What Studio Ponoc does

Studio Ponoc is a Japanese hand-drawn animation studio founded in April 2015 by former Studio Ghibli producer Yoshiaki Nishimura, headquartered in Musashino, Tokyo. The studio specializes in hand-drawn, hand-painted animated films targeted at children, families, and general audiences, deliberately positioning against the CGI-dominant industry trend. Its product portfolio includes two feature-length films — Mary and The Witch's Flower (2017) and The Imaginary / Rudger (2023) — the short anthology Modest Heroes (2018), the Olympic Values-themed short Tomorrow's Leaves (2021), and a commercial-works practice spanning campaign films, tourism posters, public art installations, and stained glass. The studio employs 51-100 people and operates a wholly-owned background art subsidiary, Dehogallery, founded by ex-Ghibli art staff.

Core technology is hand-drawn animation augmented by selective digital techniques, including an innovative light-and-shadow rendering approach developed with French creators that is described as the first such technique in Japan. Background art is produced by Dehogallery to world-class standards.

The business model is multi-channel content monetization: theatrical distribution in Japan through Toho (357+ theaters including 49 IMAX and 8 Dolby Cinema for The Imaginary), worldwide exclusive streaming through Netflix (The Imaginary launched globally July 2024), physical home entertainment (Blu-ray, DVD, 4K UHD) through Walt Disney Studios Japan, licensed merchandise through retail and online channels, and soundtrack sales through Universal Music Japan. Pricing is unit-based — ¥1,200 theatrical tickets, ¥4,700 Blu-ray, ¥3,800 DVD, ¥3,300-4,950 soundtracks. The studio's debut feature achieved 2.66 million domestic admissions, and the franchise reaches audiences in over 150 countries and regions.

Name

Studio Ponoc

Legal name

株式会社スタジオポノック（STUDIO PONOC, inc.）

Website

https://ponoc.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Studio Ponoc is a Japanese hand-drawn animation studio founded in 2015 that produces feature films, short film anthologies, and commercial visual content for children, families, and global audiences through theatrical, streaming, and home entertainment channels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Animated Film Production

NAICS

Motion Picture and Video Production (512110), Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries (512)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)

akta.pro primary industry

Animated Feature Film Production (MPADACAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Outsourced Art/Audio Production Services (2D/3D, Animation, VFX, Audio/VO) (MPAFAKAM)

Keywords

• Animated film production
• Hand-drawn animation
• Feature animation studio
• Short film anthology
• Theatrical animation distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

Musashino

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Theatrical distribution: Theatrical releases in Japan distributed by Toho (東宝), generating box office revenue. Films have been released in hundreds of theaters domestically with premium formats (IMAX, Dolby Cinema).
2. Streaming and broadcast rights: Netflix worldwide exclusive streaming deals (e.g., 'The Imaginary' on Netflix from July 2024). TV broadcast rights (e.g., 'Mary and The Witch's Flower' on NTV Friday Roadshow).
3. Home entertainment (physical media): Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K UHD releases of films sold through Walt Disney Studios Japan. 'Modest Heroes' Blu-ray priced at 4,700 yen, DVD at 3,800 yen.
4. Merchandise and licensed products: Licensed merchandise including toys, apparel, stationery, and household items sold through retail and official online stores. 'The Imaginary' merchandise sold through Ensky Shop and Toho Animation Store.
5. Soundtrack sales: Film soundtracks and theme songs released through Universal Music Japan. Original soundtracks sold digitally and on physical media (CD/LP).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Studio Ponoc is a Japanese animation studio that produces hand-drawn animated films for children, families, and general audiences. Its portfolio includes feature-length films ('Mary and The Witch's Flower', 'The Imaginary'), short film anthologies ('Modest Heroes'), and themed short films ('Tomorrow's Leaves'), distributed theatrically in Japan through Toho and internationally via Netflix streaming, with home entertainment through Walt Disney Studios Japan.

Product overview

Studio Ponoc is a Japanese animation film production company founded in 2015 by former Studio Ghibli producer Yoshiaki Nishimura. The company specializes in hand-drawn animated films for children and families. The product portfolio includes feature films ('Mary and The Witch's Flower' 2017, 'The Imaginary' 2023), short film anthology ('Modest Heroes' 2018), and Olympic-themed short film ('Tomorrow's Leaves' 2021). All films are distributed through major Japanese distributors (Toho) and international streaming partners (Netflix). The studio is known for hand-painted backgrounds and traditional animation techniques.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ポノック短編劇場: 短編アニメーション映画制作レーベル。2018年に設立され、『ちいさな英雄―カニとタマゴと透明人間―』などの短編作品を展開。

Products and services

• Mary and The Witch's Flower (メアリと魔女の花) Feature-length hand-drawn animated film released theatrically in 2017. Studio Ponoc's debut feature directed by Hiromasa Yonebayashi, based on Mary Stewart's novel. Targets families and general audiences with storybook-style fantasy storytelling.
• Modest Heroes: Ponoc Short Films Theatre, Volume 1 (ちいさな英雄―カニとタマゴと透明人間―) Anthology of three hand-drawn animated short films with a total runtime of 54 minutes. Targets audiences seeking high-quality short-form animation. Released theatrically in Japan via Toho distribution.
• Tomorrow's Leaves Short animated film co-produced with the Olympic Foundation for Culture and Heritage themed around Olympism. Premiered at Annecy 2021 and permanently housed at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland.
• The Imaginary / Rudger (屋根裏のラジャー) Feature-length hand-drawn animated film released theatrically in Japan December 2023, directed by Yoshiyuki Momose. Based on A.F. Harrold's novel 'The Imaginary'. Distributed by Toho in Japan and worldwide on Netflix from July 2024. Won selection in Annecy 2024 official competition.
• Commercial Animation Projects (CM・ポスターなど) Hand-drawn commercial animation projects for external clients, including TV commercials, tourism posters, and public art installations. Examples include JR West Summer Train CM (directed by Yoshiyuki Momose) and a large stained glass installation at Komatsu Airport.

Quantifiable outcome

• 266万 domestic audience admissions for 'Mary and The Witch's Flower'
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NetflixcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 7 June 2024Netflix holds worldwide exclusive streaming rights for 'The Imaginary' (released globally on Netflix July 5, 2024), providing multi-language versions to global audiences. Netflix also distributes other Studio Ponoc titles internationally.
• Walt Disney Studios JapancoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 15 December 2023Walt Disney Studios Japan handles home entertainment distribution (Blu-ray, DVD, 4K UHD) for Studio Ponoc films in Japan, including physical media production and sales.
• McDonald's Japan (日本マクドナルド)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 8 December 2023McDonald's Japan ran a Happy Meal tie-in campaign featuring 'The Imaginary', including an original picture book 'Rudger: Imaginary Friend' and a TV commercial starring Kokoro Terada (Rudger's voice actor).
• Z Kai Group (Z会)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 24 November 2023Z Kai Group partnered with Studio Ponoc for a nationwide bookstore fair promoting 'The Imaginary' to elementary school students, and produced a TV commercial 'Your Imagination' featuring themes of the film aimed at children.
• Olympic Foundation for Culture and Heritage (IOC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 June 2019Studio Ponoc co-produced 'Tomorrow's Leaves' with the International Olympic Committee's Olympic Foundation for Culture and Heritage — the world's first animated short inspired by Olympic Values. The film will be permanently housed at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne and screened at future Olympic host cities worldwide. Dentsu handled project coordination.
• Dentsu (電通)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 August 2018Dentsu partnered with Studio Ponoc as co-production/collaboration partner on 'Modest Heroes' anthology and was involved in Olympic Foundation project coordination. Also handles some marketing and promotional activities.
• KDDI (特別協賛)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2018KDDI served as a special sponsor for 'The Imaginary', supporting the film's marketing and promotional activities including Japan premiere live viewing events in 5 cities, hosting 650 groups (1,300 people).
• NTV (日本テレビ)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 July 2017NTV partnered with Studio Ponoc and Dentsu on 'Modest Heroes' anthology as a co-production/collaboration partner. NTV also broadcast 'Mary and The Witch's Flower' on the Friday Roadshow slot in December 2023.
• Dehogallery (でほぎゃらりー)coreTechnology or Integration · 8 July 2017Dehogallery is an art/background studio founded by former Studio Ghibli art staff (including those who worked on 'Totoro' and 'Princess Mononoke'). It serves as Studio Ponoc's primary background art production studio and is a related company, producing the acclaimed background art for all Studio Ponoc films.
• Toho (東宝)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2015Toho serves as the primary theatrical distributor for Studio Ponoc films in Japan, distributing all major releases including 'Mary and The Witch's Flower', 'Modest Heroes', and 'The Imaginary' across hundreds of theaters nationwide.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• CoMix Wave Films: Makoto Shinkai's animation studio, producing premium hand-drawn Japanese feature films with global theatrical and streaming reach. Closely comparable in craft focus (hand-drawn aesthetic), theatrical distribution model, and international breakout trajectory (e.g., 'Your Name', 'Suzume').
• Studio Ghibli: Japan's most prominent hand-drawn animation studio and the institutional predecessor of Studio Ponoc. Ponoc's founders and key staff are ex-Ghibli, its visual style and storytelling approach is Ghibli-derived, and the two studios compete for the same family-oriented hand-drawn animation audience and talent pool.
• Cartoon Saloon: Irish boutique animation studio producing hand-drawn, hand-painted feature films ('Wolfwalkers', 'Song of the Sea'). Comparable in size (~50–100 people), craft-centric philosophy, festival-circuit positioning, and small-studio economics pursuing the global art-house animation niche.

Broad incumbents

• A-1 Pictures: Japanese animation studio and Aniplex subsidiary, producing both feature films and long-running TV series. Comparable in producing family- and all-ages-skewing anime with theatrical releases and broad global distribution.
• Production I.G: Long-established Japanese animation studio (Ghost in the Shell, From Up on Poppy Hill). Comparable as a mid-to-large Japanese animation house with theatrical and streaming distribution, often partnering with Western studios for co-production.
• Toei Animation: One of Japan's largest and longest-established animation studios, producing theatrical features (e.g., 'One Piece Film Red') and long-running TV series. Overlaps with Studio Ponoc on Japanese theatrical distribution via Toho, family-skewing IP, and competition for animators.
• Madhouse: Long-established Japanese animation studio producing both theatrical features and TV series. Overlaps with Studio Ponoc in family and all-ages animation production, Netflix licensing relationships, and the broader Japanese animation ecosystem.
• Illumination: U.S. theatrical animation studio behind the 'Despicable Me' and 'The Secret Life of Pets' franchises. Comparable as a feature-animation studio with theatrical distribution scale, family-skewing IP, and global consumer-products merchandising, though operating in a much larger market segment with broader audience targets.

Emerging players

• Studio Trigger: Japan-based animation studio founded in 2011 by former Gainax staff. Comparable as a younger Japanese studio competing for animation talent, Netflix/anime streaming distribution, and festival-circuit visibility.
• MAPPA: Japan-based animation studio founded in 2011 by a former Madhouse producer; comparable in being a 'next-generation' Japanese studio that has rapidly scaled into premium anime production. Overlaps with Ponoc on anime feature/series production, Netflix distribution, and global audience positioning.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ponoc_intl
• Facebookfacebook.com/studioponoc
• Instagraminstagram.com/ponoc_jp

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Studio Ponoc