Kadokawa Takes Over Blue Lock Studio - Better Animation Incoming?

Kadokawa, one of Japan’s leading media conglomerates known for its involvement in publishing, anime production, gaming, and film, announced on Monday that it has acquired the studio behind several popular anime, including Mushoku Tensei, Suzume, and the football hit Blue Lock.

Chiptune, a studio specializing in CG animation and compositing, is now a subsidiary of Kadokawa Corporation. The media giant cited this acquisition as part of its three-year management plan to expand and strengthen its diverse portfolio of IPs by enhancing production capabilities across multiple media formats.

Established in August 2012 under the name 8-Bit Rocket, Chiptune has extensive experience in CG and compositing—essentially combining hand-drawn animation, backgrounds, CG, and other elements into a seamless visual sequence.

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The studio’s work includes titles such as Blue Lock, Mushoku Tensei, That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, Saga of Tanya the Evil, Suzume, and many others. Moving forward, Chiptune will operate under Kadokawa and is expected to continue its involvement with its current projects.

This acquisition will help Kadokawa expand its anime production capabilities, as Chiptune brings expertise in CG and compositing that other studios under Kadokawa’s umbrella lack. However, Blue Lock fans may be wondering what this means for the future of their favorite series.

Simply put, this change will not significantly impact the anime’s production, as Blue Lock’s primary animation studio is Eight Bit, a subsidiary of Bandai Namco. Chiptune handled compositing for both seasons of Blue Lock and will likely continue to do so under Kadokawa, provided contractual conditions remain unchanged.

However, this does not necessarily mean Kadokawa will take over Blue Lock’s animation. That said, given Kadokawa’s resources and industry reputation, the acquisition could improve Chiptune’s working and financial conditions, which may, in turn, enhance the compositing quality and stiff CG issues seen in the Blue Lock anime.

With this acquisition, Kadokawa’s list of affiliated studios has expanded to include Dōga Kōbō, ENGI, Studio KADAN, Raging Bull, Chiptune, and the newly formed BELLNOX FILMS, along with partnered studios Kinema Citrus and Studio Chizu.

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