Bandai Namco was established in 2005 through the merger of Bandai (established 1950), a toy manufacturer, and Namco (established 1955) a video game developer and arcade operator. Since then, Bandai Namco has emerged as one of the top entertainment companies in Japan, producing and selling games, toys, animation, and music content for a portfolio of over 400 internationally popular intellectual properties. The company's most notable franchises—Gundam, Dragon Ball, and One Piece, recorded over JPY 100 billion in sales in 2023 and are among the highest-grossing franchises in the world.