The End of Studio Gainax

The era of the greatest studio comes to pass.

Otaku Voice Staff

In a blog post on the official Studio Khara site, former founder & employee, Anno Hideaki, released a statement officially announcing the formal closure of the once great Studio Gainax. As of today, December 10th, the studio has ceased all operations.

2025年12月10日の官報掲載にありますように、アニメーション制作スタジオだった「株式会社ガイナックス」の破産整理が終わり、法人として消滅し、その42年弱の歴史を終えました。
創設期から20年以上籍を置き、今日まで株主として関わっていたものとして誠に残念な最後ですが、静かに受け止めています。

As announced in the Official Gazette on December 10, 2025, the animation production studio Gainax Inc. has completed its bankruptcy reorganization and ceased to exist as a corporation, bringing an end to its nearly 42-year history.
As someone who has been with the company for over 20 years since its founding and has been involved as a shareholder until today, this is a truly disappointing end, but I am accepting it with a sense of urgency.

– Anno Hideaki

via Google Translate

This marks the over 40 year run of the studio, which hasn’t had a major project in years, and has been marred by controversy in the past couple. Anno is one of the founding members, and its most distinguished for his contributions to the studio over his original 20 years with the company.

Studio Gainax is most famous for some of the most celebrated anime ever. Their most famous works include Neon Genesis Evangelion, Kare Kano, Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, Gunbuster, Diebuster, and FLCL. The studio has been in bankruptcy since May of last year, with Studio Khara listed as their largest creditor, according to Anno.

The studio has released any projects in recent years, and most fans of the studio have long since understood it was not longer the industry titan it once was. Issues created by the former CEO Maki Tomohiro and his arrest in 2019 for sexual assault led to the reveal of widespread fraud at the studio in regards to the rights to shows and rights payments. Studio Khara has held the rights to the studios most famous anime – Neon Genesis Evangelion, having licensed it back to Gainax in good faith by Anno.

In remembrance of Studio Gainax, here is a message from another time –

[Sources and Further Reading]
[Studio Khara Statement]
[Info via MAL]
[Info via Crunchyroll]