HTC and Bandai Namco Pictures team up to bring animation to VR

HTC has announced a strategic alliance with Japanese animation and production brand BANDAI NAMCO Pictures to work together to bring BANDAI NAMCO Pictures' famous animated content into the virtual reality (VR) field.

Bandai Namco Pictures is well-known for producing original animation series, such as the "Idol Academy Aikatsu!" series, the "Battle Spirits" series and the "Tiger & Bunny" series, and has also adapted comics such as "Gintama" and "KERORO Gunso". The HTC VIVEPORT team will work closely with Bandai Namco Pictures to jointly create and develop a VR ecosystem to provide consumers with virtual experiences. Officials said that in the future, whether it is a passionate fan of Bandai Namco Pictures or anime enthusiasts, they can enjoy immersive Bandai Namco animation content through VIVEPORT and interact virtually with anime idols.

In addition, the initial partnership between HTC and Bandai Namco Pictures will develop animation content, production and distribution for both companies, and will continue to cooperate in the development of new animations and IPs and jointly explore new business opportunities in the future. Through the cooperation with Bandai Namco Pictures, VIVEPORT will continue to enrich and diversify the content of action and social VR platforms and create new and interesting virtual entertainment experiences.

“Bandai Namco Pictures is a company that specializes in animation production and has a large slate of TV dramas, original animation, web animation, and stage plays, and we are actively working on creating more original works,” said Ozaki Masayuki, President and General Manager of BANDAI NAMCO PHOTOGRAPHY. “By combining the original animation and production capabilities we have cultivated over the years with HTC’s innovative, cutting-edge technology, we will create an experience that transcends the limitations of reality and that fans can share. We are very much looking forward to developing this new shared world with fans around the world, and jumping into the world we create together from anywhere on the planet.”

“The future of virtual reality is about providing unique experiences and exploring endless possibilities. We are honored to be the first global VR partner of Bandai Namco Pictures,” said Lin Junwu, Vice President of Content and Platforms at HTC. “Through this partnership, we can bring animation content to another level and help the virtual reality industry unlock unlimited potential. In the coming months, Japanese animation content will be available on the VIVEPORT VR app store and content subscription service platform, and more virtual reality content experiences will be presented to consumers around the world.”