The 38th Tokyo International Film Festival and its industry market TIFFCOM unfolded under clearer skies than last year’s typhoon-soaked edition, and the mood matched the weather. From Oct. 27 to Nov. 5, the festival filled venues across the Hibiya-Yurakucho district while TIFFCOM brought deal-making energy to Hamamatsucho, where 322 exhibiting companies descended on the Tokyo Metropolitan Industrial Trade Center – a record that reflects Tokyo’s evolving identity from regional showcase to pan-Asian co-production hub.

This year’s edition revealed an industry at an inflection point. Japanese producers are flush with IP gold – anime alone hit $25.3 billion globally – yet grappling with structural barriers that make international collaboration maddeningly difficult. Meanwhile, a new generati

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