Sony is Kadokawa’s largest shareholder right now.
The Japanese conglomerate Kadokawa Corporation just announced their acquisition of CG (Computer Graphics) and compositing company Chiptune. This is not the first time Kadokawa has acquired a new subsidiary, as they want to build a streamlined process of making anime within their own company. Chiptune, which first launched as 8-bit Rocket, has become a subsidiary of Kadokawa as of Monday, February 17, 2025. The official website of Kadokawa as well as the Chiptune website have announced this news.
Image via Kadokawa
Since Kadokawa wants to internalise the production process of their future anime, their acquisition of Chiptune makes a lot of sense. Chiptune has previously worked on many projects such as BLUE LOCK, Saga of Tanya the Evil, Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation, and That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime. Back in 2023, Kadokawa announced their plans of expanding into the world of anime. After Sony became one of the company’s largest shareholders, with 10% stakes, the process has started to pick up pace even more.
Previously, Kadokawa had acquired many other companies to make them its subsidiary. This includes ENGI, Studio Kadan, Raging Bull Vernox Films, and Doga Kobo. The last acquisition on the list happened in July 2024. Kadokawa is also a big shareholder in Kinema Citrus, Studio Chizzu, Bushiroad, and Muneki Ogasawara. These companies are also affiliated with Kadokawa now, making it a massively powerful player in the anime industry.
