Highlights
- Naruto leads TV Tokyo’s anime IP rankings in FY2026, fueled by overseas games, merchandising, and licensing demand.
- The broadcaster’s anime/streaming segment saw 55% operating profit growth, with strong contributions from Black Clover and Naruto.
- Financial results highlight a broader industry shift toward international markets, with North America driving major revenue shares.
Naruto has claimed the top position in TV Tokyo's annual IP rankings for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2026 (FY2026). The overseas launches of Naruto and Boruto online games and the merchandise performed especially well, according to TV Tokyo’s financial briefing.
The rankings come as TV Tokyo's broad Anime/Streaming business saw a record operating profit growth of 55%, driven by overseas growth and licensing of renowned IPs. Along with the Naruto franchise, the overseas distribution of Black Clover showed strong performance.
The significance lies in the Naruto franchise outperforming several newer titles despite the Naruto: Shippuden anime ending nine years ago in 2017. TV Tokyo’s other top-performing anime IPs included Boruto, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Pokémon, and Black Clover. Notably, the company has not released a specific breakdown of revenue amount per IP; instead has ranked them according to their performance.
TV Tokyo’s FY2026 Earnings Show Anime and Streaming Surge
TV Tokyo Holdings reported sustained growth in its animation business during 2025. The segment benefited from international streaming deals, merchandising, and rights sales, becoming one of the most profitable business areas.
The company reported net sales of ¥164.9 billion (~ $1.038 billion USD), a 5.8% year-over-year growth. The anime and streaming segment generated ¥52.31B (~$328.82M) in net sales, marking an 11.5% YoY increase. TV Tokyo's anime rights business, which includes distribution, games, and merchandise, grew 17.8% to ¥27.22B (~$171.1M) in sales.
Anime business’ strong performance prompted a revision to TV Tokyo's medium-term targets. The company raised the final-year (FY2027) operating profit target from ¥11.5B (~$72.27M) to ¥12.5B (~$78.6M), and strengthened its shareholder return policy.
The company’s FY2026 financial performance shows that overseas distribution revenue and licensing demand remain strong despite the volatility in Japan’s anime market. For TV Tokyo, the anime rights business performed best in China and North America, accounting for 31.1% and 22.6% of the sales, respectively.
Anime-related businesses have shown signs of weakness in the domestic market, prompting Japanese broadcasters to rely on the revenue from intellectual property exports.
Naruto’s dominance at TV Tokyo’s financial results mirrors classic IPs anchoring revenue patterns, observed across Japan's anime industry. The precedent is well established with One Piece, Dragon Ball, and Gundam franchises setting record earnings for their rights holders.
