Anime Limited business profile: UK distribution, Toho takeover, and financials
Toho bought Anime Limited from Embracer's Plaion Pictures, but standalone revenue is not publicly available.
Published: 2026-08-19. Updated: 2026-08-19.
Short answer: Anime Limited is a Glasgow-based distributor of anime film, home video, and streaming content in the United Kingdom and Europe. Toho Co., Ltd. acquired 100% of Anime Limited from PLAION Pictures, an Embracer Group company, in December 2025, and Anime Limited became a subsidiary of Toho Global. For the fiscal year ended March 2025, Anime Limited reported a net loss of £2.15 million and a negative balance sheet for the third consecutive year. Public revenue for Anime Limited is not disclosed.
What Anime Limited is and who owns it
Anime Limited is a private UK company incorporated in Scotland in August 2011. It distributes anime films, Blu-rays, DVDs, and streaming content, primarily in the United Kingdom and France. The company's registered business activities include motion picture distribution, video distribution, television program distribution, and motion picture projection.
In December 2025, Toho announced that it had agreed to acquire 100% of Anime Limited from PLAION Pictures GmbH, part of Embracer Group. After the deal, Anime Limited became a subsidiary of Toho Global, Toho's Singapore-based subsidiary that oversees overseas business. Founder and Managing Director Andrew Partridge remained in place.
The Toho acquisition and European headquarters
The Anime Limited acquisition completed Toho's three-region overseas structure. Toho already had regional headquarters in Los Angeles, through Toho International and GKIDS, and in Singapore, through Toho Global and TOHO Entertainment Asia. With Anime Limited, Toho established a European regional headquarters in London.
Toho said it would inject an additional £16 million into the London regional office, which could be used for further local acquisitions. As part of the deal, Toho agreed to keep Plaion Pictures as a partner in local merchandise marketing and distribution.
What public financials show
Anime Limited files annual accounts with UK Companies House. The most recent accounts available cover the fiscal year ended March 2025. According to a review of those filings, Anime Limited reported a net loss of £2.15 million for the year. The company also had a negative balance sheet for the third year in a row, reflecting debt carried from earlier years under Embracer ownership.
Companies House records show the company as active, with its next accounts due for the year ended March 2026. The filings do not publish a detailed revenue breakdown in the public extract.
Revenue not publicly available: UK private company filings confirm Anime Limited's net loss and balance sheet position, but they do not disclose its revenue. This article therefore does not include a revenue figure for Anime Limited.
Catalog and market position
Anime Limited has built a catalog focused on anime theatrical releases, collector editions, and streaming distribution. It has operated booths at UK fan events such as MCM London Comic Con and has been a visible distributor of anime home video in the British market.
Under Toho, Anime Limited is expected to expand beyond the United Kingdom and France into Germany, Italy, and other European countries. The strategic rationale is to give Toho direct access to European anime fans and retailers, rather than relying entirely on third-party distributors.
Strategy and where Anime Limited fits
Anime Limited gives Toho a European distribution and marketing operation at a time when Toho is reorganizing its anime and IP business into a standalone segment. Starting in the fiscal year ending February 2026, Toho will report an IP and Anime business that includes Toho Animation, Toho Global, Toho International, GKIDS, Science SARU, and Anime Limited.
The long-term goal is to connect Japanese IP more directly with overseas audiences. In the near term, however, Anime Limited's financial turnaround is likely to depend on access to Toho's catalog, cost restructuring, and expansion into new European markets.
Frequently asked questions
Who owns Anime Limited?
Toho Co., Ltd. owns Anime Limited through its overseas subsidiary Toho Global. It acquired the company from PLAION Pictures in December 2025.
Is Anime Limited profitable?
For the fiscal year ended March 2025, Anime Limited reported a net loss of £2.15 million and a negative balance sheet for the third consecutive year.
What does Anime Limited distribute?
Anime Limited distributes anime films, home video, and streaming content, primarily in the United Kingdom and Europe.
Why did Toho acquire Anime Limited?
Toho acquired Anime Limited to establish a European regional headquarters and build a direct distribution footprint in Europe, complementing its existing North American and Asian operations.
Sources and methodology
- Toho buys UK anime distributor from Embracer, Animenomics. Reports the December 2025 acquisition, £16 million regional investment, Anime Limited's £2.15 million net loss for the year ended March 2025, and third consecutive negative balance sheet.
- TOHO Acquires Anime Limited and launches Toho Europe, animeintheuk.co.uk. Press release confirming 100% acquisition from PLAION Pictures, Toho Global subsidiary structure, and retention of founder Andrew Partridge.
- ANIME LIMITED overview, Companies House. UK company registration, status, incorporation date, nature of business, and latest accounts period ended March 31, 2025.