Sony Music Labels has officially entered the character IP business with its acquisition of Spookiz, the non-verbal animated franchise that has quietly built a global fanbase. This is a meaningful pivot for a company that has until now remained focused on music and recording.
The company has acquired full rights to the series, marking a long-term commitment rather than a licensing experiment. Spookiz may be short-form in length, with episodes running just one to three minutes, but it has proven its global appeal with 6.1 million YouTube subscribers and more than 3.1 billion total views. Its success is driven in part by its non-verbal format, which makes the content instantly scalable across markets without the need for localization. The show already has strong traction in the United States, Asia, Latin America, and Europe.
Sony Music Labels plans to produce a new season of Spookiz, introduce new characters, and use its music expertise to incorporate musical elements into future episodes. The strategy is to treat the characters the same way it develops music artists, creating emotional connection through performance, branding, and storytelling.
The company is also partnering with Keyring Co., Ltd., the South Korean studio behind the original content. That partnership ensures production continuity and creative alignment while Sony takes the brand to a broader global audience.
President Manabu Tsujino was clear about the company’s ambitions. The goal is to turn these characters into stars, following the same playbook Sony Music has used with its artists. This is not just a content expansion move. It is a full-scale IP development strategy aimed at creating multimedia franchises that can live across platforms and regions.
This acquisition reflects a broader trend of music companies investing in character-based IP. Rather than waiting for hits to license, Sony is moving to own them outright. With Spookiz, the company has found a property that is already globally resonant and built for scale.
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