Kyoto Animation

Japanese animation studio From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Kyoto Animation Co., Ltd. (Japanese: 株式会社京都アニメーション, Hepburn: Kabushiki-gaisha Kyōto Animēshon), often abbreviated KyoAni (京アニ, Kyōani), is a Japanese animation studio and light novel publisher located in Uji, Kyoto Prefecture. It was founded in 1981 by husband and wife Hideaki Hatta, who remained as president until his death in 2026,[6] and Yoko Hatta, who remains as vice president, along with a number of Mushi Production staff members; although the present enterprise dates to July 12, 1985.

Native name
株式会社京都アニメーション
Kabushiki-gaisha Kyōto Animēshon
Company typeKabushiki gaisha
IndustryJapanese animation
Print media publisher (mainly light novels)
Quick facts Native name, Romanized name ...
Kyoto Animation Co., Ltd.
Native name
株式会社京都アニメーション
Kabushiki-gaisha Kyōto Animēshon
Company typeKabushiki gaisha
IndustryJapanese animation
Print media publisher (mainly light novels)
PredecessorMushi Production
FoundedJuly 12, 1985; 40 years ago (1985-07-12)
Headquarters32 Oseto, Kohata, Uji, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan 611-0002[1]
Key people
  • Hideaki Hatta (president; 1985–2026)[2]
  • Shinichiro Hatta (president; since February 2026)
  • Yoko Hatta (vice president)[3]
Number of employees
180[4] (2022)
SubsidiariesAnimation Do (2010–2020, absorbed)[5]
Websitekyotoanimation.co.jp/en/
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Kyoto Animation has produced anime films and series including The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (2006), Clannad (2007), K-On! (2009), Nichijou (2011), Free! (2013), Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions (2014), Sound! Euphonium (2015), A Silent Voice (2016), Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid (2017) and Violet Evergarden (2018).

History

Kyoto Animation's head office, studio 2
Kyoto Animation's first studio in Fushimi-ku, Kyoto, Japan, prior to the 2019 arson attack

Kyoto Animation was co-founded in 1981 by married couple Yoko and Hideaki Hatta; it became a limited company in 1985 and a corporation in 1999.[7] Yoko Hatta, who serves as the company's vice president, had worked as a painter at Mushi Production until she moved to Kyoto after marrying her husband, who served as president.[8] The company's logo originates from the kanji kyō (京), the first character of Kyoto (京都).[9]

Since 2009, Kyoto Animation has hosted the annual Kyoto Animation Awards in three categories: original novels, manga, and scenarios. Some winning submissions are published under the company's KA Esuma Bunko imprint, and have a chance of being later adapted as anime.[10] Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions, Free!, Beyond the Boundary and Myriad Colors Phantom World were based on novels that received an honorable mention in this competition.[10][11][12] In 2014, the novel Violet Evergarden became the first and only work so far to win a grand prize in any of the three categories.[13]

Kyoto Animation has become recognized for its high production values and "sensitivity to the wonders and quandaries of ordinary life".[14] Unlike most animation studios, the company's employees are salaried rather than freelance workers, and are trained in-house.[15] These practices have been cited as encouraging employees to focus on frame quality rather than production quotas.[16][17] The company has received praise for the positive treatment of its staff, and was honored by Women in Animation with its Diversity Award in 2020 for its efforts in creating a gender-balanced workforce and encouraging women to enter the industry.[18]

In April 2020, the company announced that it would put its work on hiatus for one month due to the COVID-19 pandemic, later extending the period to the end of May.[19]

In March 2026, Kyoto Animation publicly announced the death of its president Hideaki Hatta in February; he is succeeded as president and CEO by Shinichiro Hatta.[6]

Animation Do

An affiliate company, Animation Do Co., Ltd. (株式会社アニメーションドゥウ, Kabushiki-gaisha Animēshon Dū), was established in 2000 to assist production at Kyoto Animation.[5] Originally established as the studio's Osaka office, it was incorporated as a limited company in 2000, then a corporation in 2010. Both companies are run by Hideaki Hatta and are run jointly as one. They produce up-and-coming works under the Animation Do label with Kyoto Animation as their main contractor and works where they work as one company alongside Kyoto Animation. They work on most Kyoto Animation projects and many of them have joint signatures. On September 16, 2020, it was announced by the National Printing Bureau's Kanpō publication that Kyoto Animation absorbed Animation Do, which includes all rights and associated properties.[20]

2019 arson attack

Main article: Kyoto Animation arson attack

On the morning of July 18, 2019, at around 10:31 a.m, an arson fire at Kyoto Animation's first studio in Fushimi killed 36 people (including directors Yasuhiro Takemoto and Yoshiji Kigami),[21][22] injured 34 others (including the suspect) in varying degrees, and destroyed most of the building's materials and computers. The suspect, 41-year-old Shinji Aoba,[23] later admitted to committing the attack and was sentenced to death in January 2024.[24][25]

Productions

In the tables below, only the productions for which Kyoto Animation was a lead producer are listed.

Anime television series

More information Year, Title ...
Year Title Network Director(s) Eps. Note(s) Refs.
2003 Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu Fuji Television Yasuhiro Takemoto 11[a] Spin-off adaptation of the light novels Full Metal Panic! by Shoji Gatoh. [26]
2005 Air BS-TBS Tatsuya Ishihara 13[b] Adaptation of the visual novel by Key. [29]
Full Metal Panic! The Second Raid Wowow Yasuhiro Takemoto 13[c] Sequel to the 2002 anime television series by Gonzo. [31]
2006 The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Chiba TV Tatsuya Ishihara
Yutaka Yamamoto[d]		 14 Adaptation of the Haruhi Suzumiya light novels by Nagaru Tanigawa. [32]
2006–2007 Kanon TBS Tatsuya Ishihara 24 Adaptation of the visual novel by Key. [33]
2007 Lucky Star Chiba TV Yutaka Yamamoto (#1–4)
Yasuhiro Takemoto (#5–24)		 24 Adaptation of the manga by Kagami Yoshimizu. [34]
2007–2008 Clannad TBS Tatsuya Ishihara 22[e] Adaptation of the visual novel by Key. [37]
2008–2009 Clannad After Story TBS 22[f] Sequel to Clannad. [39]
2009 Sora o Miageru Shōjo no Hitomi ni Utsuru Sekai Chiba TV Yoshiji Kigami 9 Sequel to Munto 2: Beyond the Walls of Time. [40]
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Chiba TV Tatsuya Ishihara
Yutaka Yamamoto[d]		 28 Rebroadcast of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya with fourteen new episodes. [41]
K-On! TBS Naoko Yamada 12[g] Adaptation of the manga by Kakifly. [43]
2010 K-On!! TBS 24[h] Sequel to K-On!. [45]
2011 Nichijou TV Aichi Tatsuya Ishihara 26 Adaptation of the manga by Keiichi Arawi. [46]
2012 Hyouka Chiba TV Yasuhiro Takemoto 22 Adaptation of the Classic Literature Club novels by Honobu Yonezawa. [47]
Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions TBS Tatsuya Ishihara 12[i] Adaptation of the light novels by Torako. [49]
2013 Tamako Market Tokyo MX Naoko Yamada 12 Original series from the team who worked on K-On!. [50]
Free! Iwatobi Swim Club ABC Asahi Hiroko Utsumi 12 Sequel to the light novel High Speed! by Kōji Ōji.[11]
Collaboration with Animation Do.		 [51]
Beyond the Boundary TBS, Tokyo MX Taichi Ishidate 12[j] Adaptation of light novels by Nagomu Torii.[12] [53]
2014 Love, Chunibyo and Other Delusions! Heart Throb TBS, Tokyo MX Tatsuya Ishihara 12[k] Sequel to Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions. [56]
Free! Eternal Summer ABC Asahi Hiroko Utsumi 13[l] Sequel to Free! Iwatobi Swim Club.
Collaboration with Animation Do.		 [58]
Amagi Brilliant Park TBS Yasuhiro Takemoto 13[m] Adaptation of the light novels by Shoji Gatoh. [60]
2015 Sound! Euphonium Tokyo MX Tatsuya Ishihara
Naoko Yamada[d]		 13[n] Adaptation of the novel by Ayano Takeda. [62]
2016 Myriad Colors Phantom World Tokyo MX Tatsuya Ishihara 13[o] Adaptation of the light novel by Sōichirō Hatano. [65]
Sound! Euphonium 2 Tokyo MX Tatsuya Ishihara
Naoko Yamada[d]		 13 Sequel to Sound! Euphonium. [66]
2017 Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid Tokyo MX Yasuhiro Takemoto 13[p] Adaptation of the manga by Coolkyousinnjya. [68]
2018 Violet Evergarden Tokyo MX, Netflix Taichi Ishidate
Haruka Fujita[d]		 13[q] Adaptation of the light novel by Kana Akatsuki. [70]
Free! Dive to the Future ABC Asahi Eisaku Kawanami 12[r] Sequel to Free! Eternal Summer.
Collaboration with Animation Do.		 [72]
Tsurune NHK Takuya Yamamura 13[s] Adaptation of the light novel by Kotoko Ayano. [74]
2021 Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid S ABC Asahi Tatsuya Ishihara
Yasuhiro Takemoto[t]		 12[u] Sequel to Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid. [76]
2023 Tsurune: The Linking Shot NHK Takuya Yamamura 13 Sequel to Tsurune. [77]
2024 Sound! Euphonium 3 NHK E Tatsuya Ishihara 13 Sequel to Sound! Euphonium 2. [78]
2025 City the Animation Tokyo MX Taichi Ishidate 13 Adaptation of the manga by Keiichi Arawi. [79]
2026 Sparks of Tomorrow TBA Minoru Ōta TBA Adaptation of the light novel 20 Seiki Denki Mokuroku by Hiro Yuki. [80]
TBA RuriDragon TBA TBA TBA Adaptation of the manga by Masaoki Shindo. [81]
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Anime films

More information Year, Title ...
Year Title Director(s) Dur. Note(s) Refs.
2009 Tenjōbito to Akutobito Saigo no Tatakai Yoshiji Kigami 83m Summary of Sora o Miageru Shōjo no Hitomi ni Utsuru Sekai. [82]
2010 The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya Tatsuya Ishihara[v]
Yasuhiro Takemoto		 162m Continuation of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. [83]
2011 K-On! The Movie Naoko Yamada 110m Original side story to the second season of K-On!. [84]
2013 Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions: Rikka Version Tatsuya Ishihara 96m Summary of the first season of Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions. [85]
2014 Tamako Love Story Naoko Yamada 83m Continuation of Tamako Market. [86]
2015 Beyond the Boundary: I'll Be Here – Past Taichi Ishidate 86m Recap of Beyond the Boundary. [87]
Beyond the Boundary: I'll Be Here – Future 89m Sequel to Beyond the Boundary. [88]
High Speed! Free! Starting Days Yasuhiro Takemoto 110m Prequel film based on the second volume of the original light novel, High Speed! [89]
2016 Sound! Euphonium: The Movie – Welcome to the Kitauji High School Concert Band Tatsuya Ishihara 103m Compilation of the first season of Sound! Euphonium. [90]
A Silent Voice Naoko Yamada 130m Adaptation of the manga by Yoshitoki Ōima. [91]
2017 Free! Timeless Medley: The Bond Eisaku Kawanami 94m Summary of the second season of Free! focused on Haruka. [92]
Free! Timeless Medley: The Promise 99m Summary of the second season of Free! focused on Rin. [92]
Sound! Euphonium: The Movie – May the Melody Reach You! Tatsuya Ishihara[v]
Taichi Ogawa		 105m Compilation of the second season of Sound! Euphonium. [93]
Free! Take Your Marks Eisaku Kawanami 105m Continuation of Free! [94]
2018 Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions! Take on Me Tatsuya Ishihara 90m Continuation of the second season of Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions. [95]
Liz and the Blue Bird Naoko Yamada 90m Spin-off of Sound! Euphonium. [96]
2019 Sound! Euphonium: The Movie – Our Promise: A Brand New Day Tatsuya Ishihara 100m Continuation of the second season of Sound! Euphonium. [97]
Free! -Road to the World- Dream Eisaku Kawanami 99m Summary of the third season of Free! [98]
Violet Evergarden: Eternity and the Auto Memory Doll Haruka Fujita 93m Spin-off of Violet Evergarden. [99]
2020 Violet Evergarden: The Movie Taichi Ishidate 140m Continuation of Violet Evergarden. [100]
2021–2022 Free! The Final Stroke Eisaku Kawanami 90m (1)
106m (2)		 Two-part series. Continuation of Free! [101]
2022 Tsurune: The Movie – The First Shot Takuya Yamamura 102m Compilation of the first season of Tsurune with new scenes. [102]
2025 Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid: A Lonely Dragon Wants to Be Loved Tatsuya Ishihara 105m Continuation of the second season of Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid. [103]
2026 Sound! Euphonium: The Final Movie Tatsuya Ishihara[v]
Taichi Ogawa		 TBA Two-part compilation of the third season of Sound! Euphonium. [104]
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Original video animations

More information Year, Title ...
Year Title Director(s) Eps. Note(s)
1991 Shiawasette Naani Tatsuya Ishihara[w] 1 Based on novels by Ryuho Okawa[105][x]
2002 Nurse Witch Komugi Yasuhiro Takemoto
Yoshitomo Yonetani		 5.5 Parody of both The SoulTaker and the magical girl anime genre. Co-produced with Tatsunoko Production
2003 Munto Yoshiji Kigami 1 Original work[106]
2005 Munto 2: Beyond the Walls of Time 1 Sequel to Munto[107]
2008 Lucky Star: Original na Visual to Animation Yasuhiro Takemoto 1 Side story to Lucky Star[108]
2011 Nichijou: Nichijou no 0-wa Tatsuya Ishihara 1 Side story to Nichijou[109]
2013 Hyōka: Motsubeki Mono wa Yasuhiro Takemoto 1 Side story to Hyōka[110]
2017 Baja no Studio Yoshiji Kigami 1 Original work[111]
2020 Baja no Studio: Baja no Mita Umi 1 Sequel to Baja no Studio[112]
2023 Sound! Euphonium: Ensemble Contest Tatsuya Ishihara 1 Side story to Sound! Euphonium[113]
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Original net animations

More information Year, Title ...
Year Title Director(s) Eps. Note(s) Refs.
2009 The Melancholy of Haruhi-chan Suzumiya Yasuhiro Takemoto 25 Adaptation of the spin-off Haruhi Suzumiya manga by Puyo. [114]
Nyorōn Churuya-san 13 Adaptation of the spin-off Haruhi Suzumiya manga by Eretto.
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Published light novels

International distribution

A number of titles that are produced by Kyoto Animation are distributed in North America such as Crunchyroll LLC (Funimation), ADV Films, Sentai Filmworks, Central Park Media, Netflix and Bandai Entertainment. Kanon and Air were originally licensed by ADV Films but the licenses were transferred to Funimation in 2008;[117] whilist Bandai Entertainment previously distributed KyoAni titles such as The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, Lucky Star, K-On! and Nichijou. However, Bandai Entertainment closed in 2013, and three of the four of its titles were transferred to Funimation while K-On! was moved to Sentai Filmworks where it dubbed the second season and a movie.[118]

In Australia, where Crunchyroll Store Australia (previously known as Madman Anime) is based, they licensed a handful of KyoAni titles such as Clannad, Hyouka and Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions.

Notes

  1. [a]
    An original video animation (OVA) episode of Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu was released on November 26, 2003.
  2. [b]
    Two special episodes of Air, entitled Air in Summer, aired on August 28 and September 4, 2005.[27][28]
  3. [c]
    An original video animation (OVA) episode of Full Metal Panic! The Second Raid was released on May 26, 2006.[30]
  4. [d]
    Series Unit Director (シリーズ演出)
  5. [e]
    An extra episode of Clannad aired on March 28, 2008.[35] An original video animation (OVA) episode was released on July 16, 2008.[36]
  6. [f]
    An extra episode of Clannad After Story aired on March 20, 2009, and a summary episode aired on March 27, 2009. An original video animation (OVA) episode was released on July 1, 2009.[38]
  7. [g]
    An extra episode of K-On! aired on June 26, 2009. An original video animation (OVA) episode was released on January 20, 2010.[42]
  8. [h]
    Two extra episodes of K-On!! aired on September 22 and 29, 2010. An original video animation (OVA) episode was released on March 16, 2011.[44]
  9. [i]
    An original video animation (OVA) episode of Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions was released on June 19, 2013.[48]
  10. [j]
    An original video animation (OVA) episode of Beyond the Boundary was released on July 2, 2014.[52]
  11. [k]
    An original video animation (OVA) episode of Love, Chunibyo and Other Delusions! Heart Throb was released on September 17, 2014.[54][55]
  12. [l]
    An original video animation (OVA) episode of Free! Eternal Summer was released on March 18, 2015.[57]
  13. [m]
    An original video animation (OVA) episode of Amagi Brilliant Park was released on June 26, 2015.[59]
  14. [n]
    An original video animation (OVA) episode of Sound! Euphonium was released on December 16, 2015.[61]
  15. [o]
    An original video animation (OVA) episode of Myriad Colors Phantom World was released on October 5, 2016.[63][64]
  16. [p]
    An original video animation (OVA) episode of Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid was released on September 20, 2017.[67]
  17. [q]
    An original video animation (OVA) episode of Violet Evergarden was released on July 4, 2018.[69]
  18. [r]
    An original video animation (OVA) episode of Free! Dive to the Future was screened at an event on June 23, 2018, and released on September 26, 2018.[71]
  19. [s]
    An original video animation (OVA) episode of Tsurune was released on May 1, 2019.[73]
  20. [t]
    Credited posthumously as Series Director (シリーズ監督, Shirīzu Kantoku).
  21. [u]
    An original video animation (OVA) episode of Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid S was released on January 19, 2022.[75]
  22. [v]
    Chief Director (総監督)
  23. [w]
    Chief Director (チーフディレクター)
  24. [x]
    Despite the Production Assistance credit, Gakken (a publishing company) is the only company credited with a higher credit (製作; Production), indicating KyoAni's involvement as the OVA's animation studio.[citation needed]

References

Further reading

External links

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