Kadokawa Buys Chiptune, the Studio Behind ‘Blue Lock’ and ‘Mushoku Tensei’

Kadokawa, a major player in the anime and manga industry, has been quietly buying up a number of anime studios. This move might seem normal since Kadokawa has been producing and publishing anime for years. But when you look at their recent acquisitions, things get more interesting.

Kadokawa’s latest purchase, Chiptune, which worked on anime like Blue Lock, Mushoku Tensei, and That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, shows how the company is positioning itself to have more control over the anime production process.

The company now owns several studios, including ENGI, Studio KADAN, Doga Kobo, Raging Bull, Belnox Films, and its newest addition, Chiptune. Chiptune is mostly known for its CGI and photography work but is now officially part of Kadokawa’s broader strategy.

Kadokawa plans to integrate Chiptune’s photography and CGI resources to improve their production quality. They’ve mentioned how this acquisition helps them secure stable production capabilities while preserving technical expertise in anime. It’s clear that Kadokawa wants to focus heavily on anime creation, and this new network of studios could make that easier.

Chiptune itself has welcomed the change. The studio, which started in 2012, was built with a focus on CG and photography, and over time expanded to include illustrators and background artists. Chiptune’s team seems excited to continue the vision of their late founder, Masayuki Narai, while working alongside Kadokawa’s larger group.

This partnership also seems promising for the future of Chiptune, as they will likely have a steady flow of projects with Kadokawa’s backing. Kadokawa’s Chief Anime Officer, Tsuyoshi Kikuchi, shared his excitement about this acquisition, stating that Chiptune’s team will help push forward even higher-quality anime productions as part of their growing network.

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