Toei Animation is making a bigger move into global anime production, and this one should catch the attention of SEA fans.
The legendary Japanese studio behind One Piece, Dragon Ball, and Sailor Moon has revealed, through its financial results for the fiscal year ending March 2026, that it is moving ahead with plans to set up a new animation studio in Vietnam. The company is also preparing a new base in Dubai.
Both moves are part of Toei Animation’s wider VISION 2030 management plan, which is basically the studio’s big global growth roadmap. The target is huge: Toei wants to reach 200 billion yen in revenue and 50 billion yen in operating profit by 2031.
Why Vietnam matters
For Malaysian and SEA anime fans, the Vietnam studio is the most interesting part here.
Anime has always been seen as a Japan-first industry, but the actual production pipeline has become increasingly international over the years. Studios, subcontractors, artists, and digital production teams across Asia already play important roles in keeping the anime machine running. Toei putting a more formal production footprint in Vietnam suggests the company is serious about building capacity outside Japan, not just outsourcing bits and pieces when schedules get tight.
That matters because anime demand is not slowing down. Every season feels packed, streaming platforms are competing for rights, and major IPs need constant content across TV, film, games, merchandise, and events. For a studio managing giants like One Piece and Dragon Ball, expanding the animation workforce is not just a nice upgrade — it is survival.
According to Toei’s plan, the company is preparing to invest around 24 billion yen into its studios, including increasing its workforce by several hundred people. It is also planning around 20 billion yen for overseas development.
Dubai is about regional expansion
The Dubai base has a slightly different role. While the Vietnam studio is tied more closely to production capacity and studio improvement, the Dubai office appears to be focused on regional business expansion.
Plans for the Dubai sales office were reportedly already in place by October 2025. This fits with Toei’s broader goal of expanding into six new regions, including Asia, while strengthening its existing overseas presence.
In plain English: Toei wants more anime production muscle, but it also wants more direct ways to sell, promote, and grow its brands around the world.
SEA fans should pay attention
For Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, and the rest of SEA, this is another sign that the region is becoming more important to the anime business.
SEA audiences are not just passive viewers anymore. We fill cinemas for anime films, show up for ACG events, buy figures and merch, follow seasonal shows weekly, and turn anime openings into TikTok trends overnight. If major Japanese studios are building more infrastructure in and around Asia, it means the region’s role in the anime ecosystem is only getting stronger.
Of course, this does not mean your favourite anime will suddenly release faster next month. A new studio takes time to build, staff, and integrate into a production system. But long term, more regional production capacity could help big studios manage schedules better and support more projects without relying only on Japan-based teams.
Toei is also working on a global production system centred around its Oizumi Studio in Tokyo, while pushing initiatives aimed at strengthening its IPs and increasing customer touchpoints. That sounds corporate, but the fan-facing version is simple: Toei wants its anime brands to reach more people, in more markets, through more channels.
For SEA fans, Vietnam being part of that plan is a big deal. Anime’s centre of gravity is still Japan, no doubt. But the industry around it is becoming more regional, more connected, and more global. And honestly, seeing Southeast Asia become part of that next phase is memang interesting.
Source: Automaton Media