"Uncle
Sony" has once again taken out his wallet and the industry is trembling.
In a move that further consolidates its monopoly, it has been confirmed
that Aniplex is buying EGG Firm in its entirety, absorbing the
production company responsible for planning several of the most successful
anime of the last decade. The Sony subsidiary now has full control over the
company that co-founded Studio Bind, which has set off alarm bells
about the creative future of franchises like Mushoku Tensei.
Although
the exact figures of the "banknote" released by Aniplex were not
revealed, sources in the sector say that this acquisition seeks to vertically
integrate the production chain. Basically, Sony wants to own the whole pie:
from planning to distribution on Crunchyroll.
EGG Firm
Purchase Details and Fear of Censorship
EGG Firm is
not just any name in the credits. Founded to manage and produce high-caliber
projects, it has been the mastermind behind titles that define today's market:
- Mushoku Tensei: Jobless
Reincarnation (and
its studio, Studio Bind).
- Sword
Art Online: Alicization.
- DanMachi (Is It Wrong to Try to
Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?).
- Onimai: I'm Now Your Sister!.
- My Love Story with Yamada-kun
at Lv999.
Benefit
or risk?
This is
where the community splits up. On the one hand, having the financial backing of
Aniplex could mean unlimited budgets for the third season of Mushoku Tensei
(scheduled for July 2026) and better conditions for animators. However, Sony's
history with censorship — especially in its video game divisions — worries
fans.
EGG Firm
has been characterized by not being afraid to "crave" mature songs
or risqué fanservice (as in Mushoku
or Onimai). Now that they belong to a global corporation that usually
"gets involved" to align content to more puritanical Western
standards, there is a genuine fear that future adaptations will lose that
creative freedom that made them popular.
Sony's
empire continues to grow
This
purchase adds to an aggressive streak of acquisitions by Aniplex, which already
includes talent agencies and studios such as A-1 Pictures and CloverWorks.
While executives talk about "strengthening the supply chain," critics
point out that content homogenization is a real risk when a single company
controls what is produced and where it is transmitted.
