Sotsu Co., Ltd.[a] is a Japanese advertising agency and, since March 2020, a subsidiary of Bandai Namco Holdings, having substantial relations with it before the acquisition, especially with its now-corporate sibling, Bandai Namco Filmworks.

Sotsu Co., Ltd.
Native name
株式会社創通
Kabushiki gaisha Sōtsū
Company typeSubsidiary
IndustryAdvertising
FoundedOctober 1, 1965; 59 years ago (1965-10-01)
HeadquartersChūō, Tokyo
Area served
Japan
Key people
Hideyuki Nanba
(president)
Yūji Nasu
(representative chairman)
Akihiro Yuasa
(representative president)
Revenue¥414.750 million (2019)
Number of employees
29 (2019)
ParentBandai Namco Filmworks
Subsidiaries
  • J-Broad
  • Sotsu Entertainment
  • Sotsu Music Publishing
  • Sotsu Shangai
Websitewww.sotsu.co.jp

History

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It was founded in 1965 as Toyo Agency (東洋エージェンシー, Tōyō Ējenshī),[1] with it being designated by baseball team Yomiuri Giants as its primary agency for the planning and distribution of the team's merchandising interests.[1] In 1977, it changed its name to Sotsu Agency (創通エージェンシー, Sōtsū Ējenshī). The agency was first listed in the JASDAQ stock exchange in 2003.[1] On April 1, 2007, the company changed its name to Sotsu (創通, Sōtsū).[1]

It has been involved in the production and licensing of numerous television programs, beginning in 1972 with Thunder Mask.[1] The first anime series it produced was Sunrise's Invincible Super Man Zambot 3, after which the company produced numerous others. In 1979, it produced Mobile Suit Gundam.[1]

In October 2019, Bandai Namco Holdings announced plans to acquire Sotsu, a move which would grant the company rights to the entire Gundam franchise.[2] The next month, however, Chicago, Illinois-based investment firm RMB Capital forced Bandai Namco to raise the tender offer price for Sotsu in a follow-on tender offer targeted at the general shareholders of Sotsu.[3] On March 1, 2020, Sotsu finally became a fully owned subsidiary of Bandai Namco.[4]

Productions

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Sunrise productions

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Nippon TV programs

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TV Asahi/ABC programs

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TV Tokyo programs

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UHF programs

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Source:[6]

Notes

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  1. ^ Japanese: 株式会社創通, Hepburn: Kabushiki-gaisha Sōtsū

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f "History". Retrieved 2007-05-03.
  2. ^ Mateo, Alex (11 October 2019). "Bandai Namco Makes Takeover Bid for Gundam Sponsor Sotsu". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on 29 February 2020. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
  3. ^ "RMB Presses Bandai Namco to Raise the Tender Offer Price for Sotsu's Minority Shareholders". Business Wire. 18 November 2019. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  4. ^ "株式の併合等に係る承認決議に関するお知らせ" [Notice Regarding Approval of Resolution Concerning Share Consolidation] (PDF). Sotsu website. 27 January 2020. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
  5. ^ "ゆるゆり" (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2020-12-02. Retrieved 2022-09-27.
  6. ^ 作品一覧 (in Japanese). Retrieved 2007-05-03.
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