KADOKAWA has announced the establishment of a new animation production studio by the name of Bellnox Films.
This new studio is led by producer Koji Kajita, a former Gonzo president and a co-founder of David Production, and will begin operations on July 1, 2024.
KADOKAWA says that Bellnox Films’ founding is an attempt at solving the industry’s problems — currently, the number of anime productions is increasing, but there are insufficient human resources.
In a financial report published in 2021, KADOKAWA said that it wanted to produce 40 titles a year until 2023. A more recent earnings report, for the second quarter of the fiscal year ending March 31, 2024, revealed the corporation’s desire for more anime seasons and episodes, fully-owned studios, and the development of human resources (“AI-based production support” and production of “human resources proficient in AI utilization” were also mentioned ).
In a statement, Kajita said that he wants to turn the anime industry into something that was “systematic,” “rational,” and capable of flexible growth. Meanwhile, KADOKAWA claims that, together with Kajita, it wants to try to create a good animation production environment and to continue to make high-quality works.
Aside from Bellnox Films, the other anime studios that are under the KADOKAWA Group include ENGI, Kinema Citrus, Studio KADAN, and Raging Bull.
Sources: Press release, Comic Natalie
