Anime Studio Behind Evangelion Declares Bankruptcy
- Gainax, known for Neon Genesis Evangelion, filed for bankruptcy.
- The studio faced financial issues for years.
- Debt collection lawsuit led to bankruptcy on May 29.
- Gainax's trademark transferred to Studio Khara.
- Studio Khara will manage IP rights transfers.
News
Legendary Anime Studio Behind Neon Genesis Evangelion Files for Bankruptcy
Gainax, the prolific studio known for works like FLCL, Gurren Lagann, and the legendary Neon Genesis Evangelion, has announced its filing for bankruptcy.
The company has been struggling financially for several years.
On June 7, the company announced its closure.
Despite its prestige, Gainax has faced financial woes throughout its nearly 40-year history.
Issues included production problems, tax fraud in the 90s, and multiple lawsuits.
One notable lawsuit involved Studio Khara, founded by Gainax founder and Evangelion director Hideaki Anno.
These issues snowballed over the decades.
A debt collection company filed a lawsuit against Gainax this May, leading to the bankruptcy filing on May 29.
A statement on the company's official website explains the situation.
The company had accumulated a lot of debt, especially since 2012.
The studio blames company management for operating it as if it were their private property, according to Automatons' translation.
The Gainax trademark has been transferred to Studio Khara.
Studio Khara released its own statement on its website.
While Anno left the company in 2007 and became a shareholder at Gainax, attempts to correct the studio's poor management failed.
Studio Khara will work to transfer IP rights to companies and creatives.
The statement expresses regret that Gainax's work has ended on this note.
It's a shame that Gainax came crashing down like this.
Even as someone who has watched all of Neon Genesis Evangelion and its movies, I didn't realize how fraught the studio's situation had been over the years until I saw the bankruptcy news.
Just another reminder that even companies that create some of the most beloved works in their medium can be a trainwreck internally.
What a disaster.
