A fresh report has surfaced, hinting at Sony’s interest in acquiring FromSoftware’s parent company, Kadokawa Corporation, but this news might unsettle manga enthusiasts.
Earlier today, rumors began swirling about Sony engaging in ongoing discussions to purchase the owner of FromSoftware. In the gaming world, we’ve seen how industry takeover can spell trouble, as witnessed with Embracer Group’s spree of buying studios only to later shutter them. However, this potential acquisition by Sony raises another issue — the fate of anime and manga. Kadokawa Group is a giant in this domain, with an impressive range of manga and light novel publishers under its umbrella. Among them is Kadokawa Shoten, which has released notable works like “The Summer Hikaru Died,” “Nichijou,” and the manga rendition of “Neon Genesis Evangelion.”
In addition, Kadokawa owns Doga Kobo, widely recognized for its hit series “Oshi no Ko,” and shares ownership of the western manga publisher Yen Press, along with much more. The concern here is that Sony already possesses Aniplex, a colossal entity in Japanese entertainment that’s behind some legendary shows like “Fullmetal Alchemist,” “Madoka Magica,” “Sword Art Online,” “Demon Slayer,” and “Gurren Lagann.” And don’t forget, they own Crunchyroll, which merged with Funimation a few years back.
This merger sparked controversy, especially when Funimation’s streaming service went offline, erasing everyone’s digital libraries—a move that left many subscribers disgruntled. This incident amplified concerns about Sony’s growing hold over the anime and manga industry. Adding Kadokawa to its portfolio only deepens that reach, raising eyebrows about monopolistic tendencies—perhaps Sony should remember Monopoly isn’t just a fun board game.
Whether this acquisition will actually happen remains uncertain. A decision is anticipated in the coming weeks, and we’ll soon find out if Sony will indeed gain hefty control over the manga and anime sphere (chances are, it might).
