Kisousha Expands Horizons by Acquiring A-Priori
On May 29, 2026, Kisousha, led by CEO Yasu Moriya, finalized a business transfer agreement with A-Priori, a company renowned for its expertise in exhibition space planning and digital content creation situated in Shibuya, Tokyo. This significant acquisition allows Kisousha to broaden its capabilities by incorporating all aspects of A-Priori's projects, including exhibition design and multimedia content production.
The Journey Towards Expansion
Kisousha, with a legacy of 38 years, has consistently excelled in publishing, editing magazines, books, and producing various audio-visual content. With a strategic partnership established with Universal Publishing last year, Kisousha has been enhancing its manga production abilities, paving the way for a more integrated approach to content creation. This merger with A-Priori symbolizes an essential step in advancing Kisousha’s offerings, thereby addressing key operational and strategic needs.
A-Priori has built a strong portfolio, having worked on numerous projects like the Sendai Municipal Arakawa Elementary School earthquake ruins and the KDDI Museum. The firm is known for its high-quality exhibition production with a small and efficient team. Recognizing the need to enhance its operational capabilities, Kisousha deemed collaboration with a reliable partner like A-Priori indispensable for bolstering its growth surface and sustaining its developmental continuity. Thus, this acquisition was mutually agreed upon to forge a path forward.
Anticipated Outcomes
The collaboration is projected to yield various positive outcomes:
1.
Expansion of Content Expression Areas:
By embracing new output domains like exhibition styling and digital content creation, Kisousha aims to elevate its service offerings, enabling it to present a diverse array of solutions to its clients, extending beyond traditional print media.
2.
Enhanced Service Provision Capabilities:
A-Priori's longstanding ties to museums, local governments, and exhibit facilities strengthen Kisousha’s service capabilities. The company anticipates heightened synergy in promoting events related to manga and anime while integrating A-Priori's network, thereby enhancing cross-selling opportunities across both entities.
3.
Strengthen Digital Content Production Capabilities:
Merging A-Priori’s experience in video, CG, and Web content creation with Kisousha's existing resources is expected to enhance development capacity and ensure rigorous quality checks across all projects.
New Structural Overview
Post-acquisition, all current staff from A-Priori will continue working under the new structure, ensuring the preservation of their specialized knowledge, production skills, and client relationships. With the support gained from Kisousha's extensive resources, team members are encouraged to embark on new projects with increased agility and creativity. The A-Priori staff have expressed strong enthusiasm towards embracing this expanded operational framework, collaborating closely with Kisousha to foster new value creation.
Future Outlook
Through this acquisition, Kisousha has solidified its goal of unifying the publishing and exhibit creation processes from ‘creation’ to ‘delivery’—assembled not only with A-Priori’s resources, including CEO Hiroshi Ohno, but also with the ambition to offer engaging experiences to readers, viewers, and visitors alike. The company aims to evolve into a persistent growth-oriented entity within the content landscape, continuously innovating and delivering compelling content experiences across various touchpoints.
For further inquiries, please visit
Kisousha Website or contact:
Kisousha Co., Ltd.
3F Koyo Bldg, 2-36-1 Minamisuna, Koto City, Tokyo 136-0076, Japan.
Contact: Mitsuhiro Matsumoto