Skybound Entertainment (Invincible, The Walking Dead, Impact Winter) today announced the launch of Skybound Japan, a new division dedicated to expanding Skybound’s international presence and fostering creative collaborations focusing on Japanese IP within the Japanese entertainment industry. The move is aimed at growing the company’s global recognition and creating a foothold in a more robust market for animation, manga/comics and video games.
Over the last year, Skybound has been bolstering its plans in Japan; first with a significant investment in Remow, a global distributor of Japanese anime that was founded by publisher Shueisha, and most recently with its partnership with Fuji TV.
Skybound Japan’s first project under its new banner, in collaboration with Fuji TV, is Heart Attack, based on the Skybound original graphic novel series by Shawn Kittelsen (Injustice 2, Mortal Kombat) and illustrator Eric Zawadzki (House of El) released this fall. The sci-fi television series explores a post-pandemic world where gene therapy has saved the human race from disease — only to give birth to Variants: people with powers so unique, the government denies their human rights.
“We are incredibly excited to launch Skybound Japan and partner with some of the greatest creators in the world,” said Rick Jacobs, Managing Partner of Linear Content at Skybound Entertainment. “As lifelong fans of Japanese content, the opportunity to help bring these stories to life in live action and anime is a dream come true. The adaptation of Heart Attack is just the beginning of what we hope to achieve in the Japanese market.”
Skybound Japan will be led by Ash Nukui, producer of The Sniffer and Memoir of a Teenage Amnesiac, and formerly of Bandai Namco Group. Nukui brings deep knowledge of both the Japanese and international entertainment landscapes. The division will actively seek partnerships with local talent, creators and studios to foster a collaborative environment that will nurture innovative storytelling and play a pivotal role in bringing diverse and culturally relevant content to audiences worldwide.
