News
Bushiroad Acquires Media Company Frontwing
posted on by Rafael Antonio Pineda
Frontwing Lab, the parent company of media company Frontwing, announced on Tuesday that media company Bushiroad has acquired a 50.625% controlling stake in the company, with Frontwing now a subsidiary company of Bushiroad.
Frontwing president Ryuichiro Yamakawa mentioned in the announcement that Frontwing has been seeking a media partner since it branched out from visual novels and into anime and other media five years ago. It added that the company will continue to leverage its strength in original works and managing creators in its new role.
Frontwing was founded in 1999 and is primarily known for its adult visual novels, especially the Grisaia series and the ISLAND visual novels, both of which have inspired anime adaptations. The latest game in the Grisaia series is the Grisaia: Chronos Rebellion smartphone game, which debuted last November. The Grisaia: Phantom Trigger the Animation Stargazer OVA opened in theaters last November. Frontwing also developed the ATRI -My Dear Moments- visual novel, which Aniplex.exe published in both English and Japanese.
Takaaki Kidani founded Bushiroad in 2007. The company owns a number of cross-media franchises, some of which originate from its card games. Bushiroad's Cardfight!! Vanguard and Future Card Buddyfight series have both inspired long-running television anime series, and its Luck & Logic card game inspired two television anime series. Bushiroad also owns the Weiß Schwarz anime crossover card game. The company owns the Tantei Opera Milky Holmes franchise, as well as the BanG Dream! franchise, both of which have television anime series. The company also owns the Revue Starlight franchise, and both BanG Dream! and Revue Starlight have active smartphone games. Additionally, the company owns the New Japan Pro Wrestling promotion. Bushiroad acquired 8.2% of Sanzigen Animation Studio in December 2019, and Bushiroad and Kadokawa each acquired a third of the shares of the studio Kinema Citrus in December 2019.
Sources: Frontwing Lab's website, Social Game Info via Otakomu
