Toei Animation Co., Ltd. has announced plans to set up the “Osaka Studio” as a new production base in Osaka, the largest city in the southern-central Kansai region’s Osaka Prefecture. Established in 1956, Toei Animation has been behind popular hit series such as Sailor Moon, Dragon Ball, and One Piece from its facility in Oizumi, located approximately 55 miles from central Tokyo. The company also runs the overseas subsidiary Toei Animation Phils. in Manila. Toei Animation’s HQ is based in Nakano-ku, Tokyo, under the leadership of President & CEO Takagi Katsuhiro.
As per the company, the decision to launch the Osaka Studio was motivated by a desire for further growth in Toei Animation’s production business, as well as to access talent from the Kansai region and enhance connections with the local community, stating: ‘We aim to develop talent rooted in the local community and diversify our production system, while also collaborating with local creators and educational institutions.’
Toei further emphasized that the recent advancements in networks and digital technology will foster a more adaptable environment for creative workers, allowing them to decide their work location. ‘This will further reinforce our company’s mission of delivering dreams and hope to children and people around the world,’ the company noted in the announcement.
“The labor shortage is becoming increasingly severe throughout the animation industry. For this reason, we considered it urgent to attract creators from all over Japan and establish studios in regions beyond just the Oizumi Studio in Tokyo,” remarked Kiichiro Yamada, Managing Director & Head of Production for Toei Animation. “Initially, we will prioritize background art and hope to continue our efforts toward achieving the same capabilities as our Oizumi Studio. Additionally, as the studio is being constructed from the ground up, we aspire for the Osaka studio to not be constrained by stereotypes, to cultivate a culture of actively pursuing new ventures, and to evolve into a studio with distinct appeal compared to the Oizumi studio, leveraging a diverse range of ideas.”
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Toei Animation is currently seeking staff to fill background art positions at the new Osaka Studio. Visit corp.toei-anim.co.jp/ja/recruit.html to learn more.
[Source: Toei Animation Corporate]
