Sony Group is comparing its current anime business to the early days of PlayStation, suggesting big growth is still ahead. Sony’s Chief Strategy Officer Toshimoto Mitomo recently told Japanese business magazine Toyo Keizai that the company’s anime operations are like PlayStation was during its PS1 era. “It’s in a phase roughly equivalent to the period between the launch of the PS1 and PS2,” Mitomo explained.

This comparison points to major expansion plans. When PlayStation first launched three decades ago, it saw immediate success. But the real growth came later – annual revenue jumped from $2 billion during the PS1 days to $30 billion by the PS5 era. Mitomo’s comments suggest Sony sees its anime business in a similar early growth stage.

Sony wants anime to become a major part of its entertainment business, alongside video games and music. The company already has some big successes. Last month, Sony’s anime production company Aniplex released Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba The Movie: Infinity Castle in Japan. The film has made about $120 million at the box office and became the tenth highest-grossing movie in Japan’s history. Sony also owns Crunchyroll, one of the biggest anime streaming services in the United States.

But Sony isn’t stopping there. The company has been making major investments to expand its anime reach. In January, Sony bought a 10% stake in Kadokawa for around $340 million, making it a major shareholder. This deal gave Sony access to Kadokawa’s anime studios like Doga Kobo, plus the publisher’s many original stories from manga and light novels that often become anime.

Sony made another big move in July, buying a 2.5% stake in Bandai Namco Holdings for about $464 million. The two companies formed a partnership focused on growing anime properties together.