News
Anime Studio Production IMS Files for Bankruptcy
posted on by Jennifer Sherman
Credit research company Tokyo Shoko Research (TSR) reported on Thursday that anime studio Production IMS filed for bankruptcy in a Tokyo district court on September 21, and the studio received approval to start the bankruptcy proceedings on October 3. Tokyo lawyer Yūsuke Date is handling the bankruptcy for the studio. The studio has about 250 million yen (about US$2.23 million) in debt.
TSR reported in June that the company had begun consolidating its debt as of June 7. TSR cited an unnamed source who said that the staff were entering the legal proceedings with a mind to file for bankruptcy.
The studio has not yet made a public statement. The company's official website is no longer online. TSR reported that the company was restructuring and downsizing in December.
Later in December, animator Teru Miyazaki posted but deleted a complaint on Twitter that an anime studio he implied was Production IMS was not paying its animators.
Production IMS launched in 2013. Beginning with Inari Kon Kon in 2014, the studio has produced anime such as Date A Live II, Hybrid x Heart Magias Academy Ataraxia, High School Fleet, Active Raid, and The Testament of Sister New Devil. Most recently, it produced Takunomi. (seen above right) for the winter 2018 season. The studio received a Studio Award in Newtype Anime Awards 2015-2016.
Source: Tokyo Shoko Research via Nijimen
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