Road Pictures CEO Gongming Cai
Photographed by Fang Yifei
Road Pictures, one of China’s most consistently successful distributors of Japanese anime and international prestige cinema, is preparing a major expansion into the anime IP and physical entertainment business. At the upcoming TIFCOM content market in Tokyo this week, the Beijing-based company will unveil a new venture to license, promote and monetize high-value ACGN properties (animation, comics, games and YA novels). Road Pictures says the new entity, which will go by the name GuGuGuGu in Chinese and Animation Valley in English, will pursue three core activities — content distribution, merchandizing and experiential services — carried out by both online and offline channels, including a network of proprietary IP stores, themed cafes and theme parks.
Road Pictures first…
