Marui Group Starts Investing in Anime Production Committees

Japanese retail company Marui Group invested in its first television anime productions with this summer's Aho Girl and Tsuredure Childrenanime. Marui will hold a promotional campaign for both shows at its Shinjuku Marui Annex store in Tokyo beginning from August 8 to 30. The campaign will offer special illustrations and collaboration merchandise for both anime at the store.

Aho Girl and Tsuredure Children premiered on July 4 on Tokyo MX, AT-X, Sun TV, and BS11 for 15 minutes each to form a 30-minute block. Crunchyroll is streaming both series in regions outside of Asia and Japan.

Marui Group had previously invested in the Aozora Yell and Gintama live-action films. Aozora Yell is based on a manga by Kazune Kawahara, whose My Love Story!! inspired a television anime. Gintama is based on Hideaki Sorachi's manga, which has also inspired numerous television anime seasons and films.

Marui also previously funded a promotional net anime series titled "Neko ga Kureta Marui Shiawase" (The Round Happiness a Cat Gave). The anime streamed its first episode on May 22, and its fourth and final episode on July 1.