Hideaki Anno’s Studio Responds to Gainax’s Bankruptcy: Official Statement

Following the official statement from Khara, the studio founded by Evangelion creator Hideaki Anno, in response to Gainax’s bankruptcy, troubling details are emerging about the long-ignored problems within the latter.

Following the official statement from Khara, the studio founded by Evangelion creator Hideaki Anno, in response to Gainax’s bankruptcy, troubling details are emerging about the long-ignored problems within the latter. In its statement, Khara lays out Anno’s longstanding concerns about Gainax’s mounting debt and mismanagement, even highlighting his own financial support for the studio. Despite these efforts, Gainax’s situation only worsened, culminating in the arrest of its president in 2019 for criminal offenses unrelated to the company’s activities.

To protect the integrity of works such as Evangelion, Anno sought the help of Kadokawa, King Records Co., Ltd., and Trigger Inc. to mitigate the damage to their reputation. This initiative also aimed to settle outstanding payments owed to the animation industry and prevent the loss of intellectual property. Despite the challenges, Khara’s management team continues its efforts to transfer the rights appropriately, while expressing sadness at the end of a studio with a history spanning nearly 40 years.

However, tensions between Khara and Gainax were palpable even before the latter’s bankruptcy. Khara had already successfully sued Gainax over unpaid royalties. When media outlets attempted to link the arrest of Gainax’s president to Evangelion, Khara vigorously denied any connection, threatening legal action against those who continued to associate them.