Hollywood Star Will Smith Sets Sight On Anime Production With Studio Azuki Deal
Westbrook Inc., the media company co-founded by Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith along with Miguel Melendez and Ko Yada, has entered into a strategic partnership with the newly established U.S.-based animation house, Studio Azuki. The collaboration aims to develop and produce next-generation anime content for a global audience.
The partnership will combine Studio Azuki’s production capabilities with Westbrook’s extensive Hollywood network to achieve its goals.
“At Westbrook, our mission has always been to tell stories that connect, inspire, and transcend borders,” said Westbrook CEO Ko Yada in a statement. “Partnering with Studio Azuki is a powerful step in that direction. Their creative vision and cultural insight align seamlessly with our global strategy.“
The move comes as Hollywood displays a growing interest in the anime medium, evidenced by a recent surge in live-action adaptations of popular Japanese animated series and films.
Projects based on iconic titles such as One Piece and Cowboy Bebop have already been released, whereas a film prequel to the popular John Wick franchise is planned in the anime format. A prequel to the Lord of the Rings movies was also produced as an anime movie, with acclaimed director Kenji Kamiyama helming it.
Additionally, mainstream Hollywood stars, including Michael B. Jordan, have been vocal recently about their love for anime, and have used it as an inspiration in their works.
Studio Azuki is a joint venture between the NFT brand Azuki, and Japanese companies Comisma Inc. and Xenotoon Inc. The new studio intends to create and distribute original intellectual properties and anime adaptations using what it describes as unique production models influenced by Azuki’s creative approach.
Originally an NFT project, Azuki has evolved to operate at the intersection of anime, technology, and social media. The studio is looking to capitalize on the expanding global anime fanbase.
Its “Anime 2.0” vision includes initiatives like the anthology series Enter The Garden and the development of Anime.com. The studio is also exploring how blockchain technology can influence anime financing and production.
“With a global-first, creator-centric, and social-native approach, Studio Azuki is our bold step toward building the next generation of anime, one that empowers creators, and connects directly with fans
Studio Azuki brings together distinct expertise from each entity. Comisma operates the manga app Ganma! and owns the high-end animation studio Qzil.la. Xenotoon provides a flexible 2D/3D production pipeline and a network focused on creators, having collaborated with independent animators.
Koki Sato, CEO of Comisma, remarked on his company’s mission “to make ‘manga artist’ a dream profession for children.” He added, “With our anime studio Qzil.la focused on high-end anime, we aim to create globally beloved anime titles.”
Xenotoon CEO Koichi Kawase emphasized the shared outlook among the partners. “From the beginning, our three companies shared a strong vision for the future of anime and entertainment,” he said. “This also marks a turning point in realizing our long-held vision to democratize the anime production, funding, and distribution pipeline.”
Source: Variety