is a Japanese animation studio founded in 1979, in Ōizumi, Gunma Prefecture.
History Studio Hibari was founded in July 1979 in Ōizumi by former Tsuchida Production cel-colorist Sachiko Mitsunobu and her husband, anime director . In 1985, the couple's son, Seiji, was appointed managing director of the company. In 1998, the head office moved from Ōizumi to Nerima Ward in Tokyo. The next year, the studio debuted its first television animation production, Sensual Phrase. In 2002, the company moved offices to accommodate for the expansion of departments in order to integrate them into the company's production system, and Seiji became president of the company; and a year later set up its own 3DCG department. Due to an increase in employees, the digital sections (namely coloring, compositing, and 3D) were moved to another building separate from the head office. The 3D department was incorporated into a separate studio in 2006, which became Larx Entertainment, a wholly owned subsidiary. The next year all of the departments were reallocated into a single building, which has served as the studio's headquarters since. In 2009, the studio opened up an office in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam which became Larx Entertainment subsidiary Sao Sang Design; and in 2011, Lerche was established as an animation brand by which most of Studio Hibari's production succeeding its creation would be produced under. The company again expanded in 2020 by taking in studio IngresA (a subsidiary of Ingres) in Osaka and reorganizing the company as a branch studio named Studio Hibari Osaka Studio. Music and sound production company AZ Creative is also a part of the Studio Hibari group. In 2022, Hibari's Vietnam branch, Sao Sang Design, was incorporated as its own subsidiary entity as Hibari Vietnam. , AZ Creative rebranded as Alouette Studio.
The studio also maintains a relatively strong relationship with Qixie Studio (formerly Shanghai M.C.C) in China. Producer Li Jiawen (), the founder of Qixie Studio and Shanghai M.C.C, moved to Japan from China after college due to interest in Japanese animation, and in the late 2000s he joined Studio Hibari. At the time, Hibari had been looking to open its eventual Hibari Vietnam office; and they had begun accepting foreigners for production jobs. At some point, Li questioned whether he should move up in the company to a production desk (he was working as a production assistant) or if he should go back to China; and eventually, Studio Hibari's president (Seiji Mitsunobu) heard about Li's idea and stated that he would support Li in cultivating talent. After that, Li left the studio and went to establish Shanghai M.C.C. Since 2023, members of Li's studio have been credited under both "Laplace Animation" and .
Works Television series Year Title Director(s) Brand Source Eps Ref(s)1999−2000Sensual PhraseHiroko TokitaHibariManga442000−2001Taro the Space AlienYorifusa YamaguchiHibariManga242001−2002Tantei Shounen KagemanYorifusa YamaguchiHibariManga392002Happy LessonIku SuzukiHibariManga132002−2005Mirmo!Kenichi KasaiHibariManga1722003Lime-iro SenkitanIku SuzukiHibariVideo game13Happy Lesson AdvanceIku SuzukiHibariManga132004−2005Grandpa DangerYorifusa YamaguchiHibariManga512004–2006Duel Masters ChargeWaruo SuzukiHibariManga/Card game522004−2007MajorToshinori FukushimaHibariManga782005Happy Seven (with Trinet Entertainment)Tsutomu YabukiHibariLight novel132005–2006Duel Masters: Sacred LandsMickey CorcoranHibariManga/Card game392006Gargoyle of Yoshinaga House (with Trinet Entertainment)Iku SuzukiHibariLight novel13Tsuyokiss (with Trinet Entertainment)Shinichiro KimuraHibariVisual novel12Nerima Daikon BrothersShinichi WatanabeHibariManga12Kashimashi: Girl Meets GirlNobuaki NakanishiHibariManga122006–2007Sumomomo MomomoNobuaki NakanishiHibariManga222007Venus Versus VirusShinichiro KimuraHibariManga12Moonlight MileIku SuzukiHibariManga262008−2009Net Ghost PiPoPaShinichiro KimuraHibariOriginal work512009Charger Girl Ju-den ChanShinichiro KimuraHibariManga12Yumeiro Patissiere (produced by Pierrot)Iku SuzukiHibariManga50Weiß SurviveIku SuzuukiHibariMulti-media project162009–2010Weiß Survive RKenji SetoHibariMulti-media project122010Yumeiro Patissiere SP Professional (produced by Pierrot)Iku SuzukiHibariManga132011Maji de Watashi ni Koi Shinasai!Keitaro MotonagaLercheVisual novel122013Danganronpa: The AnimationSeiji KishiLercheVisual novel13Unbreakable Machine-DollKinji YoshimotoLercheLight novel122014Re:_HamatoraSeiji KishiLercheOriginal work122015Assassination ClassroomSeiji KishiLercheManga22Rampo Kitan: Game of LaplaceSeiji KishiLercheOriginal work11Monster MusumeTatsuya YoshiharaLercheManga12School-Live!Masaomi AndōLercheManga122016Assassination Classroom: Second SeasonSeiji KishiLercheManga25Undefeated Bahamut ChronicleMasaomi AndōLercheLight novel12Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak High School Seiji Kishi (chief) Daiki FukuokaLercheVisual novel24Magical Girl Raising ProjectHiroyuki HashimotoLercheLight novel122017Clean Freak! Aoyama-kunKazuya IchikawaHibariManga12Scum's Wish Masaomi AndōLercheManga12Classroom of the Elite Seiji Kishi Hiroyuki HashimotoLercheLight novel12Konohana Kitan Hideki OkamotoLercheManga12Kino's Journey -the Beautiful World- the Animated Series Tomohisa TaguchiLercheLight novel122018Hakumei and Mikochi Masaomi AndōLercheManga12Seven Senses of the Reunion Yoshihito NishōjiLercheLight novel12Asobi Asobase Seiji KishiLercheManga122018−2020Radiant Seiji Kishi Daiki FukuokaLercheFrench comic42 2019Astra Lost in Space Masaomi AndōLercheManga12Given Hikaru YamaguchiLercheManga112020–2025Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun Masaomi AndōLercheManga362021Idoly Pride Yū KinomeLercheMulti-media project12Rumble GaranndollMasaomi AndōLercheOriginal work122022Classroom of the Elite 2nd SeasonSeiji Kishi (chief) Hiroyuki Hashimoto (chief) Yoshihito NishōjiLercheLight novel132023World Dai StarYū KinomeLercheMulti-media project122023–2024After-School Hanako-kunMasaki KitamuraLercheManga8High CardJunichi WadaHibariMulti-media project252024Classroom of the Elite 3rd SeasonSeiji Kishi (chief) Hiroyuki Hashimoto (chief) Yoshihito NishōjiLercheLight novel132025Tougen AnkiAto NonakaHibariManga242026Classroom of the Elite 4th Season Year 2Noriyuki NomataLercheLight novel16Kujima: Why Sing, When You Can Warble?Noriyuki NomataShinichiro KimuraHibariManga122027Ore to Yu Nii!Noriko HashimotoHibariManga
OVA/ONAs Year Title Director(s) Brand Source Eps Ref(s)1991Izumo(with Grouper Production)Eiichi YamamotoHibariManga1 (#2)2004Raimuiro Senkitan: The South Island Dream Romantic AdventureIku SuzukiHibariVideo game2Netrun-monPoyoyon RockHibariOriginal work12006Kashimashi: Girl Meets GirlNobuaki NakanishiHibariManga12007Sumomomo MomomoNobuaki NakanishiHibariManga1Keitai ShoujoTsutomu YabukiHibariVisual novel52008Hoshi no Umi no AmuriYoshitomo YonetaiHibariOriginal work32009Isshoni Training: Training with HinakoIku SuzukiHibariOriginal work12010Isshoni Sleeping: Sleeping with HinakoShinichirou KimuraHibariOriginal work1 Isshoni Training 026: Bathtime with Hinako & HiyokoShinichirou KimuraHibariOriginal work1Yumeiro Patissiere: Mune Kyun Tropical Island!Iku SuzukiHibariManga12011Carnival PhantasmSeiji KishiLercheManga16Fate/PrototypeSeiji KishiHibariOriginal work12013Land of the Lustrous PVAkiyo OohashiHibariManga12013−2014Unbreakable Machine-DollSeiji KishiLercheLight novel62015−2016Monster StrikeKazuya IchikawaHibariMobile game512016Monster Strike: Mermaid RhapsodyToshiya NiidomeHibariMobile game1Monster Strike: An Encore of Continuance- Pandora's BoxKazuya IchikawaHibariMobile game12016−2017Monster MusumeTatsuya YoshiharaLercheManga2Koro Sensei Quest Yoshito NishoujiLercheManga122020−2021Ninjala(with Domerica)HibariVideo game52022Tekken: Bloodline(with Larx Entertainment)Yoshikazu MiyaoHibariVideo game6
Films Year Title Director(s) Brand Source Ref(s)2005Duel Masters: Curse of the DeathphoenixWarurou SuzukiHibariVideo game2010JunodShinichirou KimuraHibariOriginal work2015Fw:HamatoraMasaomi AndouLercheOriginal work2016Assassination Classroom the Movie: 365 DaysSeiji KishiLercheManga2020Given Hikaru YamaguchiLercheMangaThe Stranger by the ShoreAkiyo OohashiHibariManga2026Assassination Classroom the Movie: Our TimeMasaki KitamuraLercheManga
Video games Dragon Master Silk (1997) Gotcha Force (2003) Persona 4 (2008) Contributed Cutscenes with A-1 Pictures Inc. Shining Force Feather (2009) Disgaea D2: A Brighter Darkness (2013)
Notes
References
External links Studio Hibari official website Larx Entertainment official website Lerche official website