares to Asobisystem Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Yusuke Nakagawa), and has entered into a capital and business alliance.

Through this partnership, we will combine Asobisystem's assets, including artists, creators, events, stores, and facilities, with ContentAge's advertising, IP development, and talent management functions to strengthen our business structure centered on IP. We aim to enhance the execution density from "creating → nurturing → expanding" to foster the creation of global IP from Japan.

1. Overview

ContentAge has completed a third-party allotment of new shares to Asobisystem, entering into a capital and business alliance. This partnership will strengthen the system for integrally promoting IP development, operation, and expansion by linking the assets of both companies across the board. Through collaboration with companies, local governments, and media outlets, we aim for continuous content creation and commercialization, focusing on character IP.

The first joint projects will be announced sequentially as they become ready.

2. Background

In recent years, Japan's entertainment and content industry has been facing a major turning point both domestically and internationally. As content and technology rapidly merge, the integrated speed of development, operation, and expansion is becoming a competitive advantage, in addition to creative power.

ContentAge has been strengthening its structure to enhance the reproducibility of its IP-centered business, leveraging its business foundation that spans general advertising, entertainment, and IP development.

Asobisystem has built its strengths in the entertainment industry through artist production, event management, and building a global network. This alliance is intended to further enhance the execution capabilities of the IP business by bringing together the strengths of both companies.

3. Business Synergy

This partnership will combine Asobisystem's assets, such as artists, creators, events, stores, and facilities, with ContentAge's advertising and IP development functions to integrally promote the process of "creating → nurturing → expanding" from the following perspectives:

・Planning & Development: IP design (worldview/character/media expansion initial design) with an eye on marketability and sustainability.

・Production & Operation: Communication design including social/real-world deployment, and operational improvement based on feedback.

・Expansion & Commercialization: Monetization design based on multiple channels such as advertising, events, and licensing.

・Structure: A promotion system that co-locates production and operation and can withstand scaling for global expansion.

4. Future Initiatives (Focus Areas)

Through this partnership, we will develop character businesses in the following areas:

・New IP development linked with artists and content owned by Asobisystem.

・Launching new character/anime development projects in collaboration with media companies.

・Regional revitalization × character IP (collaboration with local governments, content originating from regions).

・IP development with an eye on overseas expansion (considering multilingual and cross-border distribution from the initial planning stage).

5. Representative Comments

Yusuke Nakagawa, CEO, Asobisystem Co., Ltd.

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