Nippon TV’s ClaN Aligns with Sanrio

ClaN Entertainment, a division of Japan’s Nippon TV, has sealed a capital and business alliance agreement with Sanrio Company as it expands its global VTuber (virtual YouTuber) operations.

With the Sanrio pact, ClaN has now raised 850 million yen ($5.5 million). The venture has been building its influencer business, including VTubers, since 2022. In 2023 it partnered with Sanrio on the VTuber project “Nyantasia!” and debuted three new VTubers. Three more launched in 2024.

Tomokuni Tsuji, president and CEO of Sanrio Company, said: “As the way we enjoy content changes with the times, VTubers are attracting attention for their ability to provide high-frequency and interactive experiences, and VTubers are expected to become market drivers not only in traditional YouTube distribution, but also in XR, Web3 and other areas. We believe that the VTuber business will become a core business in our digital strategy. Sanrio’s medium-term management plan calls for the expansion of its IP portfolio and multi-layered monetization. Through the capital and business alliance with ClaN, which has expertise in the VTuber business and relationships with VTubers, we will develop digital services that provide new value to creators in Japan and overseas, and ultimately bring new smiles to their faces.

Motoyuki Oi, president and CEO of ClaN Entertainment, added, “By combining ClaN’s expertise in the VTuber business with the knowledge of Sanrio, which continues to develop its IP business globally, we will create new entertainment and accelerate business expansion. We are also convinced that VTuber is a content that compete on a global scale, and we will use this partnership as a starting point to expand our business globally.”