Information broke in a single day in Japan that yet one more longstanding pillar of the up to date Japanese animation business has turn into the most recent instance of consolidation, with animation studio Doga Kobo being acquired by Japanese media conglomerate Kadokawa and the studio will turn into a subsidiary of the bigger group by the top of the quarter.
The studio joins the remainder of the manufacturing group beneath Kadokawa which already consists of subsidiaries ENGI, Studio KADAN, Raging Bull, the newly established Belnox Movies, and the affiliated however circuitously managed animation studio Kinema Citrus.
Doga Kobo has been a serious power within the manufacturing of Japanese animation since its founding in 1973 by former Toei Doga and Nichido Shin Professional staff earlier than being reorganized in 2006 beneath present head Ryo Ishiguro. Its present productions embody Jellyfish Can’t Swim within the Evening, Oshi no Ko, Chiikawa, and Alya Generally Hides Her Emotions in Russian. The corporate at present counts 62 staff.
The studio started its relationship with Kadokawa in 2014 when it was chosen to supply the anime diversifications for 2 of Kadokawa’s hit properties within the NEW GAME! mild novel and the Month-to-month Women Nozaki-kun manga, with diversifications that turned hits in Japan and overseas for his or her consideration to element and general high quality. The studio continued with diversifications of different Kadokawa properties over time.
Doga Kobo’s greatest success as a studio got here with the anime adaptation of the Oshi no Ko manga by Aka Akasaka and Mengo Yokoyari, mainly as a result of anime’s opening theme “IDOL” by YOASOBI turning into an sudden worldwide hit on social media and subsequently topping music streaming charts worldwide. Studio head Ryo Ishiguro has launched a touch upon the acquisition, translated beneath:
Now in our 51st 12 months of existence, we’ve got labored with many manufacturing corporations, specialist corporations, and producers. We are going to create an setting the place the studio can proceed to create works with extra enthusiasm than ever earlier than, and we are going to do our greatest to proceed to supply even higher works sooner or later, so we ask to your help
The information of the acquisition follows comparable information earlier this 12 months of animation studio Science SARU, based by animators Masaaki Yuasa and Eunyoung Choi being acquired by Japanese movie business big TOHO, signalling that the consolidation within the Japanese animation business is continuous with no indicators of stopping anytime quickly.
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