More than a year after filing for bankruptcy, Japanese animation company Gainax has finally ceased to exist as of December 10. Bankruptcy proceedings have concluded, as have the rights disputes between involved parties such as founding member Hideaki Anno’s current company, Khara.
In an official statement posted on Khara’s homepage, Anno expressed gratitude to the individuals and companies who helped with the reconstruction and subsequent liquidation of Gainax, particularly after the arrest of then-president and representative director Tomohiro Maki in 2019 (Maki was charged with sexually assaulting an underage voice actress). Anno thanked all parties for dedicating nearly six years of work without compensation to ensure that the rights of each Gainax project, along with their associated materials and documents, were returned to their rightful owners through proper legal procedures.
While most of Gainax’s history has been made public at this point (including the privatization of the company, poor management, and debt), Anno shed light on some new unfortunate details. Under the former management, improper transfers of rights and production materials had taken place. As a result, Khara filed a civil lawsuit, which was settled on January 20, 2023, with the court acknowledging Khara’s claims and the defendants issuing an apology.
When Gainax shifted to a new management structure, the company reviewed contracts and emails to understand the crisis and prevent further loss of rights and materials. Khara cooperated in this investigation as Gainax’s largest creditor. During this process, Anno learned of Gainax’s dishonesty regarding repayment of the emergency loan Khara had extended, and of internal communications that showed a lack of respect for their own works and staff in matters of company management and the preservation of production materials.
He specifically called out former Fukushima Gainax Representative Asao Yoshinobu, founder and former President Hiroyuki Yamaga, as well as founder and former General Manager Yasuhiro Takeda, for engaging in “various deceptive practices toward Khara and themselves (Gainax).” As an example, Anno learned that Yamaga (who was president of Gainax at the time) gave specific instructions to his employees to say he was hospitalized whenever he or anyone from Khara called. In addition, Anno accused Yamaga of directing hostile statements toward his company and executing schemes to evade repaying the loan given by Khara to Gainax.
Upon learning this, Anno says his anger at his former co-founders and colleagues (many of whom were his college friends), turned into sadness. He helped found Gainax in 1984 and remained with the company until 2007. Anno admits that the reason Khara agreed to the settlement with Gainax in 2023 was that they did not wish to waste any more time on the debt-ridden company.
Despite his dislike of several former management members, Anno took the time to thank Gainax’s final representative director Yasuhiro Kamimura. While most of the previous leadership neglected their duties, Kamimura did his best to prevent the loss of rights and materials, taking responsibility by facing creditors and related companies, and dedicating himself to the company’s legacy to the very end.
