Meet the Entertainment Company Behind the Most Successful Fusion of J-Pop and Anime

A decade ago, the idea of non-English music topping global charts seemed far-fetched. Now, the digital age brings us a seismic shift in how we consume music. Streaming platforms like Spotify, YouTube, and unexpectedly, TikTok, have broken down geographical barriers for musicians. Artists now have the platforms to make their music available in countries they haven’t been to. These digital platforms have led to a new cultural zeitgeist where country of origin and language are no longer dispositive factors in what audiences choose to watch or listen to. This trend has paved the way for Pony Canyon’s ambitious global expansion to introduce Japanese music to international listeners.

We’re already seeing the beginning of this cultural influence. In recent months, we’ve seen TikTok resurrect Miki Matsubara’s ’s “Mayonaka no Door ~stay with me,” a song released by Pony Canyon in 1979 with R&B and disco influences reminiscent of Donna Summer. The song resonated with listeners, whether or not they were fans of anime or Japanese music to begin with. If anything, this shows that language barriers no longer exist when it comes to music appreciation.

A lot of Pony Canyon’s success could be attributed to anime (including a recent release of Kinnikuman in July on Netflix), but a closer look shows that the company’s strength actually lies in the infusion of good music into well-written anime. By making that synergy the key to their storytelling, Pony Canyon achieved dominance in a market where most entertainment companies often treat music and film or anime as separate entities. The unified approach has allowed Pony Canyon to produce anime like “Attack on Titan,” which features music from their roster, including the reggae punk band SiM with their track, “The Rumbling.”

As an independent company, Pony Canyon enjoys the flexibility to forge high-quality partnerships worldwide without the constraints of legacy subsidiaries. This independence means that they can tailor their distribution strategies and collaborations to fit every artist’s or market’s unique demands – a nimble approach for such a big name in entertainment. This approach seems to be ideal for high-profile collaborations such as the one between BAND-MAID, a punk-rock girl group that co-wrote a single with Mike Einziger, the lead guitarist for American band, Incubus.

“My dream, which I want to set as a goal for Pony Canyon, is this,” says Takashi Yoshimura.
“For music, it’s to have our artists and songs win a Grammy Award. For anime and visual content, it’s to produce works that can win an Academy Award. By achieving these, we aim for Pony Canyon to become a global company in 5 to 10 years. This is our biggest goal and dream.” With new offices around the world, and an increasing pipeline of content from Japan to fans around the world, Pony Canyon is well-poised to make these dreams a reality.