Entertainment company Kadokawa has announced plans to establish a new animation production hub called “Studio One Base.” As reported by gamebiz, the facility will be located inside the Sunshine City complex in Ikebukuro, a major entertainment district in northwestern Tokyo, and is scheduled to open in autumn 2026.
Studio One Base will serve as a central production site bringing together 6 animation companies affiliated with Kadokawa, including the animation studios ENGI, Studio KADAN, Raging Bull, Bellnox Films, and Chiptune, as well as Kadokawa’s internal animation-related departments. By consolidating multiple studios into a single location, the company aims to improve collaboration between teams, create an environment where creators can focus on creating, as well as strengthen the development of young talent. “By renewing the image of anime production sites, improving studio functions to raise productivity, and improving the treatment of creators, we will strive to create a workplace that people can take pride in and a profession others will aspire to,” Kadokawa’s Executive Officer and Chief Studio Officer, Tsuyoshi Kikuchi, commented.
Kadokawa describes this as the first phase of a new initiative aimed at fundamentally strengthening its production framework for anime and live-action domains, under the concept: “Creating creators. Creating the places where creation happens.”
Additionally the establishment of Studio One Base is part of a broader effort to strengthen Ikebukuro’s role within Japan’s anime industry, as the district is already known for hosting large-scale fan events and anime-related retail spaces.
“By strengthening regional collaboration with Toshima Ward and Sunshine City, we will develop Ikebukuro into a ‘world-class anime city’ and establish global IP creation capabilities,” Kikuchi added.
The announcement also comes amid continued growth in Japan’s animation industry. According to data released by the Association of Japanese Animations, the anime market reached 3.84 trillion yen in 2024, marking the largest market size recorded to date and a 14.8 percent increase year over year.
At the national level, the Japanese government has also identified the content industry as a key economic sector, and has recently began introducing new policies regarding its expansion on a both national and global level. Officials have set a goal of increasing content exports to 20 trillion yen by 2033, reflecting expectations that global demand for Japanese entertainment, including anime, will continue to grow.
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Looks like the push for Pacific Asia aka SEA is getting into high gear. They already account for 51% of the Anime market.