Kyoto Animation

WorldBrand briefing

AI supplement

Original synthesis to sit alongside the encyclopedia article below. Not part of Wikipedia; verify facts on Wikipedia when precision matters.

Kyoto Animation Co., Ltd., often nicknamed KyoAni, is a prominent Japanese animation studio and light novel publisher based in Uji, Kyoto Prefecture. Founded by husband-and-wife team Hideaki Hatta and Yoko Hatta, who still serve as president and vice president respectively, the company engages in animation production, character design, publishing, and merchandise development, with a distinctive, meticulous artistic style.

Key moments

1981Initial founding of the precursor business
1985-07-12Officially registered as a limited liability company
1999Reorganized into a joint-stock corporation
2003Started independent original animation production
2010Launched subsidiary Animation Do (absorbed into the parent company in 2020)
2019-07Fatal arson attack on its Kyoto studio causing widespread industry impact
2022Reported employee count of roughly 180

Kyoto Animation holds a unique niche in the competitive Japanese anime industry:

Artistic differentiation: Its signature style of detailed, expressive character animations and realistic, atmospheric backgrounds sets it apart from more action-focused or stylized studios like ufotable or Studio Trigger.
Vertical integration: Unlike many subcontracting studios, KyoAni controls the full content pipeline from light novel publishing and planning to final production and merchandise sales, giving it greater creative freedom and profit control.
Audience loyalty: Its slice-of-life and character-driven works such as K-On!, Sound! Euphonium, and Violet Evergarden have cultivated a dedicated global fanbase, with strong critical reception and merchandise performance.
Competitive landscape: It competes with established industry leaders like Madhouse, Production I.G, and Bones, but stands out for its focus on original, character-heavy content rather than adapting large, pre-existing media franchises exclusively.
Post-attack resilience: Following the 2019 arson tragedy that killed 36 employees, the studio gradually resumed operations, bolstered by widespread community and industry support.

Distinctive meticulous animation style
Full vertical content control from publishing to merchandise
Loyal global fanbase for character-driven stories
Competes with top Japanese anime studios while focusing on original works
Showcased strong resilience after the 2019 arson attack

Kyoto Animation (KyoAni) is a uniquely positioned Japanese animation brand with a global reputation built on uncompromising artistic standards and distinctive character-driven storytelling. As a vertically integrated studio that controls the full content pipeline from original light novel publishing to final production and merchandise, the brand has cultivated a strong identity that sets it apart from industry peers that rely heavily on adapting pre-existing blockbuster franchises. Its signature detailed animation and atmospheric, emotionally resonant storytelling have made it a standout in the crowded global anime market.

The brand has demonstrated extraordinary resilience following the 2019 arson attack that caused devastating human and operational loss, a crisis that saw an outpouring of global support from fans and the wider animation industry. Its steady recovery and continued delivery of high-quality works in the years following the tragedy have reinforced its brand as a symbol of perseverance and commitment to craft, deepening the loyalty of its existing fanbase and attracting new audiences. The studio's longstanding focus on nurturing in-house creative talent and maintaining a consistent creative vision further strengthens its overall brand equity in the global entertainment space.

Brand leadership

Score: 85/100

In the niche of high-quality, character-driven animation, Kyoto Animation holds a leading position among Japanese animation studios, recognized globally for its distinctive artistic style and creative integrity. While it does not produce the same volume of blockbuster franchise adaptations as some larger industry peers, its reputation for consistent quality places it at the top of the segment for discerning anime audiences.

Audience interaction

Score: 82/100

Kyoto Animation maintains strong, direct connections with its global fanbase through its merchandise lines, fan events, and official social media channels. Its focus on relatable, emotionally resonant storytelling fosters deep community engagement, with fans frequently sharing analysis, fan art, and discussions of its works across online platforms, creating sustained organic interaction around the brand.

Brand momentum

Score: 78/100

Following its gradual recovery from the 2019 arson attack, Kyoto Animation has maintained steady momentum, releasing new critically acclaimed works and expanding its global distribution reach. While its production output remains lower than many larger studios, each new release generates significant buzz among fans and critics, keeping the brand relevant and growing its long-term fanbase.

Organizational stability

Score: 70/100

The studio faced significant disruption after the 2019 attack, which caused major loss of life and facilities, but it has stabilized operations with support from the industry and fan community. It remains under the leadership of its founding family, with clear creative direction and a sustainable business model supported by vertical integration, leading to solid long-term organizational stability.

Brand age

Score: 90/100

Founded in 1981, Kyoto Animation has operated for over four decades, building a long-standing brand that has grown alongside the global expansion of the anime industry. Its decades of consistent production have allowed it to build deep brand recognition and trust among multiple generations of anime fans.

Industry profile

Score: 88/100

Kyoto Animation is one of the most widely recognized and influential animation studios in the global anime industry, with its artistic style serving as a reference point for many younger studios and animators. Its commitment to original content and creative quality has shaped industry trends around character animation and atmospheric storytelling, earning it immense respect from industry peers and critics alike.

Global brand reach

Score: 80/100

While based in Japan, Kyoto Animation has a large and dedicated global fanbase, with its works distributed widely through international streaming platforms and home video releases. Its popularity has grown significantly outside of Asia in recent decades, with its films and series receiving widespread critical acclaim in Western markets, though its core business still remains centered in Japan.

AI-generated analysis can support preliminary reasoning about brand value for Kyoto Animation, with any illustrative figures generated through this process being indicative only. For a formally audited, comprehensive brand value assessment for Kyoto Animation, please contact the World Brand Lab directly.

Overview

Kyoto Animation Co., Ltd.

native name	株式会社京都アニメーション
native name lang	ja
romanized name	Kabushiki-gaisha Kyōto Animēshon
type	Kabushiki gaisha
foundation	July 12, 1985
predecessor	Mushi Production
key people	Hideaki Hatta (president; 1985–2026)‡R1R‡ Shinichiro Hatta (president; since February 2026) Yoko Hatta (vice president)‡R2R‡

location	32 Oseto, Kohata, Uji, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan 611-0002‡R3R‡

industry	Japanese animation Print media publisher (mainly light novels)

num employees	180‡R4R‡

num employees year	2022

subsid	Animation Do (2010–2020, absorbed)

homepage	kyotoanimation.co.jp/en/

Kyoto Animation Co., Ltd. (株式会社京都アニメーション), often abbreviated KyoAni (京アニ), is a Japanese animation studio and light novel publisher located in Uji, Kyoto Prefecture. It was founded in 1981 by husband and wife Hideaki Hatta, who remained as president until his death in 2026, and Yoko Hatta, who remains as vice president, along with a number of Mushi Production staff members; although the present enterprise dates to July 12, 1985.

Kyoto Animation has produced anime films and series including The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (2006), Clannad (2007), K-On! (2009), Nichijou (2011), Free! (2013), Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions (2014), Sound! Euphonium (2015), A Silent Voice (2016), Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid (2017) and Violet Evergarden (2018).

History

Kyoto Animation was co-founded in 1981 by married couple Yoko and Hideaki Hatta; it became a limited company in 1985 and a corporation in 1999. Yoko Hatta, who serves as the company's vice president, had worked as a painter at Mushi Production until she moved to Kyoto after marrying her husband, who served as president. The company's logo originates from the kanji kyō (京), the first character of Kyoto (京都).

Since 2009, Kyoto Animation has hosted the annual Kyoto Animation Awards in three categories: original novels, manga, and scenarios. Some winning submissions are published under the company's KA Esuma Bunko imprint, and have a chance of being later adapted as anime. Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions, Free!, Beyond the Boundary and Myriad Colors Phantom World were based on novels that received an honorable mention in this competition. In 2014, the novel Violet Evergarden became the first and only work so far to win a grand prize in any of the three categories.[5]

Kyoto Animation has become recognized for its high production values and "sensitivity to the wonders and quandaries of ordinary life". Unlike most animation studios, the company's employees are salaried rather than freelance workers, and are trained in-house.[6] These practices have been cited as encouraging employees to focus on frame quality rather than production quotas.[7][8] The company has received praise for the positive treatment of its staff, and was honored by Women in Animation with its Diversity Award in 2020 for its efforts in creating a gender-balanced workforce and encouraging women to enter the industry.[9]

In April 2020, the company announced that it would put its work on hiatus for one month due to the COVID-19 pandemic, later extending the period to the end of May.[10]

In March 2026, Kyoto Animation publicly announced the death of its president Hideaki Hatta in February; he is succeeded as president and CEO by Shinichiro Hatta.[11]

Animation Do

An affiliate company, Animation Do Co., Ltd. (株式会社アニメーションドゥウ), was established in 2000 to assist production at Kyoto Animation.[12] Originally established as the studio's Osaka office, it was incorporated as a limited company in 2000, then a corporation in 2010. Both companies are run by Hideaki Hatta and are run jointly as one. They produce up-and-coming works under the Animation Do label with Kyoto Animation as their main contractor and works where they work as one company alongside Kyoto Animation. They work on most Kyoto Animation projects and many of them have joint signatures. On September 16, 2020, it was announced by the National Printing Bureau's Kanpō publication that Kyoto Animation absorbed Animation Do, which includes all rights and associated properties.[13]

2019 arson attack

On the morning of July 18, 2019, at around 10:31 a.m, an arson fire at Kyoto Animation's first studio in Fushimi killed 36 people (including directors Yasuhiro Takemoto and Yoshiji Kigami),[14]

Productions

In the tables below, only the productions for which Kyoto Animation was a lead producer are listed.

Anime television series

Anime films

Original video animations

Original net animations

Video games

Published light novels

• Yūyake Tōdai no Himitsu (2011)

• Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions (2011–2017)

• Oyashiki to Coppelia (2011)

• Beyond the Boundary (2012–2013)

• Tamako Market (2013–2014)

• Myriad Colors Phantom World (2013–2016)

• High Speed! (2013–2014)

• Robot Heart Update (2015–2017)

• Violet Evergarden (2015–2020)

• Manzai Senka! (2016)

• Tsurune (2016–present)

• Kono Hoshizora ni wa Kimi ga Tarinai! (2017)

• 20 Seiki Denki Mokuroku (2018)

• Mobomoga (2020)

• Jikan (2020)

• Ten'yaku-ryō no Majo (2020)

• Sakura no Furu Machi (2020)[110]

International distribution

A number of titles that are produced by Kyoto Animation are distributed in North America such as Crunchyroll LLC (Funimation), ADV Films, Sentai Filmworks, Central Park Media, Netflix and Bandai Entertainment. Kanon and Air were originally licensed by ADV Films but the licenses were transferred to Funimation in 2008;[112] whilist Bandai Entertainment previously distributed KyoAni titles such as The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, Lucky Star, K-On! and Nichijou. However, Bandai Entertainment closed in 2013, and three of the four of its titles were transferred to Funimation while K-On! was moved to Sentai Filmworks where it dubbed the second season and a movie.[113]

External links

References

http://www.kyotoanimation.co.jp/company/outline/ KyotoAnimation.co.jp, retrieved April 27, 2015^
Outline KyotoAnimation.co.jp, 2004, retrieved April 27, 2015^
http://www.kyotoanimation.co.jp/company/office/ KyotoAnimation.co.jp, retrieved April 27, 2015^