On the licensing site of ShoPro, the Japanese agent that manages Pokémon among other titles, the licence contract is signed by ShoPro itself

How it’s built

1. Read from ShoPro's licensing-business website page describing how to apply to use a character: after plan approval and terms, the applicant submits a form and ShoPro concludes the contract.

What we assumed

• The generic process applies to Pokémon.Pokémon is listed among ShoPro-managed titles, and its title page gives no separate terms or mention of The Pokémon Company.

Sanity check

It fits Takara Tomy's filings, which name ShoPro alone as the Japanese counterparty from 2016. It does not show the money flow behind ShoPro.

Where it comes from

The line in the source

企画承認、及び契約条件合意後、弊社から申請書をお渡しします。…申請書提出後、契約を締結させて頂きます。

In English

After plan approval and agreement on contract terms we hand over the application form … after the application is submitted we conclude the contract.

Where it’s used

• StoryBrand
• StoryLicensing & merch