Anime Limited
On the 14th of December 2012, Andrew Partridge launched a social media page for Anime Limited from his base in Glasgow. He was the director behind Scotland Loves Anime and had spent years building connections within the British anime community. The new company promised to focus on collector-style home video releases rather than just standard broadcasts. By the 22nd of December 2012, the Facebook page had gathered over one thousand likes. This small number signaled strong interest among fans who wanted physical copies of their favorite shows. Just days after hitting that milestone, Anime Limited announced its first acquisition. They secured the rights to Cowboy Bebop with a release date set for the third quarter of 2013. Partridge stated clearly that he intended to develop a theatrical market for Japanese animation within Britain. The early strategy relied heavily on creating high-quality physical products for dedicated collectors.
The company moved quickly to expand its reach beyond simple home video sales. On the 4th of October 2013, they partnered with Wakanim to launch a UK version of the French streaming service. This deal made Anime Limited's entire catalogue available to viewers online across Europe. A year later in March 2014, Cédric Littardi helped establish @Anime as the French division of the business. Their first titles arrived in September 2014 to serve French-speaking audiences. Television partnerships also grew during this period. Viceland UK launched a late-night anime block in July 2017 through a collaboration with the distribution firm. These agreements allowed Anime Limited to place content directly into living rooms and on television screens rather than relying solely on retail stores. By May 2022, ITV signed a partnership to stream their titles on the ITVX platform throughout the United Kingdom. Each new agreement broadened the geographic footprint from Scotland to France and eventually across all of Europe.
In October 2017, Anime Limited announced plans to enter the music industry at MCM London Comic Con. They revealed intentions to release soundtracks for A Shape of Light and Trigun on vinyl records. The label officially launched in 2019 with physical copies of A Shape of Light and FLCL soundtracks hitting shelves that same year. The company also experimented with digital streaming services to reach home viewers directly. Screen Anime began operations on the 25th of May 2020 as an online film festival offering monthly availability. This service presented select titles to subscribers before being retired exactly one year later on the 25th of May 2021. It was replaced by an annual membership plan called Anime UnLimited. Another initiative involved Channel 4's All 4 service which hosted 100 hours of dubbed anime starting in October 2019. These ventures showed a willingness to adapt to changing consumer habits while maintaining a focus on curated content.
Corporate ownership shifted dramatically during the early 2020s. On the 18th of October 2022, Austrian media company Plaion acquired Anime Limited for an undisclosed sum. The deal integrated the Scottish firm under its Plaion Pictures subsidiary. This acquisition brought significant resources but changed the corporate structure permanently. Just three years later, on the 19th of December 2025, Plaion agreed to sell the company to Japanese studio Toho. Toho purchased a full equity share for an undisclosed amount making Anime Limited a fully owned subsidiary of Toho Global. This move allowed Toho to expand its operations directly into Europe through the existing infrastructure. Andrew Partridge had built a niche distributor from scratch only to see it absorbed into larger global entities. The transition marked the end of independent British control over the brand he founded.
Anime Limited played a pivotal role in revitalizing the British anime market through theatrical releases and events. They hosted Cloud Matsuri as a virtual convention held on the 30th and the 31st of May 2020. Guests included representatives from Science SARU, Orange, Crunchyroll, Polygon Pictures, MangaPlanet, and Manga Entertainment. During this event, they announced licensing rights to Neon Genesis Evangelion and its two films. This acquisition made them the first company outside Japan to release the series on Blu-ray. It was also the first home video release since ADV Films handled the TV series and Manga Entertainment released the movies. Miles Thomas joined as Chief Marketing Officer in April 2021 after previously working at Crunchyroll. These actions demonstrated how a small Scottish team could influence major industry trends and bring classic titles back to audiences who had missed them for decades.
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Common questions
When did Andrew Partridge launch Anime Limited?
Andrew Partridge launched Anime Limited on the 14th of December 2012 from his base in Glasgow. The company began with a social media page that gathered over one thousand likes by the 22nd of December 2012.
Who acquired Anime Limited in October 2022 and when was it sold to Toho?
Austrian media company Plaion acquired Anime Limited on the 18th of October 2022 for an undisclosed sum. Plaion agreed to sell the company to Japanese studio Toho on the 19th of December 2025, making it a fully owned subsidiary of Toho Global.
What was the first acquisition made by Anime Limited after its founding?
Anime Limited secured the rights to Cowboy Bebop shortly after hitting one thousand Facebook likes in late 2012. They set a release date for the series during the third quarter of 2013 as their first major home video release.
Which streaming partnerships has Anime Limited established since 2017?
Anime Limited partnered with Viceland UK to launch a late-night anime block in July 2017 and signed a deal with ITVX in May 2022. They also collaborated with Channel 4's All 4 service starting in October 2019 to host 100 hours of dubbed anime.
When did Anime Limited enter the music industry and what soundtracks were released?
Anime Limited announced plans to enter the music industry at MCM London Comic Con in October 2017 and officially launched the label in 2019. Physical copies of A Shape of Light and FLCL soundtracks hit shelves that same year alongside vinyl releases for Trigun.