The two firms have already worked together to release films in the U.S., with GKids handling last year’s Oscar-winning Studio Ghibli feature "The Boy and the Heron." Financial terms were not disclosed.

With Toho's purchase of Gkids, the studio behind "The Boy and the Heron," the domestic anime distribution war is heating up.

Japanese media giant Toho is acquiring Gkids, the North American distributor of animated films like the Oscar-winning "The Boy and the Heron."

Japanese distributor Toho has acquired the animation distributor GKIDS to help its expansion into distribution in North America.

Godzilla Minus One and The Boy and the Heron's parallel Oscar triumphs apparently made the two want to go steady.

Toho has acquired North American distributor and licensor GKIDS as part of a huge new deal that will likely change up anime distribution in the United States. Toho is one of the largest publication houses in Japan,

Animation distributor GKIDS has been acquired by Japan’s Toho. GKIDS will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Los Angeles-based Toho International. Founder Eric Beckman will remain as CEO of GKIDS, and Dave Jesteadt will remain as president.

The Japanese entertainment giant Toho has reached an agreement to acquire the Oscar-winning animation outfit GKIDS, the companies said Tuesday