Sony Pictures Entertainment Japan
Japanese branch of Sony Pictures
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Sony Pictures Entertainment (Japan) Inc. (株式会社ソニー・ピクチャーズ エンタテインメント, Kabushiki gaisha Sonī Pikuchāzu Entateinmento), abbreviated SPE or SPEJ, is a Japanese film studio, based in Minato-ku, Tokyo. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Japanese conglomerate Sony Group Corporation, with the majority of SPEJ's shares held by Sony Pictures Entertainment.[1][2]
 | |
 Headquarters in Toranomon, Minato, Tokyo | |
Native name | 株式会社ソニー・ピクチャーズ エンタテインメント |
|---|---|
Romanized name | Kabushiki gaisha Sonī Pikuchāzu Entateinmento |
| Formerly | RCA Columbia Pictures Video Co., Ltd. (1984–1991) |
| Type | Joint venture |
| Industry | Entertainment |
| Founded | February 10, 1984 |
| Headquarters | 〒105-8415 No. 28, 4-chome, Toranomon, Minato Tokyo Toranomon Towers Office Japan |
| Key people | Daisuke Kadoya (Representative Director) Soichi Sagawa (Statutory Auditor) |
| Products | Motion pictures Television programs Anime |
| Owner | Sony Pictures Entertainment (62.1%) Sony Group Corporation (33.3%) CPE Holdings Inc. (4.6％) |
Number of employees | 75 (as of July 1, 2026) |
| Subsidiaries | Music On! TV (with SMEJ) Madhouse, Inc. (with Nippon Television) |
| Website | www |
Originally founded in 1984 as RCA Columbia Pictures Video Inc. (アール・シー・エー・コロンビア・ピクチャーズ・ビデオ株式会社, Āru Shī Ē Koronbia Pikuchāzu Bideo Kabushiki-gaisha), the Japanese division of RCA Columbia Pictures International Video, the company took on its current name in 1991 after Columbia Tri-Star Films (Japan) Ltd. (コロムビア トライ・スター映画会社, Koromubia Torai-Sutā Eiga Kaisha), the Japanese division of Columbia TriStar Film Distributors International, and Japan International Enterprises Inc. (日本国際エンタープライズ株式会社, Nihon Kokusai Entāpuraizu Kabushiki-gaisha), a Japanese Screen Gems subsidiary formed in 1960,[3] were merged into it.[4] SPEJ became a Sony Music Entertainment Japan subsidiary in March 1994, then SMEJ sold 50% of its shares to Sony Corporation on January 10, 1997[5] and then SPEJ was split between the American Sony Pictures Entertainment (70%) and Sony Corporation (30%) in April 1998.[6]
They have also distributed most of Sony Pictures films for Japan, as well as producing some anime and anime films as well.[7]
In 2019, Sony Japan merged its music subsidiary Aniplex with its television subsidiary Funimation.[8] In 2021, through Funimation, Sony Pictures bought Crunchyroll from AT&T's WarnerMedia.[9][10] On March 22, 2024, Sony Pictures Entertainment Japan made an agreement to outsource its home media distribution operations to Happinet through its Media Marketing unit.[11]
Anime production
- Astro Boy (2003–2004)
- Tokyo Godfathers (2003)
- Paprika (2006)
- Ultraviolet: Code 044 (2008)
- Kurozuka (2008)
- Viper's Creed (2009)
- Marvel Anime (2010–2011)
- Iron Man: Rise of Technovore (2013)
- Avengers Confidential: Black Widow & Punisher (2014)
- The Disastrous Life of Saiki K. (2016)
- Goblin Slayer (2018–2023)
- The Violence Action (2022)
- Whisper of the Heart (2022)
- Scarlet (2025) (co-distributed by Toho)
