Mobile Industry /
Toho's Games Revenue Jumps 57.9 Percent as Anime Franchises Become a Bigger Business
Toho reports a 57.9% increase in animation games revenue to 1.283 billion yen for the first half of fiscal 2027, driven by Jujutsu Kaisen Phantom Parade.
Key facts
- Topic:
- Mobile Industry
- Published:
- 2026-10-19
- Reported by:
- Gameforce Mobile News Desk
Key takeaways
- Games-related revenue within TOHO animation reached 1.283 billion yen for H1 FY2027, up 57.9% year-on-year.
- Growth was spearheaded by mobile hit Jujutsu Kaisen Phantom Parade alongside developments for Haikyu!! and The Apothecary Diaries.
- Toho leverages partnerships with external game studios to scale franchise reach without bearing all internal production overhead.
Japanese entertainment company Toho has reported substantial growth in its games-related business, providing another example of how anime and mobile gaming are becoming increasingly interconnected. According to financial information examined on October 19, games-related revenue within the company's TOHO animation business reached approximately 1.283 billion yen during the first half of its financial year ending February 2027. That represents an increase of 57.
9 percent compared with approximately 813 million yen during the corresponding period a year earlier. Existing titles including Jujutsu Kaisen Phantom Parade contributed to the improvement, while the company continues developing opportunities involving major entertainment properties such as Haikyu!! and The Apothecary Diaries. The strategy reflects a broader shift in the Japanese entertainment industry.
Rather than treating games as occasional promotional extensions of successful animated series, companies increasingly view interactive entertainment as an important component of their intellectual-property businesses. Mobile games can extend the commercial life of a franchise, provide regular engagement between television seasons and introduce characters to audiences who might not otherwise discover the original material.
However, the reported figure represents games-related revenue within TOHO animation rather than the operating profit of a standalone gaming division. It should therefore not be interpreted as evidence that every associated game is individually profitable. Toho frequently collaborates with external development and publishing partners, allowing it to participate in gaming opportunities without necessarily assuming every development responsibility itself.
The results demonstrate the potential commercial value of that approach. Apparently the modern entertainment franchise is no longer satisfied with selling cinema tickets, streaming subscriptions and merchandise. It also wants a permanent place on your smartphone.
