Japan’s Dentsu has set up an alliance with nine major domestic animation studios to produce anime content out of Tokyo for international clients, and make communication and project management easier. The companies involved are Bandai Namco Pictures, David Production, Lidenfilms, MAPPA, Pierrot, Production I.G., Studio Colorido, Sunrise and The Answerstudio.

Known as Dentsu Japanimation Studio, the new coaliton is looking to capitalize on the popularity of Japanese animation abroad; anime currently accounts for nearly 80% of Japan’s screen content export business. Dentsu itself will bolster the organization’s strength by lending a team of experts from various fields within the Dentsu Group, and more animation studios will join the alliance over time to further broaden its institutional knowledge and skill set.

Dentsu recently teamed up with Canada’s DHX Media to develop, co-produce, distribute and jointly manage consumer products for the new Mega Man animated series. Co-produced by DHX and Dentsu’s California-based division, the show premiered on Cartoon Network in the US this past August.