Fuji TV anime distribution and licensing strategy, explained
Fuji TV is moving from broadcaster to content company, using streaming platforms and Chinese partnerships to extend the reach of its anime and IP.
Published: 2026-08-19. Updated: 2026-08-19.
Short answer: Fuji TV distributes anime and other content through its domestic streaming service FOD and is expanding globally through the short-form drama app FOD SHORT. In 2023 it established a strategic partnership with Chinese platform bilibili aimed at program sales, rights distribution, co-productions using each other's intellectual property, and joint development of new IP. The partnership produced the B8station anime programming block and the co-developed anime Tomb Raider King.
How Fuji TV's streaming platforms work
Fuji TV operates Fuji TV on Demand, or FOD, as its domestic subscription and transactional streaming service. The service carries dramas, variety shows, anime, and original programs. FOD also supports vertical short-form content through FOD SHORT, which Fuji TV launched in Japan in July 2025.
In April 2026, Fuji TV announced that FOD SHORT had launched in North America, marking the first overseas expansion of a platform operated by Fuji TV. The company said FOD SHORT ranked number one among domestic short drama publishers in revenue and downloads in December 2025, according to Sensor Tower, and that it aimed to expand to more than 100 countries and regions with more than 10 languages.
The bilibili partnership and anime co-production
Fuji TV's most significant anime-related partnership is with bilibili. The two companies announced a strategic partnership on September 26, 2023, with goals that included program sales, rights distribution, co-productions using each other's IP, and joint development of new IP.
In October 2023, Fuji TV launched B8station, a late-night programming block that broadcasts Japanese-dubbed versions of popular bilibili anime. The first title was Link Click, which had achieved 850 million views on bilibili in mainland China. The partnership later produced a live-action drama co-production and the jointly developed TV anime Tomb Raider King.
IP strategy and global expansion
Fuji TV's broader corporate strategy, described in the Link Click announcement, focuses on transforming Fuji TV into a true content company by expanding global distribution channels and strengthening collaboration with external partners. The Reform Action Plan of parent Fuji Media Holdings identified strengthening the content business, expanding IP-linked businesses, and accelerating global expansion as key objectives.
The FOD SHORT international rollout is the first concrete global platform play. It currently offers 39 original titles with English subtitles and plans to add content from external Japanese partners. While the launch focuses on short dramas, the platform is framed as a global expansion hub for Japanese IP and creativity.
How Fuji TV monetizes and licenses anime
Fuji TV monetizes anime through multiple windows: domestic broadcast, FOD streaming, international co-production and licensing, and merchandise or adaptation rights through IP partnerships. The bilibili deal shows Fuji TV using its broadcast slot and production expertise to access Chinese-produced IP, while bilibili gains a Japanese broadcast window and dubbing.
For rights holders, Fuji TV offers domestic broadcast credibility, streaming carriage on FOD, and growing international distribution through FOD SHORT. The company is explicitly looking for co-production and rights-distribution deals, not just one-way content acquisitions.
What public evidence does not show
Fuji TV does not disclose FOD subscriber numbers, FOD SHORT revenue, or the financial terms of its bilibili partnership. The 850 million views figure for Link Click on bilibili describes performance in mainland China, not Fuji TV's contribution.
Public evidence confirms Fuji TV's strategic direction and partnership structure, but the actual scale of its streaming and international anime business is not separately reported. Investors and licensors must estimate impact from announced projects and app-store rankings rather than from disclosed financials.
Frequently asked questions
What streaming services does Fuji TV operate?
Fuji TV operates FOD, a domestic subscription and transactional streaming service, and FOD SHORT, a vertical short-form drama app that launched in North America in April 2026.
What is Fuji TV's partnership with bilibili?
Fuji TV and bilibili formed a strategic partnership in 2023 covering program sales, rights distribution, co-productions using each other's IP, and joint development of new IP. The partnership produced the B8station anime block and the anime Tomb Raider King.
Is Fuji TV expanding internationally?
Yes. FOD SHORT launched in North America in April 2026 as Fuji TV's first overseas platform expansion, with plans to reach more than 100 countries and regions and support more than 10 languages.
How does Fuji TV's B8station block work?
B8station is a Fuji TV late-night programming block that broadcasts Japanese-dubbed versions of popular anime produced and distributed by bilibili, such as Link Click.
Sources and methodology
- Fuji TV and bilibili strategic partnership on Link Click live-action drama, FUJI TELEVISION NETWORK, INC.. February 18, 2026. Announces the 2023 bilibili partnership, B8station block, Link Click's 850 million bilibili views, co-productions, and Tomb Raider King.
- Fuji TV Global Business: FOD SHORT Launches in North America, FUJI TELEVISION NETWORK, INC.. April 15, 2026. Announces FOD SHORT's North America launch, 39 original titles, No.1 domestic short drama publisher ranking in December 2025, and global expansion plans.
- FOD, FUJI TELEVISION NETWORK, INC.. Official Fuji TV on Demand site, showing the domestic streaming service for dramas, anime, variety, and original programs.