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Kadokawa Acquires CG Animation Studio Chiptune

Kadokawa announced on Monday it has acquired Chiptune, a studio which specializes in CG animation and compositing/photography, as a subsidiary.

Kadokawa cites the acquisition as part of its three-year management plan to expand and maintain its diverse portfolio of IPs by increasing production capability across multiple media formats.

Established in August 2012 under the name 8-Bit Rocket, Chiptune handles background art, coloring, special effects, and editing, in addition to compositing and CG, for about 10 productions a year. Chiptune contributed to works such as the BLUELOCK anime, Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation, That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, Nina the Starry Bride, Saga of Tanya the Evil, Suzume, and many others titles.

Kadokawa acquired anime studio Dōga Kōbō in July. Kadokawa's anime studios now include Dōga Kōbō, ENGI, Studio KADAN, Raging Bull, Chiptune, and the newly formed BELLNOX FILMS, as well as the affiliated companies Kinema Citrus and Studio Chizu.

Sony became Kadokawa's largest shareholder, holding approximately 10% of its shares, as of January 7. Sony's announcement stated the two companies will discuss specific collaborative initiatives, including "initiatives to adapt KADOKAWA's IP into live-action films and TV dramas globally, co-produce anime works, expand global distribution of KADOKAWA's anime works through the Sony Group, further expand publishing of KADOKAWA's games, and develop human resources to promote and expand virtual production."

Kadokawa previously stated it plans to use 20 billion yen from January 2025 to March 2030 for "creating, developing, and acquiring new IP." The company plans to use the other 29.7 billion yen from January 2025 to March 2030 on "enhancement of global IP distribution."

Source: Kadokawa