Artland (company)

Artland Inc. (株式会社アートランド) was a Japanese animation studio. It has produced numerous noted anime series, including the award-winning Mushishi and epic Legend of the Galactic Heroes. It is also well known for producing the anime adaptation of Katekyō Hitman Reborn!.

History

On March 17, 2006, Marvelous Entertainment announced that Artland would become a subsidiary of Marvelous Entertainment Inc., effective on April 3, 2006.[1] Subsequently, Artland became a kabushiki-gaisha.

On November 15, 2010, Marvelous Entertainment Inc. announced the split of Artland Inc.'s animation department into Animation Studio Artland Inc., effective on 2010-12-01. All shares of the new company then were transferred to Kuniharu Okano.[2]

In December 2010, Animation Studio Artland Inc. (株式会社アニメーションスタジオ・アートランド) was established and Artland Inc.'s animation production business was transferred to the new company.

In 2015, Emon, the Japanese branch of Haoliners Animation League, bought a 51% stake in the company, with Artland's president Kuniharu Okano owning the other 49%, in order to strengthen business and animation production relations between the two companies.

In July 2017, however, it was reported that the company was closing down due to financial debt.[3] Kuniharu Okano later stated that "the company was seeking restructuring help" rather than shutting down,[4] but in August of the same year Emon reported having transferred its stakes to Tokyo-based company LEVELS, citing difficulties with restructuring an overseas animation studio. The debt incurred by Artland is reported to have been from outsourcing, which was said to have "comprised almost 90% of its production costs."[5] Following the failed restructuring and the transfer of shares to LEVELS in late 2017, the studio effectively ceased all animation operations and vacated its production space.

Works

External links

• Official website (Animation Studio Artland Inc.)