To put an anime, manga or cartoon character on a product you need a licence from whoever holds the rights for that country and that category: usually the publisher or the animation studio, often represented by a European office or an agent. The licensee pays royalties and a minimum guarantee, follows the official style guide and has every product approved before selling it.
Who holds the rights to a character
Behind a Japanese character there are almost always several parties: the author, the manga publisher, the studio that produced the animated series. For foreign markets, merchandising rights are often handled by the rights holder’s European office or entrusted, country by country, to a licensing agent. One example: in July 2020, TMS Entertainment, the rights holder of Lupin the Third, appointed a UK-based licensing agent to represent the property in the United Kingdom (downthetubes). Before designing a product you need to know who can grant the licence for that territory and that category: manga, TV series, films and names registered as trademarks may have different owners.
Which products are made under licence
- Collectibles: figures, models, cards, limited editions.
- Apparel and accessories: T-shirts, sweatshirts, backpacks, socks.
- Food and special packs: themed packaging, surprises, seasonal editions.
- Toys, stationery and publishing: for children and for those who grew up with the series.
- Events and exhibitions: anniversaries, comic fairs, exhibitions.
How approvals work with a foreign licensor
The licensee receives an official style guide with artwork, logos, colours and rules: characters cannot be redrawn freely. Every stage (concept, artwork, prototype, sample, packaging) goes through the rights holder or its agent; with licensors abroad there may be more approval layers, so ask about them upfront. With several languages and time zones involved, it takes longer: send complete files the first time and put approvals into the production schedule from the start.
Why characters from the ’70s and ’80s still sell
Anime reached Italy early and in large numbers: Goldrake (UFO Robot Grendizer) premiered on Rete 2 on 4 April 1978 (Sky TG24, in Italian). Many people who grew up with these series are adults now and may buy for themselves, while the characters keep reaching younger viewers through new series and streaming platforms. The market is global: according to the Association of Japanese Animations, the worldwide anime market in 2024, including merchandising, music and events, reached about 3.84 trillion yen ($25.1 billion), of which roughly 2.17 trillion yen ($14.1 billion) came from outside Japan (Anime News Network).
Our portfolio includes design and licensing projects for Lupin the Third, Go Nagai (Mazinger Z, Grendizer, Devilman) and Captain Tsubasa (Holly & Benji in Italy), and for Italian characters such as Calimero.
Fan art and unauthorised products
Drawing a character for fun is one thing; selling it on T-shirts, prints or merchandise is another: you need the rights holder’s permission, usually with royalties (Money.it, in Italian). Italy has no general parody exception: whether a work inspired by a character is a genuine parody is decided by a court case by case, balancing copyright and freedom of expression (Wolters Kluwer Copyright Blog). For a company, the safe route is a licence: an unauthorised product risks being withdrawn from the market and a lawsuit. In doubtful cases, ask a lawyer.
Where to start
If you make consumer goods and are thinking of a line with a character, start from the audience you want to reach and the categories where you are strong, then look for the right property. The basics are in the guide on how brand licensing works, the costs in royalties and minimum guarantees and the terms in the glossary. For a real project, write to us from the licensing service page.
