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MAGES. Splits Off Music Unit to Super State Holdings' AniTone

Multimedia company MAGES. announced on Friday that it is splitting off its content-related businesses - such as MUSIC, LOVE&ART, music publishing, and Daikanyama Studio - in an absorption-type split on November 1. AniTone Co., Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of SUPER STATE HOLDINGS Co., Ltd., will become the successor. MAGES. stated that this will not affect its current business operations, and it will continue to operate its music publishing business. The companies hope to develop and grow mutual businesses.

AniTone, established in July, is involved in animation production, music labeling, program production, and publishing. It also invests in and promotes anime. SUPER STATE HOLDINGS is involved in creator management and video distribution businesses.

The content library of MAGES. and its predecessor companies includes the Science Adventure franchise (Chaos;HEAd, Steins;Gate, Robotics;Notes, Chaos;Child, Occultic;Nine, Anonymous;Code). Through acquisitions, the library also includes the Memories Off franchise, and it has developed and published games tied to anime, light novel, and manga properties.

Chairperson and founding executive director Chiyomaru Shikura stepped down from these positions in January 2023. He remains as an executive producer who focuses on the development of original works and new games.

The gamebiz service reported in December 2022 that MAGES was facing excessive debts. The company reported a final loss of 613 million yen (about US$4.6 million) for the fiscal year ending in September 2022, after a final loss of 370 million yen (about US$2.8 million) in the previous fiscal year.

Game developer Colopl purchased all shares of MAGES. from Shikura's CHIYOMARU STUDIO in March 2020, which made MAGES. a wholly owned subsidiary of Colopl.

CHIYOMARU STUDIO purchased all shares of MAGES. from Dwango, a subsidiary of Kadokawa and the previous parent company of MAGE, in July 2019. MAGES. consolidated its 5pb. brand for games and music into MAGES.

Shikura's 5pb. company merged with a number of companies under Kadokawa to form MAGES. in 2011. The company publishes games and music under its 5pb. Games and 5pb. Records labels, and works with Kadokawa for anime and manga adaptations of its properties. Shikura founded CHIYOMARU STUDIO in 2015.

Sources: MAGES., Animation Business Journal (Tadashi Sudo)

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Disclosure: Kadokawa World Entertainment (KWE), a wholly owned subsidiary of Kadokawa Corporation, is the majority owner of Anime News Network, LLC. One or more of the companies mentioned in this article are part of the Kadokawa Group of Companies.