KADOKAWA to Merge ENGI and 4 Anime Studios Into New Studio One Base in November 2026

KADOKAWA will merge five of its anime production subsidiaries into a new company called Studio One Base, with the new studio scheduled to be established in November 2026. On the book side, the company also announced that it will be merging Dengeki Bunko and Dengeki no Shin Bungei into its main corporate website on September 30.

The companies being consolidated are ENGI (Medalist, The Detective Is Already Dead), Studio KADAN, Chiptune, Bellnox Films and Raging Bull. KADOKAWA says the move is intended to strengthen its anime production structure while creating a more sustainable working environment for creators. Notably, KADOKAWA acquired Chiptune in February 2025, aiming to streamline the anime production pipeline, improve quality control, and create the next generation of compositing professionals.

Studio One Base will be headquartered at KADOKAWA’s new anime 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. The consolidation of its anime studios into Studio One Base was announced back in March, when they confirmed the Fall 2026 opening of a new production base of approximately 1,400 tsubo (approximately 4,600 square meters) in Sunshine City.

Despite the corporate integration, KADOKAWA says the existing studio names ENGI, Studio KADAN, Chiptune, Bellnox Films and Raging Bull will continue to be used. Each studio’s production lines, branding and individual strengths will also be maintained under the new structure. It’s also worth nothing that KADOKAWA CEO Takeshi Natsuno commented earlier this year there were too many anime and publishing companies, suggesting that unifying the back offices of multiple companies would allow creators to focus on creating.

The company plans to centralize management and back-office functions while improving employee benefits, working conditions, scheduling and business administration. KADOKAWA says the unified structure will allow creators to focus more directly on production while helping stabilize schedules and improve both quality and productivity.

Another goal is to bring together the different capabilities of the five studios, including animation, 3DCG, photography and art production. By locating the teams at a single site, KADOKAWA aims to encourage greater knowledge sharing, personnel exchanges and training for younger creators, while also making it easier for studios to collaborate on larger projects.

KADOKAWA said 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. Besides the five studios, KADOKAWA also owns the studio Doga Kobo (OSHI NO KO, Though I Am an Inept Villainess), and it has a a 31.8% stake in Kinema Citrus (The Rising of the Shield Hero, Goodbye, Lara).

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

KADOKAWA Chief Anime Officer Sho Tanaka said the company is seeking to build a more sustainable production foundation as global demand for anime continues to grow, while preserving the individual identity and creative strengths of each studio.

Source: KADOKAWA Official Website