Kyoto Animation
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1985
- HeadquartersUji, Japan
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
Kyoto Animation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Kyoto Animation
- Legal name
- Kyoto Animation Co., Ltd.
- Website
- https://kyotoanimation.co.jp
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1985
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Kyoto Animation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Anime Production and Content Studio
- NAICS
- Other Performing Arts Companies (71119)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Anime Production (MPADACAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Animated Series Production (TV/Streaming) (MPADACAG), Animated Feature Film Production (MPADACAH), 2D (Traditional & Digital) Animation Production (MPADACAA), Manga Publishing (Japanese & Global) (MPAJAGAA)
Keywords
Where Kyoto Animation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Uji
- HQ country
- Japan
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
Kyoto Animation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Animation Production: Production of TV anime, theatrical films, and OVA (original video animation) content. The company creates and produces original anime works as well as adaptations.
- Goods Planning, Production, Sales, and Wholesale: Character merchandise planning, development, and sales including character goods, art books, and download content. Distribution through their own shop, event sales, and wholesale to retailers.
- Publishing: Original works published through KA Esuma Bunko (KAエスマ文庫), including novels. Also publishes official fan books for animation works.
- Character Design and Package Production: Character design and packaging services for their animation works.
- School Operations: Professional training school (プロ養成塾) operating animator and art/background departments for training future staff members.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels4 records
Kyoto Animation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Kyoto Animation is a vertically integrated Japanese animation studio that produces TV anime, theatrical films, and OVA from planning through post-production entirely in-house. Beyond animation, the company operates the Kyoani Shop e-commerce platform for character merchandise, publishes original novels through its KA Esuma Bunko imprint, and runs the Pro Training School (プロ養成塾) for training future animators and background artists.
Product overview
Kyoto Animation is an anime studio operating as a single integrated production entity with multiple divisions: animation production (TV, theatrical, OVA), merchandise development and sales, publishing through KA Esuma Bunko, and the Pro Training School for animator education. The studio produces both adaptations from source materials and original works, distributing merchandise through the Kyoani Shop e-commerce platform and retail partners. Key anime franchises include Violet Evergarden, Sound! Euphonium, Free!, Tsurune, and The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- KAエスマ文庫 (KA Esuma Bunko): The company's original light novel publishing label for original works and adaptations.
- プロ養成塾
- 京アニショップ！ (Kyoani Shop)
- 京アニショップ！実地店舗
- 京都アニメーション完全オリジナルアニメーション「ムント」シリーズ
Products and services
- Animation Production (TV, Theatrical, OVA) Production of TV anime series, theatrical films, and OVA (original video animation) content. The studio handles the entire production process from planning to direction, animation, painting, art backgrounds, 3DCG, and photography in-house, creating both original anime works and adaptations. Targeted at anime viewers and broadcasters/distributors.
- Merchandise Planning, Production, Sales and Wholesale Character merchandise planning, development, and sales including character goods, art books with abundant production materials, and download content. Distribution occurs through the Kyoani Shop e-commerce platform, event sales at anime conventions, and wholesale to general retailers and anime specialty shops across Japan. Targeted at anime fans and collectors.
- KA Esuma Bunko (KAエスマ文庫) Publishing Original works published through the company's own KA Esuma Bunko light novel imprint, creating new stories in book format alongside video content. Includes novel publications serving as source material for some anime adaptations and official fan books for animation works. Targeted at readers and anime fans.
- Pro Training School (プロ養成塾) Professional animation training school with an Animator Department (アニメーター科) and Art/Background Department (美術・背景科). Trains staff to work at the studio under the philosophy that human resource development leads to quality works. Targeted at aspiring animators and background artists.
- Kyoani Shop (京アニショップ！) E-commerce platform for official Kyoto Animation merchandise including anime goods, Blu-rays, CDs, books, and exclusive items. The company's official online store selling directly to fans.
- Kyoto Animation Award (京都アニメーション大賞) Original work competition organized by the company to discover new creators and stories for future animation and publishing projects.
Companies that use Kyoto Animation
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Kyoto Animation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Kyoto Animation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- KA Esuma Bunko (KAエスマ文庫)coreInternal publishing imprint for original novels that serve as source material for some anime adaptations. The company publishes works through this imprint and uses them as foundations for animation productions.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Kyoto Animation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Production I.G: Long-established Japanese animation studio producing TV series and theatrical films with a comparable focus on auteur-driven, high-quality productions. Closely matches KyoAni's vertically integrated model and selective project slate.
- CloverWorks: Japanese animation studio producing contemporary TV anime adaptations and originals (Spy x Family, Bocchi the Rock!). Comparable in scale, target demographic, and adaptation-heavy slate to KyoAni.
- Sunrise: Established Japanese animation studio (Gundam franchise, part of Bandai Namco Filmworks) producing high-quality TV anime and theatrical features. Overlaps with KyoAni in franchise-driven long-tail IP monetization.
- Studio Bones: Boutique Japanese animation studio known for premium action and drama series with a similar boutique scale, strong fanbase loyalty, and comparable emphasis on in-house production values.
- Ufotable: Japanese animation studio renowned for industry-leading visual quality and strong franchise monetization (Demon Slayer). Directly comparable to KyoAni's quality-and-IP-driven strategy and theatrical revenue model.
- Wit Studio: Mid-sized Japanese animation studio producing prestige TV anime and films (Attack on Titan seasons 1–3). Overlaps with KyoAni in production quality, target audience, and theatrical ambitions.
- Madhouse: Veteran Japanese animation studio with a comparable mix of TV anime production, theatrical features, and original IP development, serving overlapping audiences and competing for similar broadcast and streaming slots.
- A-1 Pictures: Major Japanese animation studio with a broad TV and film slate across many genres. Competes with KyoAni for production talent, broadcast slots, and merchandise shelf space.
Broad incumbents
- Studio Ghibli: Iconic Japanese animation studio focused on feature films with a similarly deliberate, quality-first creative philosophy. While primarily film rather than TV, it competes for the same prestige-anime audience and theatrical box office.
- Toei Animation: Largest legacy Japanese animation studio with massive owned-IP portfolio (Dragon Ball, One Piece, Sailor Moon). Not a niche competitor but operates in the same production, licensing, and merchandising ecosystem.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Kyoto Animation social profiles
Digital presenceKyoto Animation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Kyoto Animation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Kyoto Animation subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Kyoto Animation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Kyoto Animation M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Kyoto Animation
What does Kyoto Animation do?
Kyoto Animation is a vertically integrated Japanese animation studio that produces TV anime, theatrical films, and OVA from planning through post-production entirely in-house. Beyond animation, the company operates the Kyoani Shop e-commerce platform for character merchandise, publishes original novels through its KA Esuma Bunko imprint, and runs the Pro Training School (プロ養成塾) for training future animators and background artists.
Is Kyoto Animation a public or private company?
Kyoto Animation is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Kyoto Animation founded?
Kyoto Animation was founded in 1985. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Kyoto Animation based?
Kyoto Animation is headquartered in Uji, Japan, in the Asia region.
How does Kyoto Animation make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Animation Production is the primary driver. The others are goods Planning, Production, Sales, and Wholesale, publishing, character Design and Package Production and school Operations.
Who are Kyoto Animation's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Production I.G, CloverWorks, Sunrise, Studio Bones, Ufotable, Wit Studio, Madhouse and A-1 Pictures. Broad incumbents are Studio Ghibli and Toei Animation.
Does Kyoto Animation have an API?
No public API is recorded for Kyoto Animation.
What industry is Kyoto Animation in?
Kyoto Animation's product category is Anime Production and Content Studio. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPADACAF, Anime Production, with a secondary code of MPADACAG, Animated Series Production (TV/Streaming). Its NAICS code is 71119.