Manga Productions Showcases Saudi National Day Anime at TOKYO ANIME NEXT

Manga Productions, a subsidiary of the Mohammed bin Salman Foundation (Misk), participated as a sponsor of TOKYO ANIME NEXT in Tokyo, Japan, from October 30 to November 2, 2026. The event marked the inaugural edition of TOKYO ANIME NEXT, which SPA describes as a new chapter for the Tokyo Anime Award Festival (TAAF), held in Tokyo’s Ikebukuro district.

SPA reported that the participation reinforces Manga Productions’ commitment to expanding its international presence and strengthening creative partnerships with Japan. The company’s involvement placed it inside one of Japan’s anime-facing events at a moment when its own Saudi National Day anime productions have drawn large audiences.

As part of the event, Manga Productions took part in a panel discussion titled “Two Cultures, One Story: Behind the Scenes of Saudi-Japanese Co-Production.” The session featured Production Manager at Manga Productions Noor Aljijakli and Representative Director and Producer at Japan’s BLUE RIGHTS Makoto Kimura. What does it take to move a story from one culture into the visual language of another?

The speakers shared insights into the creative journey behind the short anime film produced to celebrate Saudi Arabia’s National Day, from concept development to final production. SPA reported that the discussion highlighted how Saudi-Japanese creative collaboration brought elements of Saudi culture to life through the distinctive art of Japanese anime. For audiences in Tokyo, the panel offered a behind-the-scenes view of a production built across two countries rather than within one studio.

Commenting on the occasion, CEO of Manga Productions Dr. Essam Bukhary emphasized that the success of the company’s Saudi National Day anime productions demonstrates the growing global appeal of Saudi creative content. He highlighted that the anime film celebrating Saudi Arabia’s 96th National Day surpassed 111 million views. How does a National Day film reach an audience of that size?

Dr. Bukhary also noted that the film produced for the 95th National Day received the Platinum Award at the 2025 MUSE Creative Awards in the Animation category and was named a finalist at the World Film Festival in Cannes, France. Those two recognitions, one in animation and one at a festival in France, sit alongside the viewership figure for the later production.

Dr. Bukhary noted that these achievements reflect Saudi Arabia’s creative potential in bringing culturally inspired stories to international audiences. He underscored the importance of global partnerships in producing world-class Saudi content and strengthening the Kingdom’s presence in the global anime industry. What does a partnership between Saudi and Japanese creators change about the final film?

The panel’s title, “Two Cultures, One Story,” framed the session around co-production rather than a single company’s output. SPA reported that the discussion covered the journey from concept development to final production, with Aljijakli and Kimura sharing the stage. The pairing of a Manga Productions production manager with a representative director and producer from BLUE RIGHTS placed both sides of the collaboration in the same conversation.

Manga Productions’ sponsorship of TOKYO ANIME NEXT is described by SPA as reinforcing its commitment to expanding its international presence and strengthening creative partnerships with Japan. The event ran from October 30 to November 2, 2026, in Tokyo. Its inaugural edition was held in the Ikebukuro district, according to SPA, ahead of the truncated portion of the source text.

SPA reported that TOKYO ANIME NEXT marks a new chapter for the Tokyo Anime Award Festival (TAAF). The first edition of the event under that name took place in Tokyo’s Ikebukuro district. What does a first edition in a new district signal for an anime event’s future?

The Saudi National Day anime productions sit at the center of the company’s stated record. The film for the 96th National Day surpassed 111 million views, while the film for the 95th National Day received the Platinum Award at the 2025 MUSE Creative Awards in the Animation category and was named a finalist at the World Film Festival in Cannes, France. Both facts were cited by Dr. Bukhary in his comments on the occasion.

Dr. Bukhary’s remarks tied the productions’ performance to the global appeal of Saudi creative content. He also tied it to the value of global partnerships in producing Saudi content and to the Kingdom’s presence in the global anime industry. How do awards and viewership figures shape the next co-production?

Manga Productions is described by SPA as a subsidiary of the Mohammed bin Salman Foundation (Misk). Its participation in TOKYO ANIME NEXT was as a sponsor. The event’s dates, October 30 to November 2, 2026, and its location in Tokyo, Japan, were reported by SPA.

The panel discussion was titled “Two Cultures, One Story: Behind the Scenes of Saudi-Japanese Co-Production.” Noor Aljijakli, Production Manager at Manga Productions, and Makoto Kimura, Representative Director and Producer at Japan’s BLUE RIGHTS, were the featured speakers. SPA reported that they shared insights into the creative journey behind the short anime film produced to celebrate Saudi Arabia’s National Day, from concept development to final production.

SPA reported that the discussion highlighted how Saudi-Japanese creative collaboration brought elements of Saudi culture to life through the distinctive art of Japanese anime. The session therefore connected the production process to the cultural elements carried in the film. What elements of Saudi culture translate most directly into anime?

The 96th National Day film’s viewership figure, more than 111 million views, was cited by Dr. Bukhary. The 95th National Day film’s Platinum Award at the 2025 MUSE Creative Awards in the Animation category and its status as a finalist at the World Film Festival in Cannes, France, were also cited by him. SPA did not include the titles of the two films, their runtimes, or the dates on which the viewership figure was measured.

SPA did not include the number of attendees at TOKYO ANIME NEXT, the terms of Manga Productions’ sponsorship, or the names of any other sponsors. The source also did not state what Manga Productions plans to release next or whether further Saudi-Japanese co-productions are scheduled.

The event’s inaugural edition, held in Tokyo’s Ikebukuro district, was described by SPA as a new chapter for the Tokyo Anime Award Festival (TAAF). The source text was truncated after that reference, so SPA’s full description of the event’s program and any additional Manga Productions activities at TOKYO ANIME NEXT were not available in the material reviewed.

What remains clear from the source is the sequence SPA reported: a sponsorship in Tokyo from October 30 to November 2, 2026; a panel with Aljijakli and Kimura on Saudi-Japanese co-production; and Dr. Bukhary’s account of a 96th National Day film surpassing 111 million views and a 95th National Day film earning a Platinum Award at the 2025 MUSE Creative Awards in the Animation category and a finalist place at the World Film Festival in Cannes, France. Those are the facts SPA placed around Manga Productions’ appearance at the inaugural TOKYO ANIME NEXT.

What did Manga Productions do at TOKYO ANIME NEXT? SPA reported that Manga Productions, a subsidiary of the Mohammed bin Salman Foundation (Misk), participated as a sponsor of TOKYO ANIME NEXT, held in Tokyo, Japan, from October 30 to November 2, 2026. The company also took part in a panel discussion titled “Two Cultures, One Story: Behind the Scenes of Saudi-Japanese Co-Production.” SPA described the participation as reinforcing the company’s commitment to expanding its international presence and strengthening creative partnerships with Japan.

Who spoke on the Saudi-Japanese co-production panel? SPA reported that the session featured Production Manager at Manga Productions Noor Aljijakli and Representative Director and Producer at Japan’s BLUE RIGHTS Makoto Kimura. The speakers shared insights into the creative journey behind the short anime film produced to celebrate Saudi Arabia’s National Day, from concept development to final production. SPA reported that the discussion highlighted how Saudi-Japanese creative collaboration brought elements of Saudi culture to life through the distinctive art of Japanese anime.

What did the CEO of Manga Productions say about the National Day anime films? CEO of Manga Productions Dr. Essam Bukhary emphasized that the success of the company’s Saudi National Day anime productions demonstrates the growing global appeal of Saudi creative content. He highlighted that the anime film celebrating Saudi Arabia’s 96th National Day surpassed 111 million views. He also noted that the film produced for the 95th National Day received the Platinum Award at the 2025 MUSE Creative Awards in the Animation category and was named a finalist at the World Film Festival in Cannes, France.

What is TOKYO ANIME NEXT? SPA reported that TOKYO ANIME NEXT marks a new chapter for the Tokyo Anime Award Festival (TAAF), with its inaugural edition held in Tokyo’s Ikebukuro district. The event took place from October 30 to November 2, 2026, in Tokyo, Japan, and Manga Productions participated as a sponsor. The source text was truncated after the reference to the inaugural edition, so SPA’s full description of the event’s program was not available in the material reviewed.

What recognitions did the 95th National Day anime film receive? According to Dr. Essam Bukhary, CEO of Manga Productions, the film produced for the 95th National Day received the Platinum Award at the 2025 MUSE Creative Awards in the Animation category. It was also named a finalist at the World Film Festival in Cannes, France. SPA reported these recognitions alongside the viewership figure for the 96th National Day film, which surpassed 111 million views, as part of the company’s account of its Saudi National Day anime productions.

What did SPA not include about the event or the films? SPA did not include the number of attendees at TOKYO ANIME NEXT, the terms of Manga Productions’ sponsorship, or the names of any other sponsors. The source also did not state the titles or runtimes of the two National Day anime films, the dates on which the viewership figure was measured, or what Manga Productions plans to release next. The source text was truncated after the reference to the event’s inaugural edition in Tokyo’s Ikebukuro district.