Montage comprises screenshots of animation material shared with 36Kr, courtesy of Yoousi.
Yoousi, an animation technology company, has raised an eight-figure RMB sum in angel funding. The round was co-led by Yunqi Partners and BAce Capital, with Leap Capital acting as the financial advisor.
The funds will support team expansion, technology upgrades, and overseas market entry. The company is also preparing for its next fundraising round to accelerate international growth and build a global anime-tech ecosystem.
How long does it take for a comic to be turned into an animated film?
In Japan, where the animation industry is highly developed, the process usually takes one to two years. A comic must first gain traction among readers and demonstrate market potential. Only then do investors or animation studios negotiate with the publisher holding the rights. Once a partnership is confirmed, investors, publishers, studios, and advertisers form a production committee to begin the process.
But one to two years is a long wait. In today’s fast-moving digital culture, where short video platforms deliver new entertainment daily, fan interest can fade quickly. If production cycles could be shortened and output increased, the entire industry would benefit.
That is the problem Yoousi, a Chinese startup founded in 2017, set out to solve. By developing artificial intelligence-powered tools, it has reportedly reduced adaptation cycles to one or two months. The company combines proprietary animation software with professional voice actors to turn comics into one- to three-minute episodes. It has dubbed this format “comic drama,” which differs from traditional anime.
CEO Yuan Ze said Yoousi began in 2017 by producing original comics and building a library of both proprietary and licensed IP. The company started developing AI-driven tools in 2018 to support production, and by 2023, it had a mature system in place.
So far, Yoousi said it has released nearly 100 works. As its tools improved, so did content quality. Recent titles feature smoother transitions, more natural character movements, and richer storyboarding, approaching the standard of traditional anime but at lower costs.
A review of Yoousi’s catalog by 36Kr noted progress. Early works resembled picture slideshows with static backgrounds and limited cuts, echoing the style of early Japanese anime. More recent productions, however, show greater fluidity and narrative cohesion, approaching the visual flow of traditional anime.
Yuan noted that even after factoring in IP licensing, production, and voice acting, Yoousi’s content costs remain well below industry norms.
The company has already proven its commercial model. Several productions have turned a profit, with some exceeding expectations in both reach and revenue.
Yoousi first distributed content on long-form video platforms, later expanding to short video and other channels. This year, it partnered with Ocean Engine and Douyin to create comic dramas with longer life cycles and scalable returns. One example, Forced to Become the Villain’s Son-In-Law, was the first in the industry to surpass RMB 1 million (USD 140,000) in ad spend. It sustained a five-month run, proving the format’s potential across both short- and long-form platforms.
Still, the domestic market is not Yoousi’s main priority. Yuan said that acquisition costs in China are relatively high, while average revenue per user (ARPU) is low. Japan, by contrast, offers stronger monetization: “The ARPPU (average revenue per paying user) for anime platforms in Japan is around RMB 200 (USD 28), compared to only a few RMB in China,” he said.
Yoousi has tested the Japanese market for the past two years, one of the most competitive and quality-driven globally. Its comic dramas have performed on par with leading live-action shows and aligned with Japan’s per-episode paid model, which mirrors the local comic pricing system. This suggests the format could establish itself in mature markets.
To support this strategy, Yoousi has built three core systems:
- Content creation and production: A framework balancing efficiency and quality.
- AI toolchain: Its proprietary Inkverse platform streamlines design and animation, reducing costs while improving quality.
- Global distribution: With offices in Changsha, Hangzhou, Tokyo, and Bangkok, Yoousi can release content across languages and markets simultaneously.
The company is expanding its teams in technology, content, and distribution. Next, it plans to launch its own platform in Japan to strengthen its presence in the world’s largest anime market, aiming to move from content export to brand-building.
A December 2024 report from the Association of Japanese Animations (AJA) found that Japan released only 232 new titles and 68 sequels in 2023, the lowest in a decade. Average episode counts are also falling, even as the comic market grows. This leaves many IPs waiting for adaptation.
“AI-driven tools can help the industry stabilize quality, ease labor bottlenecks, and boost efficiency,” Yuan said. “Compared with China, overseas markets place more value on quality. If the work is good enough, users are willing to pay and stay long term.”
Yoousi has already partnered with SoftBank’s SB Creative in Japan and T&B Media Global in Thailand to co-develop IP, produce content, and expand distribution worldwide.
KrASIA Connection features translated and adapted content that was originally published by 36Kr. This article was written by Wang Yuchan for 36Kr.