BANDAI and MEGAHOUSE of the Bandai Namco Group Selected for METI's Inaugural 'Top 20 Toy Industry Companies Pioneering New Frontiers'

BANDAI Co., Ltd. (President and CEO: Kazuhiro Takenaka; headquarters: Taito-ku, Tokyo) and MEGAHOUSE Co., Ltd. (President and CEO: Akihiro Sato; headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo) have been selected for the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's (METI) inaugural 'Top 20 Toy Industry Companies Pioneering New Frontiers'.

The 'Top 20 Toy Industry Companies Pioneering New Frontiers' initiative aims to enhance public recognition of toy-related enterprises, promote the industry-wide adoption of outstanding initiatives, and revitalize the sector by selecting companies demonstrating exceptional efforts.

In recent years, amid significant market shifts such as declining birthrates, our group has focused on product development leveraging intellectual properties (IPs) and creating diverse touchpoints with fans. These efforts have been recognized, with BANDAI selected in the 'Large and Mid-sized Enterprises' category and MEGAHOUSE in the 'Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (Diverse Fanbase Acquisition)' category.

Moving forward, BANDAI and MEGAHOUSE will continue striving under the group's purpose, 'Fun for All into the Future,' to enrich people's lives through play and spread joy worldwide.

About the 'Top 20 Toy Industry Companies Pioneering New Frontiers'

Launched by METI in FY2025 to promote the development and global competitiveness of Japan's toy industry, this new corporate recognition program selects toy-related companies demonstrating outstanding initiatives in the following three areas:

1 Global Expansion 2 Diversification of Fanbases 3 Strengthening Consumer Touchpoints

The program aims to revitalize the entire industry by widely publicizing these initiatives both domestically and internationally.

Both companies were primarily evaluated on the following initiatives:

BANDAI Co., Ltd.

[Global Expansion] Overseas expansion leveraging a broad portfolio of products and services

[Diversification of Fanbases] Offering IP-driven products and services to a wide global audience—from children to adults—by managing approximately 620 IPs annually

[Strengthening Consumer Touchpoints] Providing products and services across diverse customer lifestyles, including retail stores, e-commerce, and experiential facilities

MEGAHOUSE Co., Ltd.

[Diversification of Fanbases] Offering products and services targeting diverse fan groups across different tastes and generations, centered on the concept of 'Kidult × Oshi-activities' (hobbies centered on favorite characters or idols)

Executive Comments

Kazuhiro Takenaka, President and CEO, BANDAI Co., Ltd.

Since our founding in 1950, we have consistently created toys beloved across generations. We are encouraged by this recognition and will continue our efforts to deeply connect with fans worldwide through our IPs, delivering fun experiences for years to come.

Akihiro Sato, President and CEO, MEGAHOUSE Co., Ltd.

We are deeply encouraged that our efforts to support diverse passions around the world and deliver enjoyment and inspiration have been recognized. We will continue challenging the possibilities of what toys can achieve.

BANDAI and BANDAI SPIRITS Corporate Site: https://www.bandai.co.jp/

MEGAHOUSE Corporate Site: https://www.megahouse.co.jp/

Top 20 Toy Industry Companies Pioneering New Frontiers:

https://www.meti.go.jp/policy/mono_info_service/mono/seikatsuseihin/nichiyo/gangu20sen/index.html

©BANDAI ©Eiichiro Oda/Shueisha ©Eiichiro Oda/Shueisha, Fuji TV, Toei Animation ©Takashi Yanase/Froebel-kan, TMS, NTV ©Koyoharu Gotouge/Shueisha, Aniplex, ufotable TM&© Othello, Co. and MegaHouse

*The information contained in this material is current as of June 29 (Mon). It is subject to change without prior notice.