Sony Group Corp. has agreed to buy roughly 16 million shares of Bandai Namco Holdings Inc. for about ¥68 billion ($465 million), giving the electronics-to-entertainment conglomerate a 2.5% stake in the “Gundam” and “Elden Ring” publisher. The two companies said the investment forms part of a broader strategic alliance aimed at expanding global fan communities for Japanese anime, manga and gaming franchises. Sony will use its production and distribution network to help Bandai Namco develop and promote content, while the partners explore joint projects across video, music, games and merchandising. Sony has been steadily accumulating minority stakes in Japanese content producers—including Kadokawa, FromSoftware and Bilibili—to deepen its catalogue of intellectual property and strengthen its position in the fast-growing global anime market. Bandai Namco said the collaboration will leverage its “IP axis” strategy to maximise the value of its franchises, while Sony called the tie-up a step toward its long-term “Creative Entertainment Vision.”