 Production IMS, the animation studio based in Nerima, Tokyo, known for production of anime titles such as Inari, Konkon, Koi Iroha., Shinmai Maou no Testament, and High School Fleet, has been declared bankrupt. Credit and marketing information firm Tokyo Shoko Research reported on Thursday that Production IMS filed for bankruptcy on September 21. Tokyo District Court granted the application on October 3, allowing the company to commence bankruptcy proceedings.Yoshiyuki Matsuzaki, an animation producer who had worked on titles such as Girls Bravo and Strike Witches 2 at AIC, founded Production IMS in 2013 after leaving his former employer. He was later joined by producer Jiyuu Ougi, who left AIC having worked on Sora no Otoshimono and Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai. Production IMS saw early success with titles such as Date A Live II and Shinmai Maou no Testament. However, the company was met rising costs in production and payments to subcontractors. Cash flow deteriorated as sales also turned sluggish. By December 2017, the company was forced to restructure operations and consolidate its two studio spaces in Nerima into one. The consolidation appeared to only delay the company's demise. This past June, Production IMS sent letters to subcontractors saying that it was unable to fulfill debt obligations and that it was hiring a law firm to assist with debt consolidation. Sources interviewed by Tokyo Shoko Research who were knowledgeable of internal discussions said Production IMS began that process with the anticipation of eventual bankruptcy filing and liquidation of the business. Total debt has been set at 250 million yen (approximately US$2.23 million). Tokyo District Court has set a deadline of November 7 for creditors to submit a claim for payment in the bankruptcy case. A creditors meeting will also be held on February 5, 2019, to discuss the outcome of the bankruptcy proceedings. Source: Tokyo Shoko Research 1, Tokyo Shoko Research 2, Animation Business Journal News submitted by DonTrumpolino |
mta_pnFeb 17, 2022 5:45 PM
| I blame Crunchytroll for this |
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| I didn't like any anime from this studio Still sad news ...Rip |
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| Alexa play: Another one bites the dust. |
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karmashizzle said: so, rip high school fleet movie and date a live 3? No, that could be made by other studios. |
karmashizzle said: so, rip high school fleet movie and date a live 3? A1 altready works on High School Fleet movie. And producers mentioned a month or so ago that they found another studio for DaL III. |
Nachtwandler_21Oct 14, 2018 1:32 AM
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| *plays world's tiniest violin* |
| Welcome to club: Anime that Should Continue http://myanimelist.net/clubs.php?cid=37045 |
NG_Chloe said: but I have a bit of beef with this studio Fking hilarious. What did they do to deserve beef from an average user. |
| ...And nothing of value was lost. |
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| looks like every year there is a bankruptcy happening in the anime industry >the company was met rising costs in production and payments to subcontractors. high chance they do not have enough in-house staff especially animators thats why the production cost rises a lot since they pay free lancers (like most anime studios) more than other anime studios and they outsource more too adding more to the cost |
| i thought we already knew this? why they gotta rub it in? >.< |
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| None of their works were for me, but you can see the industry tightening as is the trend. Hope the guys get to work at active studies again. |
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| Worry not, there's still hope for Masou Gakuen HxH 2. |
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| They should have known making only Ecchi Anime isn't going to cut it. They relied too heavily sex appeal to get them out of a rut. I do think that because they were in a financial hell hole, the only license they can get are Ecchi stuff. But really now, Hundred? Might as well burn $1 million dollars. |
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Aquamirror said: I blame Crunchytroll for this Why blame Crunchyroll? I thought Crunchyroll was a legal stream and they have to pay the creators to show the anime episodes, unlike other anime websites that stream them illegally. Or is that incorrect? |
| Not familiar with any of their productions but it still sucks for the people who are losing their jobs because of this. Another example of how the current anime industry is unsustainable, unfortunately... |
| They were a relatively new studio too being founded in 2013. And I just finished Masou Gakuen HxH. I didn't really like it, but it was a thing, and it said that there was going to be a continuation of it. Well I hope the employees find some work soon. Anime studios are falling apart... |
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Neko-Hoshishima said: Another example of how the current anime industry is unsustainable, unfortunately... How does that make the industry unsustainable? Seeing several studios closing doors is the normal state for any industry. Making anime is business like any other, so of course there will be as many people failing to make money as people making huge hits. In fact, the anime industry is making more money each passing year. But more money for the industry as a whole does not mean more money for all the little guys. |
NG_Chloe said: lol you can't be seriousRevenge is sweet, sorry to those who are sad, but I have a bit of beef with this studio because of Shinmaou, and this studio's destruction gives me hope that the series can be forgotten from my memory forever. It's a a shame that those people lost their jobs though |
deg said: looks like every year there is a bankruptcy happening in the anime industry >the company was met rising costs in production and payments to subcontractors. high chance they do not have enough in-house staff especially animators thats why the production cost rises a lot since they pay free lancers (like most anime studios) more than other anime studios and they outsource more too adding more to the cost I mean, there's bankruptcy companies every year in all of the industries. We see the same on the movie and gaming industry. It wouldn't be normal if there wasn't. Neko-Hoshishima said: Not familiar with any of their productions but it still sucks for the people who are losing their jobs because of this. Another example of how the current anime industry is unsustainable, unfortunately... Anime industry (as companies who fund) is plenty sustainable because the majority of them aren't from this industry. The ones with that problem are the studios, mainly because of management. |
| It's just another studio trying to go big but failing with anime originals. Active Raid and Samurai Flamenco flopped which kill IMS, a shame since they're both underrated. |
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| At least Date A Live 3 is spared. It's sad to see them go though. |
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Draxeros said: As usual MAL was too slow with the news. Draxeros said: R.I.P Dead or Alive Season 3. (I mean Date A Live) https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/.138026 Antagonized said: Yeah right, that garbage bring them down.Worry not, there's still hope for Masou Gakuen HxH 2. Who's stupid enough to take that and get bankrupt next? fortunately, the director founded his own studio so the chances of it getting a sequel... who knows, might be higher than it was. |
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| The less I see Masou Gakuen getting a sequel the better Seriously though, nothing was lost. Sure the studio made some good things like Ore no Twintails (I call it Akibaranger 2.0 no seriously check out who did it). But most of them was shit like Fantasia Doll. |
| Didn't watch anything that they made but that jiyuu ougi guy worked on my top 2 fav harem franchise |
| Most underated anime on mal: https://myanimelist.net/anime/4651/Yume_no_Crayon_Oukoku?q=Yume%20ni%20crayon |
Draxeros said: actually masou gakuen hxh sold decently but it wasn't enough to make up for the actual flops before it which weren't even extreme echiAntagonized said: Then what? Get bankrupt next? If they copied the strategy like Masou Gakuen HxH they will go down easily.fortunately, the director founded his own studio so the chances of it getting a sequel... who knows, might be higher than it was. They should really stop animating extreme ecchi source materials or at least those non famous ones. |
| Most underated anime on mal: https://myanimelist.net/anime/4651/Yume_no_Crayon_Oukoku?q=Yume%20ni%20crayon |
| OreTwi, Joukamachi, HaiFuri, DAL... really sad to see this happen to a studio that did so many great series (although in most cases this was because of adapting great source material but such is the way of the anime world). Sad news to wake up to indeed. |
| There is no such thing as shit taste. Only idiots who think everyone should have the same taste as they do. |
| RIP Date A Live III :( Nachtwandler_21 said: A1 altready works on High School Fleet movie. And prodducers mentioned a month or so ago that they gfound another studio for DaL III. Dang i hope this is true. |
| Signature removed. Please follow the signature rules, as defined in the Site & Forum Guidelines. |
| Ah! Infinite sadness for this news. These are the things I would never like to read, I'm so sorry. :( |
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ichii_1 said: It's just another studio trying to go big but failing with anime originals. Active Raid and Samurai Flamenco flopped which kill IMS, a shame since they're both underrated. Manglobe did Flamenco though? |
| added the fourth most popular anime onto this site |
| ugh. This may mean bye bye to Shimnai Mahou no Testament possible sequels. That sucks IMO. I loved it. Same for Date A Live. |
| Damn the western pirates are behind this. |
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Nachtwandler_21 said: karmashizzle said: so, rip high school fleet movie and date a live 3? A1 altready works on High School Fleet movie. And prodducers mentioned a month or so ago that they gfound another studio for DaL III. oh yay. happy. I can rest now. Too bad for Shimnai Mahou... I'll miss it. Hope Gakuen HXH isn't dead too |
Gaia88Oct 14, 2018 1:19 AM
| They've made a handful of decent series, but given what else they've put out, it's a bit hard to mourn their passing. |
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| sad news, I kinda liked Inari KonKon but the rest of their other series, I don't even know nor am I interested to try to watch them. |
| >>it's all a conspiracy |
| Looking at their stuff, I only really liked high school fleet (other studio) and castle town danderlion (finished). They also seemed to be a studio that prioritized fan service and trying to sell (A1 pictures style) over quality content (Kyoto animation style). It sucks for the employees, but this was almost beneficial, if they would have just let DaL die. I’m much happier about this studio going out of business than manglobe, gonzo, AIC. |
Art is dead, and we killed it.  |
| Testament, Date A Live, Konkon . Liked those :( Haven't seen others yet. Sad. |
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| I should feel sad for the employees, but then I remember they made Testament of Sister Fucker and other LN garbage... A few shows were alright, but it's really not a big loss for the industry. Let us hope the employees find good work at other, better studios. |
| Steel Ball Run anime when? |
| Not going to lie their tittle always been a niche. The only tittle that worth seeing there is DAL, Joukamachi, and Haifuri. Shinmaou is mixed, the story are a mess compared DxD. The characters are forgettable. Hundred foreshadowed by Infinite stratos, also is the exact carbon copy. Definitely lacking value as well. Masou Gakuen is another example of fanservice of the mix between hundred and Shinmaou. Is also forgettable and in borderline with hentai anime. Ore no Twintail also mixed Series, is a harem but with genderbend. I don't watch other anime they made. But the studio problem that is always been adapting that niche trending Titles. |
Nidhoeggr said: I should feel sad for the employees, but then I remember they made Testament of Sister Fucker and other LN garbage... A few shows were alright, but it's really not a big loss for the industry. Let us hope the employees find good work at other, better studios. Yeah i found it pretty hard to mourn with their tittle. Most of them doesn't have "good" production value. And the adaptation quality have been average to bad. |
| A typical studio who started with an already high-flyer franchise title, but failed to catch up with that. I assume they also lost Haifuri movie to some other studio? else they would have chosen to hold out. I hope the employees and all related people can get through this tough times immediately and can land another job/get some source of stable income asap. |
| RIP. Inari Konkon was great |
| When you make shitty Light Novel adaptations into anime,it's given sales won't go well. |
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