Doga Kobo studios have been sold

Kadokawa has announced that it has agreed to acquire shares of Doga Kobo studios and turn them into a subsidiary. Doga Kobo is best known for being the studio behind the hit anime series "Oshi no Ko." Through this acquisition, Kadokawa and Doga Kobo are looking to consolidate and expand their anime production capabilities, with the goal of continuously producing high-quality works with global appeal.

Doga Kobo was founded in 1973. Recent anime they have produced include "Oshi no Ko" and "Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian." In addition to their own works, they have collaborated on the production of numerous well-known anime films and series, including "Fist of the North Star," "Pokémon," and nine Studio Ghibli films, including "Spirited Away" and "Grave of the Fireflies."

Prior to this acquisition, Doga Kobo had already established a strong working relationship with Kadokawa. In a press release, Kadokawa's Director of Anime, Takeshi Kikuchi, commented, "From now on we will further strengthen our cooperative relationship, so that we can create even more engaging and exciting anime that leaves an impression on the hearts of viewers around the world."

Doga Kobo president Ryu Ishiguro shared the same sentiment: "Kadokawa is a company with whom we have co-produced works before, and they have been a supportive ally. We will strive to bring even better works in the future." But of course, the situation was not without comments:

"Kinema Citrus and Doga Kobo, my favorite studios are in the Kadokawa group."
"So that's it. It's good news if Doga Kobo has fewer financial worries."
"What!?"
"If I were a millionaire, I would buy Doga Kobo too."
"Doga Kobo finally becomes a studio of its own."
"Can we continue to trust Doga Kobo now that he is in the Kadokawa group?"
"The wave of restructuring of the industry is great. Doga Kobo seemed to be doing well in comparison."
"Well, Doga Kobo and Kadokawa have always had a good relationship."
"Personally, I like Doga Kobo works that aren't related to Kadokawa better, so this is a little bit."
"Recently there have been a lot of issues with the quality of the animation, will Kadokawa be able to compensate for that?"
"Our taxes are being concentrated in Kadokawa."