KADOKAWA Merges Five Studios into Studio One Base in 2026

KADOKAWA will merge five of its anime production subsidiaries into a new company called Studio One Base in November 2026. The media conglomerate announced the consolidation, which involves studios ENGI, Studio KADAN, Chiptune, Bellnox Films, and Raging Bull.

According to the company, the goal is to strengthen its anime production structure and create a more sustainable working environment. KADOKAWA's Chief Anime Officer, Sho Tanaka, stated the company is seeking to build a more sustainable production foundation as global demand for anime grows.

The Merging Studios and Their Roles

The five studios bring distinct histories and specialties to the merger. ENGI is known for series like Medalist and The Detective Is Already Dead. KADOKAWA acquired Chiptune in February 2025 with the aim of simplify production pipelines and training new compositing professionals. The existing studio names and their individual production lines will be maintained under the new unified structure.

KADOKAWA CEO Takeshi Natsuno had previously commented that there were too many anime and publishing companies. The company believes unifying back-office functions will allow creators to focus more on production.

Centralized Hub and Operational Goals

Studio One Base will be headquartered at a new production hub inside Sunshine City in Ikebukuro, Tokyo. The facility itself will also carry the Studio One Base name and is scheduled to open this month. This hub, announced back in March, spans approximately 1,400 tsubo (about 4,600 square meters).

Management and back-office functions will be centralized. KADOKAWA says this will improve employee benefits, working conditions, scheduling, and business administration. The unified structure is intended to help stabilize schedules and improve both quality and productivity.

Build Collaboration and Training

A key objective is to bring together the different capabilities of the five studios, which include animation, 3DCG, photography, and art production. By co-locating teams at a single site, KADOKAWA aims to encourage greater knowledge sharing and personnel exchanges.

The setup is also designed to help training for younger creators and make it easier for studios to collaborate on larger projects. KADOKAWA noted that its group anime studios have produced a combined 48 works and 486 episodes since 2018, excluding productions completed before the respective studios joined the group.

Broader KADOKAWA Anime Holdings

Studio One Base will be wholly owned by KADOKAWA and is expected to have approximately 310 employees. Takeshi Kikuchi will serve as its president and representative director.

The merger does not encompass all of KADOKAWA's anime interests. The company also owns the studio Doga Kobo, known for OSHI NO KO and Though I Am an Inept Villainess. Also, it holds a 31.8% stake in Kinema Citrus, the studio behind The Rising of the Shield Hero and Goodbye, Lara. In a related move on the publishing side, KADOKAWA will merge Dengeki Bunko and Dengeki no Shin Bungei into its main corporate website on September 30.