Dr. Stone anime rights and licensing: who owns what
The Dr. Stone anime is a Shueisha-TMS Entertainment production committee property, with Crunchyroll holding the international streaming rights.
Published: 2026-08-19. Updated: 2026-08-19.
Short answer: The Dr. Stone anime is produced by TMS Entertainment and credited to Riichiro Inagaki, Boichi, Shueisha, and the Dr. STONE Project under the copyright notice used by TMS Entertainment. Crunchyroll streams the series worldwide, including the English dub of Dr. STONE New World, which premiered on April 6, 2023.
Who owns the Dr. Stone anime?
The Dr. Stone manga is written by Riichiro Inagaki and illustrated by Boichi, serialized in Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump. TMS Entertainment's character business site for Dr. STONE uses the copyright line ©米スタジオ・Boichi／集英社・Dr.STONE製作委員会, which names the creator duo, the publisher Shueisha, and the Dr. STONE production committee.
TMS Entertainment is the animation production company for the television series and its sequel seasons. The committee structure means no single company owns the entire anime outright; Shueisha holds the source manga, TMS owns the animated production, and the committee coordinates rights.
How Dr. Stone is licensed for streaming
Crunchyroll announced that Dr. STONE New World, the third season, would premiere globally on its platform on April 6, 2023, with the English dub following on April 20, 2023. The press release notes that TMS Entertainment produces the animation.
The streaming deal covers simulcast and catalog rights in the contracted territories. It does not extend to all downstream rights such as merchandise, games, or live-action adaptations, which remain with Shueisha and its agents.
Publicly disclosed Dr. Stone rights structure.| Party | Role | Rights layer |
|---|
| Riichiro Inagaki / Boichi / Shueisha | Original manga creators and publisher | Underlying literary and character rights |
| Dr. STONE Project | Production committee | Investment and rights coordination |
| TMS Entertainment | Animation studio | Animation production |
| Crunchyroll | International streaming licensee | Global streaming for TV seasons and dubs |
What the production committee controls
Like most major Shonen Jump adaptations, Dr. Stone is organized through a production committee that includes Shueisha and other investors. The committee funds the anime, distributes risk, and decides how rights are licensed.
Public announcements confirm Crunchyroll as the international streaming partner and TMS as the animation studio, but they do not reveal the committee's full membership or each member's share. The manga publisher typically retains veto power over adaptations.
Ownership uncertainty note: The exact membership and revenue shares of the Dr. Stone production committee are not public. Sources confirm Shueisha as the manga publisher, TMS Entertainment as the animation studio, and Crunchyroll as a global streaming licensee, but the full rights map remains private.
Why Dr. Stone rights are relatively streamlined
Unlike decades-old franchises with layered legacy agreements, Dr. Stone is a single manga serialized in one magazine and adapted by one animation studio. This makes the rights picture cleaner: Shueisha owns the source, TMS produces the anime, and Crunchyroll streams it globally.
The main complexity lies in the breadth of Crunchyroll's deal. A global streaming license still has carve-outs and must be renewed, so the long-term availability of the series depends on contract renewals.
How Dr. Stone compares to other Shueisha-TMS titles
Dr. Stone shares a shape with several Shueisha adaptations: a publisher-owned manga, an outside animation studio, and Crunchyroll as the global streaming home. This pattern reflects how Shueisha and Crunchyroll have aligned on high-profile simulcasts.
The practical implication for licensors is that Crunchyroll is the first stop for streaming rights outside Japan, while Shueisha remains the gatekeeper for manga, merchandise, and adaptation rights.
Frequently asked questions
Who owns the anime rights to Dr. Stone?
The Dr. Stone anime copyright notice lists Riichiro Inagaki, Boichi, Shueisha, and the Dr. STONE Project. TMS Entertainment is the animation studio.
Who licenses Dr. Stone for streaming?
Crunchyroll streams Dr. Stone worldwide, including the English dub of Dr. STONE New World, which premiered on April 6, 2023.
Does TMS Entertainment own Dr. Stone outright?
No. TMS is the animation studio. The underlying manga rights belong to Riichiro Inagaki, Boichi, and Shueisha, and the production committee coordinates the anime rights.
Which studio animates Dr. Stone?
TMS Entertainment animates the Dr. Stone television series and its sequel seasons.