Detective Conan anime rights and licensing: who owns what
The Detective Conan franchise is a multi-party rights picture: the manga creator and publisher own the source, TMS animates, and platforms license territory by territory.
Published: 2026-08-19. Updated: 2026-08-19.
Short answer: The Detective Conan anime is produced by TMS Entertainment in association with Yomiuri TV, while the original manga by Gosho Aoyama is published by Shogakukan. The copyright notice on TMS Entertainment's official English site reads ©Gosho Aoyama/Shogakukan・YTV・TMS 1996, which shows the three core rights holders. Territory-specific streaming rights are licensed separately: in 2025 TMS announced that selected TV episodes and films would stream on Crunchyroll and Netflix in addition to the existing TMS Official Channel on YouTube.
Who owns the Detective Conan anime?
The anime adaptation is a collaboration between TMS Entertainment, the animation studio, and Yomiuri Television (YTV), the broadcast network. The underlying intellectual property, however, rests with manga author Gosho Aoyama and publisher Shogakukan. This is standard for a long-running shonen adaptation: the publisher and creator retain the original work, while the animation production company and broadcaster hold rights in the animated version.
TMS Entertainment describes itself as one of Japan's largest anime studios and lists Detective Conan among its core titles alongside Lupin the Third and Dr. STONE. Its official English news posts carry the credit line ©Gosho Aoyama/Shogakukan・YTV・TMS 1996, which is the most direct public statement of ownership available.
How Detective Conan is licensed overseas
TMS Entertainment licenses Detective Conan on a territory-by-territory basis. In mid-2025 the company announced that a selection of TV episodes would begin streaming on Crunchyroll and Netflix, while theatrical films would continue to appear on the Anime! on TMS Official Channel on YouTube. This means no single global licensee controls the franchise.
The 2025 rollout included episode arcs such as 'Conan vs. The Black Organization' and the U.S. premiere of Detective Conan: Black Iron Submarine at Anime Expo. TMS also noted that the franchise's 28 films had crossed $1 billion in worldwide box office and that the manga had sold more than 270 million copies.
Publicly disclosed Detective Conan distribution arrangements as of 2025.| Territory/Platform | Rights held | Source |
|---|
| Japan | Broadcast and production | TMS Entertainment / YTV |
| North America streaming | Licensed TV episodes and films | Crunchyroll, Netflix |
| YouTube (TMS Official Channel) | Free weekly film releases | TMS Entertainment |
What the copyright notice does and does not reveal
The copyright line tells you who shares ownership of the anime property, but it does not split the shares. Shogakukan controls the manga, YTV is the broadcaster and production partner, and TMS is the animation producer and international licensor. How revenue is divided among them is not public.
Because the franchise has run since 1996, older contracts and newer streaming deals may have different terms. TMS's Los Angeles office handles licensing for the Americas and other territories, but the company does not publish a complete list of licensees or contract durations.
Ownership uncertainty note: The exact percentage split between Shogakukan, YTV, and TMS is not disclosed. Public sources show the three names in the copyright notice and TMS acting as the active international licensor, but the underlying legal shares remain private.
Why Detective Conan rights are complex
Long-running franchises accumulate layers of agreements. Detective Conan has broadcast TV, theatrical films, home video, streaming, merchandise, and game rights, each potentially licensed to different partners in different regions. TMS can license some rights directly while others require approval from Shogakukan or YTV.
For anyone trying to license Detective Conan, the starting point is TMS Entertainment for animation and merchandise rights outside Japan, and Shogakukan for manga-related rights. The exact path depends on the category and territory, and public sources do not provide a complete rights map.
How Detective Conan compares to other long-running anime
Like One Piece and Naruto, Detective Conan is a decades-old franchise with split rights between a publisher, a broadcaster, and an animation studio. Unlike a single-season production committee, the rights structure has evolved over 30 years and may include legacy deals that are no longer public.
The practical implication is that there is no single 'owner' you can contact for every use. Streaming rights, theatrical rights, and merchandise rights are handled separately, and the active licensor changes by region.
Frequently asked questions
Who owns the anime rights to Detective Conan?
The anime is produced by TMS Entertainment in association with Yomiuri TV, while the original manga rights rest with Gosho Aoyama and Shogakukan. The official copyright notice lists ©Gosho Aoyama/Shogakukan・YTV・TMS 1996.
Who licenses Detective Conan for streaming?
TMS Entertainment licenses the anime territory by territory. In 2025 it announced selected TV episodes and films for Crunchyroll and Netflix, with films also appearing free on the TMS Official Channel on YouTube.
Does TMS Entertainment own Detective Conan outright?
No. TMS is the animation producer and international licensor, but the copyright notice also names Shogakukan and YTV. The exact ownership split is not public.
Can I license Detective Conan merchandise?
For animation and character merchandise outside Japan, TMS Entertainment is the usual first contact. Manga-related rights flow through Shogakukan. The right path depends on product category and territory.