Manga Productions Teams Up with Bilibili for Strategic Partnership in China

Manga Productions and Bilibili's Strategic Partnership

On September 9, 2025, Shanghai witnessed a significant collaboration as Manga Productions, based in Saudi Arabia and led by CEO Isam Bukari, joined forces with Bilibili, a leading streaming platform popular among Chinese youth. This strategic partnership embodies three key initiatives:

1. Distribution of 'Asateer 2: Future Folktales' on Bilibili
2. Localizing and distributing selected Chinese anime works by Manga Productions in the Middle East
3. The introduction of a joint production model for Bilibili's short anime collection, 'CAPSULES'

Expanding into the Global Market

Manga Productions has been actively pursuing the global expansion of creative content originating from Saudi Arabia and the Arab world. The Chinese market, recognized as one of the largest and most vibrant digital entertainment landscapes, is a particularly vital focus for the company. The partnership with Bilibili, which boasts over 100 million daily active users, marks a critical milestone in this initiative.

The official kick-off for this collaboration occurred earlier last month with the launch of 'Asateer 2: Future Folktales' for Chinese audiences. The original series, 'Asateer: Future Folktales' (Season 1), achieved international acclaim, airing on over 40 platforms and garnering more than 100 million views worldwide. Furthermore, this partnership includes future initiatives to localize selected Chinese animated works for the Middle Eastern market, enhancing cultural exchange between Saudi Arabia and China and supporting the development of young creative talents from both countries through collaborative projects.

Celebrating Past Successes

In 2022, Bilibili premiered its first animated feature film from the Arab world, 'Journey: A Tale of Miracles and Battles in Ancient Arabia,' which successfully attracted over 30,000 followers and nearly 2 million views within a month of its release. This animated film featured iconic actor Jackie Chan as a voice actor in the Chinese version, contributing to its local resonance.

Insights from Key Figures

Isam Bukari, CEO of Manga Productions

"It is a tremendous honor to partner with Bilibili, one of China’s premier digital platforms. This collaboration aligns perfectly with our mission to deliver high-quality creative content from Saudi Arabia to a global audience, thereby reinforcing cultural exchanges between Saudi Arabia and China, and representing a crucial step in expanding the international reach of our works. We are committed to creating an environment where Saudi youth can engage in content creation and distribution, actively participating in global projects."

Zhang Shengyan, Vice President of Bilibili

"We are delighted to have partnered with Manga Productions, a pioneering content company in the Middle East. Providing excellent Saudi animation works to Chinese viewers is a meaningful step towards facilitating cultural exchanges between China and Saudi Arabia and deepening cooperation in the animation field. We aim to further empower talented youth in both countries and promote the distribution of Chinese animations in the Middle East while exploring broader co-production opportunities with Manga Productions."

Abdulaziz Alnagmoosh, Head of Business Development, Content Licensing and Distribution at Manga Productions

"Through our partnership with Bilibili, we are now able to present Saudi content in the world’s largest entertainment market, opening a new avenue for sharing stories that reflect Saudi cultural identity globally."

About Manga Productions

Manga Productions is a leading company in the Middle East and Arab world, specializing in IP management, animation, game development, and distribution. The company's mission is to share appealing content globally by collaborating with international studios and creators, including those in Japan. Manga Productions is also actively involved in IP management to share exceptional Japanese content in regions like the Middle East, playing a pivotal role in cultural exchange and the growth of the content industry.