Crunchyroll Co-Founder Kun Gao Launches AniBiz Global Anime Licensing Platform

Crunchyroll co-founder and former CEO Kun Gao has launched AniBiz, a first-of-its-kind B2B marketplace built specifically for the global anime licensing industry. The platform, operated by Gao's company Nakama, Inc., went live in early July 2026.

A New Digital Hub for Anime Rights

AniBiz aims to centralize and modernize the traditionally fragmented anime licensing process. The platform connects anime IP rights holders studios, production committees, and rights management companies with qualified licensees such as brands, manufacturers, retailers, game studios, and entertainment companies worldwide.

The service features a database covering thousands of anime series, offering discovery tools, matchmaking capabilities, and facilitated introductions between parties. The goal is to replace the cold outreach, trade-show networking, and insider-dependent deal-making that has historically defined anime licensing.

"For decades, access to anime IP has largely depended on who you know," Gao stated. "AniBiz opens the door to entirely new categories of partners."

Major Industry Partners on Board

The platform has secured participation from more than 20 major Japanese licensors and rights holders, representing a significant cross-section of the anime industry. The roster includes Aniplex of America, Toei Animation, TOHO Global, Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS), TV Tokyo Corporation, TV Asahi Corporation, Pony Canyon, CyberAgent, Dentsu Anime Solutions, Fuji Creative Corporation, ADK Emotions, Avex Pictures, FURYU Pictures, Hakuhodo DY Music & Pictures, Mainichi Broadcasting System, Dai Nippon Printing, TAKARATOMY, Imagica Infos, Yomiuri Telecasting Corporation, and YTE.

The breadth of participants spans major animation studios, broadcasting networks, advertising conglomerates, and merchandise companies suggesting strong industry buy-in for the concept of a unified digital marketplace.

Pricing and Access

AniBiz operates on a tiered subscription model designed to lower barriers to entry for new global partners. A free basic tier allows companies to create profiles and search for licensees. A Pro tier at $49 per month grants access to a data feed of titles, production committee details, and additional market intelligence. A custom tier is available for companies with specialized requirements.

The platform also promises data-driven market insights and trend analysis tools, along with a verified buyer system to ensure legitimate business transactions.

The Team Behind the Platform

Nakama, Inc. was built by veterans of the anime streaming and licensing space. Alongside Gao, the company's co-founders include Brady McCollum, who serves as CEO, and Sae Whan Song, who leads business development. Song previously held roles at Toei Animation, Crunchyroll, and Viz Media, bringing deep relationships across the Japanese and Western anime industries.

The founding team built Crunchyroll from its inception to more than 10 million subscribers and over one billion dollars in revenue before its acquisition by Sony's Funimation Global Group. That experience in scaling an anime platform from startup to industry leader underpins the ambition behind AniBiz.

A Market Primed for Growth

The launch comes as the global anime market is projected to exceed $35 billion in 2026, with demand for licensed merchandise, localized content, and cross-media collaborations expanding rapidly beyond Japan's borders. As more Western brands, game developers, and consumer product companies seek anime partnerships, the friction of navigating Japan's complex rights landscape has become a significant bottleneck.

AniBiz positions itself as the infrastructure layer to unlock that growth a standardized, transparent marketplace where deals that once took months of personal introductions can begin with a search query.

The platform is live now at anibiz.com, with its full roster of licensors already accessible to registered buyers.