Studio ONI Ltd.

What Studio ONI Ltd. does

Studio ONI Ltd. (reorganized as 株式会社スタジオ鬼 / Studio ONI Inc. effective April 1, 2026) is a Tokyo-based, privately held animation and art production studio founded in 2004 and headquartered in Tama City, Tokyo. The studio specializes in hand-drawn traditional Japanese ink painting (sumi-e) animation, combining analog brushwork on paper with digital compositing, VFX, and music to produce commercials, promotional videos, music videos, cultural project animations, and original IP. It is organized into three operational divisions — Animation (commissioned enterprise content and original IP such as the feature-length 'Operation ONI'), Art (sumi-e/watercolor paintings, portraits, exhibitions, and live drawing), and Vtuber (custom sumi-e-style Live2D VTuber models with VTube Studio setup). The studio explicitly does not use generative AI in its production workflow, positioning handcrafted authenticity as a core brand attribute.

The studio serves a diversified enterprise client base spanning entertainment, gaming, broadcasting, retail, government, and cultural-institution segments. Named clients include Supercell (Brawl Stars official animation), NHK (Taiga Drama satellite exhibitions), DeNA (Wonderia YOKOHAMA immersive facility), Canon Marketing Japan, Graphinica, Takashimaya, Toyota, and Sony. The studio's revenue model is primarily project-based, one-time, and per-contract, with prices disclosed only for the VTuber Full Support Plan at ¥148,000 (excluding tax). International distribution is enabled through a partnership with Dubai-based Seahorse Agency L.L.C., supplemented by organic social media (YouTube, X/Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn), film festival submissions for original IP, and cultural exchange lectures at U.S. universities (Furman University, Rochester Institute of Technology).

The studio is founder-led by CEO Hiroshi Takane (also creative director of major projects) with two vice presidents — Sho Hosokawa (sumi-e art director) and Kinosuke Rakuga (lead animator) — supported by a small core team that includes a Director of International Relations, a VTuber producer, and a video director. Reported headcount is 6 employees and disclosed capital is ¥3,000,000, consistent with a boutique production firm scaling via project-based engagements rather than a venture-backed operation. The company has no external institutional investors, no subsidiaries, and no patents, and it has pursued international expansion through partnerships and prize-circuit exposure rather than acquisitions.

Name

Studio ONI Ltd.

Legal name

株式会社スタジオ鬼

Website

https://studio-oni.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Studio ONI is a 6-person Tokyo studio producing hand-drawn sumi-e (Japanese ink painting) animation, sumi-e art, and VTuber models for global enterprise clients including Supercell, NHK, DeNA, and Canon Marketing Japan, while explicitly refusing to use generative AI.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Animation Production Services

NAICS

Postproduction Services and Other Motion Picture and Video Industries (51219)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)

akta.pro primary industry

2D Character Animation (MPAHACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Creator Tools & Production (Overlays, Alerts, Encoding, Editing, Audio) (MPAFAEAC), Anime Production (MPADACAF), Outsourced Art/Audio Production Services (2D/3D, Animation, VFX, Audio/VO) (MPAFAKAM)

Keywords

• Hand-drawn animation
• Sumi-e animation
• Traditional ink painting
• Vtuber model design
• Animation production services

Headquarters

HQ city

Tama City, Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Animation Production: Commissioned production of hand-drawn sumi-e and watercolor animations for clients including commercials, promotional videos, corporate PR films, music videos, and cultural project works. Revenue is project-based, one-time per production contract.
2. Art Production & Sales: Traditional sumi-e painting, watercolor, portrait commissions, and digital art production. Artworks sold at exhibitions (e.g., Kyoto Takashimaya) and commissioned for individuals and corporate clients.
3. VTuber Model Production: Full-support VTuber model production service including character design, parts separation, Live2D modeling, and VTube Studio setup support. Delivered as a fixed-price service with commercial usage rights included.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Studio ONI is a Tokyo-based creative studio that produces commissioned hand-drawn traditional Japanese ink painting (sumi-e) animation for enterprise clients including commercials, music videos, corporate PR films, and cultural exhibitions. The studio also produces traditional sumi-e and watercolor artworks and portraits, custom sumi-e-style VTuber models for content creators, and develops original animation IP including the in-house project "Operation ONI." All work is built on hand-drawn analog craft using paper, brush, ink, and inkstone, blended with digital compositing, VFX, and animation, with an explicit refusal to use generative AI.

Product overview

Studio ONI Inc. (株式会社スタジオ鬼) is a Japanese traditional ink painting animation and art studio organized into three main divisions: Animation, Art, and Vtuber. The Animation Division produces hand-drawn ink painting animations including original projects like Operation ONI and commissioned works for clients such as Supercell, NHK, and Graphinica. The Art Division creates traditional sumi-e and watercolor paintings, digital hybrid art, portraits, and provides live drawing services, led by Kyoto-based sumi-e artist Sho Hosokawa. The Vtuber Division produces original traditional Japanese ink painting style VTuber models using Live2D technology for VTube Studio platform. The company explicitly states it does not use generative AI, focusing entirely on human craftsmanship combining paper, brush, ink, and digital animation techniques. Services span commercial animation, cultural projects, exhibitions, and educational programs globally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Animation Production Services Hand-drawn traditional Japanese ink painting (sumi-e) animation production service that fuses analog paper-and-ink craftsmanship with digital animation, compositing, and VFX, delivered frame-by-frame for commercials, promotional videos, corporate PR films, music videos, and cultural project animations for enterprise clients including NHK, Supercell, DeNA, Canon Marketing Japan, Graphinica, Toyota, and Sony.
• Art Production Services Traditional Japanese ink painting (sumi-e) and watercolor art production service including sophisticated ink-brush portrait commissions, analog and digital hybrid artwork, website and app design, and live drawing production. Led by Kyoto-based sumi-e painter Sho Hosokawa, the service caters to individual clients (portraits for meaningful gifts and life milestones) and corporate clients (exhibition works such as those shown at Kyoto Takashimaya).
• VTuber Model Production Service (Full Support Plan) Custom sumi-e (Japanese ink painting) style VTuber model production service that delivers original character design, parts separation, Live2D modeling, and VTube Studio setup support with a custom tutorial video. Priced at ¥148,000 (excluding tax) with commercial usage rights included and approximately 100-day delivery, this service is targeted at VTuber creators and agencies seeking culturally distinctive Japanese ink painting aesthetics for their virtual avatars.
• Operation ONI Original Studio ONI hand-drawn Japanese ink painting animation IP developed via an open production model with weekly social media progress updates, blending traditional sumi-e ink painting, digital Japanese brushwork, and hand-drawn animation at 8 frames per second. Targeted at international film festival distribution and red carpet premieres to position Studio ONI as a globally recognized animation brand and to support potential franchise, licensing, and merchandise opportunities.

Quantifiable outcome

• Official animation for Supercell's Brawl Stars — a globally recognized mobile game with hundreds of millions of players
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Seahorse Agency L.L.C.coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 March 2025Studio ONI formed a partnership with Dubai-based Seahorse Agency, a global creative company specializing in art and design under founder Sotüde Yari, with proven success in European and U.S. markets. The partnership is intended to expand Studio ONI's sumi-e animation to international audiences, particularly in the Middle East, Europe, and the United States, combining the strengths of both companies.
• NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor client and collaborator on NHK Taiga Drama satellite exhibition projects. Studio ONI produced sumi-e animation for 'Toyotomi Brothers! (BROTHERS IN ARMS)' as official satellite exhibition content for the Azai Three Sisters' cultural facility in Nagahama City.
• DeNA Co., Ltd.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudio ONI was responsible for worldbuilding, narrative text design, and writing of Wonderia Tips for Wonderia YOKOHAMA, a large-scale 4,200㎡ immersive edutainment facility planned and operated by DeNA at BASEGATE Yokohama Kannai.
• Supercell OycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational game developer for whom Studio ONI created an official Brawl Stars animation using traditional Japanese ink painting. The project brought paper-and-ink brushwork into the Brawl Stars gaming universe, marking a significant cross-cultural creative collaboration with a globally recognized mobile game brand.
• Graphinica, Inc.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJapanese animation studio that co-produced the hand-drawn sumi-e and watercolor animation music video 'Himitsu (Secret)' with Studio ONI. Graphinica contributed production infrastructure and executive production to the collaborative project.
• Canon Marketing Japan Inc.minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPlanning and production partner for the NHK Taiga Drama satellite exhibition sumi-e animation 'The Tale of Azai Nagamasa and His Family' at the 'Gi to Kizuna-kan' in Nagahama City.
• Rochester Institute of TechnologyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAmerican university with a 'Manga in Japan' program led by Kofi Bazzell-Smith, hosting Studio ONI for a cultural exchange lecture in Tokyo on the theme of 'Dreams' as part of the academic program's curriculum.
• Takashimaya Co., Ltd.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKyoto Takashimaya S.C., one of Japan's most historic and prestigious department stores, hosted Studio ONI's sumi-e art exhibition and sale in October 2025, featuring 7 original works including digital ink paintings and traditional analog sumi-e pieces.
• ASIA PACIFIC ACADEMIC Co., Ltd.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic organization that facilitated Studio ONI's special lecture at Furman University in South Carolina, USA, serving as a bridge for international cultural exchange and educational programming.
• Voices.com Inc. (Canada)minorOthersCanadian voice and talent services company listed as a partner in Studio ONI's ecosystem of collaborators.
• IMAGE Infotainment Limited (India)minorOthersIndian media company organizing the international anime art competition 'The GIANT Hunt,' for which Studio ONI's CEO Hiroshi Takane serves as an Honorary Jury Member.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• TRIGGER: Japanese animation studio known for distinctive, high-energy visual style in series like Kill la Kill and Promare. Comparable to Studio ONI's emphasis on visual identity and artistic differentiation, but produces full anime series and operates with significantly larger team and budget.
• MAPPA: Major Japanese animation studio producing high-quality anime series and films including Jujutsu Kaisen and Attack on Titan Final Season. Comparable as a Japanese animation studio producing distinctive 2D content, but operates at significantly larger scale and broader commercial scope.
• Ufotable: High-end Japanese animation studio renowned for visual quality in Demon Slayer and Fate series. Comparable as a Japanese animation studio emphasizing distinctive visual aesthetics and premium production quality, though operates at much larger scale with feature film and series production.
• CoMix Wave Films: Japanese animation studio behind Makoto Shinkai's distinctive feature films (Your Name, Suzume). Comparable to Studio ONI's focus on distinctive visual storytelling and feature-length animation targeting international audiences, but operates with much larger production scale and established theatrical distribution.
• Kyoto Animation: Major Japanese animation studio based in Uji, Kyoto, renowned for distinctive animation quality in works like Violet Evergarden and Sound! Euphonium. Comparable to Studio ONI as a Japan-based animation studio emphasizing premium visual quality and distinctive artistic identity, but operates with substantially larger scale and broader IP portfolio.
• Wit Studio: Major Japanese animation studio producing anime series including Spy x Family and Vinland Saga. Comparable as a Japanese animation studio producing premium 2D animation content, though operates at larger scale across both anime series and film production.
• Production I.G: Major Japanese animation studio producing globally recognized anime including Ghost in the Shell and Psycho-Pass. Comparable as a Japanese animation studio with strong enterprise client relationships and diverse project portfolio, though operates at much larger scale and broader scope than Studio ONI.

Direct peers

• Science SARU: Boutique Japanese animation studio founded by Masaaki Yuasa, known for distinctive visual style and artistic identity. Closely comparable to Studio ONI's positioning as a small studio with a unique visual signature targeting premium creative and commercial work.
• Studio 4°C: Boutique Japanese animation studio recognized for experimental, artistically distinctive animation work including feature films and music videos. Comparable to Studio ONI as a small studio with strong artistic identity producing premium 2D animation content.
• Graphinica: Japanese animation studio that co-produced the hand-drawn sumi-e and watercolor music video 'Himitsu (Secret)' with Studio ONI. Directly comparable as a Japanese animation studio producing 2D animation content, with similar enterprise client work and collaborative production approach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/OperationOni
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCfH0Uh8QtztY9hVtzi2wwYQ
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/operation-oni
• Instagraminstagram.com/Studio_ONI_Japan

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

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 ONI Ltd.