Medialink
Medialink is a Hong Kong-based content distributor and licensing group focused on Japanese anime, character brands, digital entertainment, and related merchandise.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Medialink is a Hong Kong-based entertainment and licensing group whose business centers on acquiring, distributing, and commercializing Japanese anime and other character-driven intellectual property across Asian and selected Pacific markets. The business was established in March 1994 as Medialink International Limited by Lovinia Chiu. Its operating base is in Kowloon, with offices in the Mody Road area of Tsim Sha Tsui. The company later developed through separate activities in entertainment distribution and animation-related licensing before consolidating Medialink Entertainment and Medialink Animation International within the Medialink Group in 2018. The group subsequently became publicly listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 2019. Medialink Entertainment is primarily an intermediary and rights-management business rather than an original studio releasing a large proprietary catalogue. It acquires or represents selected anime titles and arranges their distribution through home-video partners, broadcasters, television networks, streaming services, and digital platforms. Its geographic remit has included Southeast Asia, South Asia, Mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, Micronesia, and Polynesia. Distribution relationships and clients mentioned in reference material include Netflix, Animax Asia, iQIYI, Bilibili, Dimsum, and local services in individual markets. Physical releases have been handled through regional partners such as Asia Video Publishing in Hong Kong, CaiChang International Multimedia in Taiwan, and Dream Express in Thailand; Rose Media and Entertainment was a former Thai partner. A major strategic development was the launch of Ani-One in 2018. Ani-One was created as a branded digital anime channel and distribution platform for simulcasting new titles and making older series available through partner platforms. Medialink began offering anime through its own YouTube channel in October 2019, expanding the group’s direct digital presence. In July 2021, it introduced Ani-One ULTRA, a membership service providing selected simulcasts and catalogue programming through the Ani-One YouTube ecosystem. The group also announced a distribution partnership with Mediacorp in April 2021, making selected Medialink content available on meWATCH. The company’s activities extend beyond licensing and distribution. Medialink Animation International manages licensing for properties such as Garfield, Popeye, Betty Boop, The Little Prince, and My Hero Academia. In August 2020, during the COVID-19 period, the group launched Ani-Mall, an online shop for anime-related apparel, toys, and other merchandise. It also introduced Ani-Kids on MyTV SUPER in September 2020 as a preschool-oriented educational entertainment video-on-demand service. In October 2023, Medialink announced a partnership with Bilibili covering the distribution and licensing of donghua in Southeast Asia, accompanied by the launch of the Ani-Mi video-on-demand platform. Medialink has also moved into production and co-financing. From 2019, it began co-producing and co-funding anime projects. Its film-related work has included involvement in productions such as One Second Champion and Drifting with mm2 Entertainment, as well as Asian distribution responsibilities for the anime feature Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle. Overall, the group’s positioning combines regional rights aggregation, anime-focused digital distribution, character and consumer-product licensing, platform development, and selective participation in film or animation production.
History
Medialink traces its origins to Medialink International Limited, established in Hong Kong in March 1994 by Lovinia Chiu. The company built its business around the regional exploitation of entertainment rights, particularly Japanese animation, rather than relying solely on internally originated productions. Its model involved selecting titles, acquiring or representing rights, and arranging distribution through local home-video companies, broadcasters, television channels, streaming services, and other digital outlets. The group’s anime distribution territory developed across a broad Asian and Pacific footprint, including Southeast Asia, South Asia, Mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, Micronesia, and Polynesia. Physical and packaged-media distribution was carried out through regional partners, while selected rights were sublicensed to streaming platforms and television stations. This structure allowed Medialink to adapt releases to local markets and distribution formats. Platforms and clients associated with its catalogue have included Netflix, Animax Asia, iQIYI, Bilibili, Dimsum, and regional services. In 2018, the business underwent an important organizational consolidation. Medialink Entertainment and Medialink Animation International were integrated into the Medialink Group. The first entity concentrated on content acquisition and distribution, while the second managed brand and character licensing. The same period saw the creation of Ani-One, a dedicated anime brand intended to provide new-title simulcasts and older programming through partner platforms. This gave Medialink a more visible consumer-facing identity in addition to its business-to-business rights activities. Medialink became a public company on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 2019. Around the same period, it began moving into anime co-production and co-financing, broadening its role from distributor and licensor toward participation in the creation and funding of content. It also expanded its digital reach by placing programming on its own YouTube channel from October 2019. The COVID-19 period encouraged further diversification. In August 2020, Medialink launched Ani-Mall, an e-commerce operation selling anime-themed clothing, toys, and other merchandise. In September of the same year, it introduced Ani-Kids on MyTV SUPER, targeting preschool educational entertainment through video on demand. These initiatives extended the company’s rights-based business into direct digital services and consumer commerce. Medialink continued to develop Ani-One as a platform brand. In April 2021, it announced a partnership with Mediacorp that made Medialink titles available on meWATCH. In July 2021, Ani-One ULTRA was introduced as a membership service offering selected simulcasts and older anime series through the Ani-One YouTube channel. The move created a paid layer within the group’s digital distribution ecosystem. The group’s licensing portfolio has included internationally recognized properties such as Garfield, Popeye, Betty Boop, The Little Prince, and My Hero Academia. Its activities have therefore extended beyond Japanese anime to a broader range of character and entertainment brands. In film, Medialink has been involved in projects including One Second Champion and Drifting with mm2 Entertainment, and it has handled Asian distribution for the anime feature Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle. In October 2023, Medialink announced a partnership with Bilibili to distribute and license donghua in Southeast Asia. The initiative also led to the launch of Ani-Mi, a video-on-demand platform focused on Chinese animation. This represented a further expansion of the group’s content sourcing beyond Japanese anime while retaining its established strengths in regional rights management, platform distribution, and licensing. Medialink’s overall development has consequently progressed from a Hong Kong-based anime distributor into a broader entertainment-rights group spanning anime, donghua, character licensing, e-commerce, digital subscriptions, and selective production participation.
- 2023
Ani-Mi is launched through a Bilibili partnership
[1]Medialink announced Southeast Asian donghua distribution and licensing cooperation with Bilibili and launched Ani-Mi.
- 2021
Mediacorp distribution partnership announced
[1]Selected Medialink titles became available through Mediacorp’s meWATCH service.
- 2021
Ani-One ULTRA launches
[1]Ani-One ULTRA introduced a membership-based offering of selected simulcasts and catalogue anime.
- 2020
Ani-Mall launches
[1]Medialink entered online merchandise retail with Ani-Mall.
- 2020
Ani-Kids launches
[1]The company launched a preschool educational entertainment VOD service on MyTV SUPER.
- 2019
Medialink is listed in Hong Kong
[1]The Medialink Group became listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.
- 2019
The group expands into anime production
[1]Medialink began co-producing and co-funding anime projects.
- 2018
Medialink businesses are consolidated
[1]Medialink Entertainment and Medialink Animation International were brought together within the Medialink Group.
- 2018
Ani-One is launched
[1]The group launched Ani-One as a branded anime distribution and simulcast initiative.
- 1994
Medialink International Limited is founded
[1]Lovinia Chiu founded Medialink International Limited in Hong Kong in March 1994, establishing the business that later became the Medialink Group.
Products and positioning
A regional entertainment-rights and licensing specialist connecting Japanese anime, international character brands, digital platforms, broadcasters, retailers, and audiences across Asia and nearby Pacific markets.
Anime digital distribution · 2018
Ani-One
Ani-One is Medialink’s consumer-facing anime brand, launched in 2018 for simulcasting new titles and distributing older series through digital and partner platforms. It complements the group’s underlying rights-acquisition and sublicensing business and has been used to reach audiences directly through YouTube and other services.
Subscription video-on-demand · 2021
Ani-One ULTRA
Ani-One ULTRA is a paid membership layer within the Ani-One ecosystem. Launched in 2021, it provides subscribers with selected simulcasts and older anime series through the Ani-One YouTube channel, extending Medialink’s distribution model from advertising- or partner-supported availability into membership access.
E-commerce · 2020
Ani-Mall
Ani-Mall is Medialink’s online merchandise operation. Launched in August 2020, it sells anime-themed clothing, toys, and other products connected with the company’s licensed properties and entertainment catalogue.
Children's video-on-demand · 2020
Ani-Kids
Ani-Kids is an educational entertainment video-on-demand service for preschool audiences. Medialink launched it on MyTV SUPER in September 2020 as an extension of its digital content and family-entertainment activities.
Chinese animation video-on-demand · 2023
Ani-Mi
Ani-Mi is a video-on-demand initiative associated with Medialink’s partnership with Bilibili. It focuses on donghua, or Chinese animation, and supports the group’s expansion of animation distribution and licensing in Southeast Asia.
Entertainment and character licensing
Brand licensing portfolio
Medialink Animation International manages licensing activities for a portfolio that has included Garfield, Popeye, Betty Boop, The Little Prince, and My Hero Academia. The business connects rights owners with regional media, merchandising, and consumer-product opportunities.
Brand decisions
2023
Broaden animation sourcing through BilibiliStrategyBackground
Medialink’s historic strength was Japanese anime, while Chinese animation represented an additional source of regional content and licensing opportunities.
Action taken
The company announced a Bilibili partnership to distribute and license donghua in Southeast Asia and launched the Ani-Mi VOD platform.
Aftermath
The initiative broadened Medialink’s animation portfolio and gave the group a dedicated platform identity for Chinese animation content.
2021
Introduce Ani-One ULTRAProduct launchBackground
Medialink had established Ani-One as a free or partner-distributed anime brand and sought to add a membership-based digital offering.
Action taken
It launched Ani-One ULTRA in July 2021 with selected simulcasts and older anime series for members.
Aftermath
The service created a subscription component within the Ani-One YouTube distribution ecosystem.
2020
Enter e-commerce through Ani-MallStrategyBackground
During the COVID-19 period, Medialink pursued a more direct consumer relationship and sought additional outlets for licensed entertainment properties.
Action taken
The group launched Ani-Mall as an online store for anime-related apparel, toys, and other merchandise.
Aftermath
Ani-Mall extended Medialink’s rights-based model into online retail and merchandise sales.
2019
Expand into anime co-production and co-financingStrategyBackground
After building a regional anime distribution business, Medialink moved toward greater participation in content creation and project financing.
Action taken
The company began co-producing and co-funding anime projects.
Aftermath
The move complemented Medialink’s distribution and licensing activities and was followed by involvement in selected film and animation projects.
2018
Create Ani-One as a dedicated anime brandStrategyBackground
Medialink sought a clearer consumer-facing identity for its anime distribution activities while continuing to work with broadcasters, streaming platforms, and other partners.
Action taken
The group launched Ani-One to simulcast new anime titles and distribute older series through partner platforms.
Aftermath
Ani-One later expanded to Medialink’s own YouTube channel and to the paid Ani-One ULTRA membership service.
Recent events
Reported
UTA Marketing to be rebranded as UTA Entertainment & Culture Marketing[2]
As part of the acquisition, UTA Marketing was announced as becoming a MediaLink division under the name UTA Entertainment & Culture Marketing.
Reported
UTA announces acquisition of MediaLink[3]
UTA announced its acquisition of MediaLink from Ascential PLC. MediaLink will remain a UTA-owned company and maintain its brand and full organization.
Reported
CTA partners with MediaLink to curate CES 2021 C Space content[4]
CTA announced a partnership with MediaLink to curate the official content for the C Space experience at the all-digital CES 2021.
Sources4 sources
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