is a Japanese advertising agency and, since March 2020, a subsidiary of Bandai Namco Holdings, and later, Bandai Namco Filmworks.
History It was founded in 1965 as , with it being designated by baseball team Yomiuri Giants as its primary agency for the planning and distribution of the team's merchandising interests. In 1977, it changed its name to . The agency was first listed in the JASDAQ stock exchange in 2003. On April 1, 2007, the company changed its name to .
In 1972, it began been involved in the production and licensing of numerous television programs, starting with Thunder Mask. The first anime series it produced was Sunrise's Invincible Super Man Zambot 3, after which the company produced numerous others. In 1979, it produced Mobile Suit Gundam.
In October 2019, Bandai Namco Holdings announced plans to acquire Sotsu, a move which would grant the company full rights to the entire Gundam franchise. The next month, however, Chicago, Illinois-based investment firm RMB Capital forced Bandai Namco to raise the tender offer price for Sotsu in a follow-on tender offer targeted at the general shareholders of Sotsu. On March 1, 2020, Sotsu finally became a fully owned subsidiary of Bandai Namco.
On October 7, 2025, it was announced that the company would streamline its planning, production and copyright management businesses as well as management of the Gundam series, that are currently overlapped within BNF and its subsidiary, Sotsu. As part of this, Sotsu would transfer its Gundam series-related businesses and its IP planning and production businesses to BNF with the transfer being completed on April 1, 2026.
Productions Sunrise productions Aura Battler Dunbine Combat Mecha Xabungle Gundam series Haou Taikei Ryū Knight Heavy Metal L-Gaim Invincible Steel Man Daitarn 3 Invincible Super Man Zambot 3 Wild Knights Gulkeeva Metal Armor Dragonar Outlaw Star Saikyō Robo Daiōja Shippu! Iron Leaguer Trider G7
Nippon TV programs Sore Ike! Anpanman Thunder Mask
TV Asahi/ABC programs Burst Angel Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo Glass no Kantai SoltyRei Speed Grapher
TV Tokyo programs Battle Hawk (as Toyo Agency) Cardfight!! Vanguard (formerly aired on TV Aichi for the first season) Capeta Dai-Guard E's Otherwise Earth Girl Arjuna Eat-Man (1997 anime) Eden's Bowy Elemental Gelade Glass no Kamen Grander Musashi RV Hare+Guu Hyper Police Kinkyū Hasshin Saver Kids Legend of Heavenly Sphere Shurato Doki Doki Densetsu Mahōjin Guru Guru Master of Mosquiton ('99) Papuwa Saber Marionette J Kyatto Ninden Teyandee School Rumble Shadow Skill Shiawa Sesō no Okojo-san Shura no Toki Silent Mobius Simoun Sorcerer Hunters Spiral: Suiri no Kizuna Tekkaman Blade Shin Tenchi Muyo! Those Who Hunt Elves Virus Buster Serge YuruYuri
UHF programs Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni Play Ball Shōnen Onmyōji
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