- Interview Location:Anime Expo 2026
- Interview Format: In Person, One-on-One
Anime Herald: How are you enjoying Anime Expo?
Akio Tomiyama: I visited our booth. People were playing with Beyblade and buying gacha toys. I feel like this Anime Expo we are doing well.
Anime Herald: What do you believe drives the demand for such a wide variety of Beyblade toys?
Akio Tomiyama: There’s such a wide variety, because players can come up with their own strategies. Beyblade is derived from koma, the Japanese spinning toys. Players have to come up with new strategies for different editions of Beyblade.
Anime Herald: Do you personally play Beyblade?
Akio Tomiyama: I was the marketing manager when Beyblade first came out. I enjoyed playing with it. I felt the desire not to lose.
The most interesting thing about Beyblade is that it isn’t about physical strength. You can win with a softer shoot. That’s something unique and interesting about Beyblade.
Anime Herald: What were the toys you enjoyed when you were growing up?
Akio Tomiyama: I loved the Bandai Namco’s Gundam toys.
Anime Herald: I grew up with Transformers.
What does having the joint title of CEO and President entail? What are your responsibilities?
Akio Tomiyama: I oversee the corporate strategies for the entire company. I watch the numbers, and decide on the marketing strategy.
Anime Herald: What challenges have you faced recently, having a business that ships physical goods across the globe?
Akio Tomiyama: I shifted our manufacturing from China to Vietnam, Indonesia, and Thailand to avoid the higher tariffs.
I have to be flexible because the situation can change daily. The Hormuz Strait is one example.
Anime Herald:Toy Story 5deals with the topic of the end of toys in the age of screens. At the New York Toy Fair, they discussed how screens and digital toys that can capture a child’s attention are a growth portion of the industry. You are focusing on the tactile, the physical. What do you think is so important about prioritizing physical toys when so many companies are shifting to digital?
Akio Tomiyama: Digital marketing is growing, but if we look at Anime Expo, people are coming here to physically connect with other people.
Creating physical toys is the strength of our company. Getting people together is key to our company. I believe a digital world and a physical world can coexist in our industry.
Anime Herald: I agree. It bothers me when I see toy stores disappear. Children love toys.
Do you have any questions for us?
Akio Tomiyama: What is your image of Japan?
Anime Herald: I was just in Japan. One of my favorite places in the world is in Japan, Tower Records in Shibuya. I’m an audiophile. I love collecting physical media, like CDs. There are a lot of Japanese artists I enjoy.
Akio Tomiyama: What do you think foreigners see as the charm of Japan?
Anime Herald: If I may give you a long-winded answer, America had Disney. Disney begat Tezuka and Sunrise. Tezuka and Sunrise created an animation industry. They were great at telling stories. That’s why we watch. America has the comic books industry. Japan has the manga industry. It’s great because you can tell such a wide variety of stories in so many different ways. That is what I first think of when I think of Japan. Japan has Ghibli and Makoto Shinkai telling universal stories that people love.
An average American who has no interest in anime can still enjoy going out for Japanese food. Maybe they don’t like sushi. They can still get hibachi or something else. Japanese culture has come over to America in many ways that are so ingrained we don’t necessarily think of them as Japanese culture. We go to a steakhouse that just happens to be Japanese.
I guarantee you that there are Americans that are very loyal to Kobe beef who have no idea about Kobe, Japan.
Akio Tomiyama: I feel like a lot has changed after COVID. I think that anime has become more popular. What caused that shift?
Anime Herald: We were stuck indoors. Crunchyroll, more than anyone else, took advantage of streaming. Yes, there’s Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney’s Hulu, but more than anything, Crunchyroll went from being niche to being mainstream. An average teenager will have heard of Crunchyroll.
There are a number of second generation anime fans, where the parents have passed it to their children.
What are you looking forward to doing in Los Angeles apart from work and meetings?
Akio Tomiyama: It’s just work and meetings. (Laughs)
The sad thing is, I don’t have time to go out. Normally, when I come to LA, it’s purely for business meetings. Of course, if I had the chance I’d love to go to Las Vegas and visit a casino. The next time I come out I’ll have some more time.
Anime Herald: Thank you very much.
Akio Tomiyama: Thank you.
