A White Knight Saves GONZO [Updated on Nov 10]

by dtshyk
Sep 10, 2008 5:02 AM | 52 Comments

According to REUTERS News, GDH, the mother company of GONZO, will gain 1.9 billion yen ($17.5 million) by the allocation of new shares to a third party Iwakaze Capital. As a result, the GDH president Ishikawa Shin-ichiro will resign taking the responsibility of the failed management and Karasawa Tetsuo will take over the position as COO from October 1st. Iwakaze will hold 82% of the stocks of GDH.

The amount of debt of GDH is in excess of their total asset. So it has been in one-year grace period before the removal from the list of MOTHERS stock market. This increase of capital saves GDH from being in a financial crisis, but the new managers sent from Iwakaze Capital will greatly affect the policy on GDH anime business.

Ishikawa Shin-ichiro will reportedly remain as an inside director of GDH. It's not announced whether he will stay in the CEO position.

Source: REUTERS news
Source: Press Release from Iwakaze Capital (pdf)
Source: Anime! Anime!

Edited on Nov 10th=======================
GONZO To Reduce Anime Production By Half
According to the press release, GDH will reduce the number of anime titles GONZO produces a year from eight to four and merge their four production studios into one. The expected total loss for the term between Apr 2008 - Mar 2009 will be 1.6 billion yen ($16 million).

Source: GDH Press Release

20 of 52 Comments Recent Comments

Atleast they will spend their money better on single series instead of hainv to much to qcut quality.

Not like we need more series per season (30+ for this season, how many next year aound this time?)

Nov 11, 2008 10:27 AM by Turbe

What the heck? So the anime Gonzo produces will cut off into half? That kinda sucks but I guess that's better than 1 or 2 anime a year.

Nov 10, 2008 7:15 PM by Rweck

White Knight? Where? I don't see any.

The name of this thread gives the impression that GONZO's stocks are skyrocketing again due to a new anime production based on the upcoming next-gen game, "White Knight Chronicles".

And on topic, that's a good thing to hear. GONZO produces many great anime, it would be a pity if their stocks go nose-dive.

Nov 10, 2008 6:59 PM by Kira01

YourMessageHere said:
Dear Gonzo,
Why isn't Yukikaze even on that list? That's great too.

Yukikaze was an OVA series, so omitted from the ranking for the fair comparison. Anyway here are the numbers. (You can find the DVD sales data from here.)

10,454　14,505 Yukikaze

Nov 10, 2008 6:44 AM by dtshyk

Dear Gonzo,

This is what you get when you fuck a stranger in the ass continually pump out series that happen to be pretty but have a plot and characters straight from the Random Cliche Tombola, rather than actually writing a good plot and characters first.

Nice figures, thanks dtshyk. I always thought that Last Exile was easily their best thing, and I see the figures actually sort of support that. Why isn't Yukikaze even on that list? That's great too.

Nov 10, 2008 6:34 AM by YourMessageHere

Good news for meh

Nov 10, 2008 2:56 AM by id

GONZO To Reduce Anime Production By Half
According to the press release, GDH will reduce the number of anime titles GONZO produces a year from eight to four and merge their four production studios into one. The expected total loss for the term between Apr 2008 - Mar 2009 will be 1.6 billion yen ($16 million).

Source: GDH Press Release

The already announced titles for 2009
Alive
Slap Up Party -Arad Senki-
Shangri-La
Tower of Druaga - the Sword of Uruk *January 2009

Nov 10, 2008 1:00 AM by dtshyk

History of GONZO
The first week and two-week sales of DVD vol.1. The data for other titles are not available because they didn't ranked above top 100th in the weekly DVD sales ranking.

9,764　 11,906 　Vandread (2000)
6,124 　8,029 　Vandread the second stage (2001)
3,423 　7,403　 Gate Keepers (2000)
5,667 　6,992 　Kiddy Grade (2002)
6,601 　*,*** 　Last Exile Limited Edition (Normal Edition 1,885) (2003)
4,528 　6,376 　HELLSING TV (2001)
4,568 　5,990 　Saikano (2002)
5,092 　6,606 　Rosario + Vampire (2008)
3,390 　5,558 　Full Metal Panic! (2002)
4,332 　*,*** 　 Chrno Crusade (2003)
3,998　 *,*** 　BLACK CAT (2005)
3,821 　*,*** 　 Seto no Hanayome (2007)
2,759　 3,773 　Tower of Druaga (2008)
3,538　 *,*** 　Witch Blade (2006)
3,074　 *,*** 　Gravion Zwei (2004)
2,732 　*,*** 　Gankutsuou (2004)
2,722 　*,*** 　GANTZ (2004)
1,978 　*,*** 　Kaze no Stigma (2007)
1,802 　*,*** 　Gad Guard (2003)
1,668 　*,*** 　Gravion (2002)
1,542 　*,*** 　SAMURAI 7 (2004)
1,508　 *,*** 　SAMURAI GIRL Real Bout High School (2001)
1,374　 *,*** 　Getsumen To Heiki Mina (2007)
1,278　 *,*** 　Blassreiter (2008)

Sep 18, 2008 5:42 PM by dtshyk

metakim said:
So Suzaku saved GONZO?

Cant see that happening unless its an "All as planned" from Emperor Lelouch

LOL, zactly what i first thought...but yay GONZO! and yay druaga!

Sep 18, 2008 10:29 AM by Mozzi

Gonzo got saved by Harvey Dent?

Sep 14, 2008 2:49 AM by nugger

Rosario + Vampire anime made me totally hate Gonzo, take's real skill to turn such awesome manga material into utter nonsense.

Sep 13, 2008 10:46 PM by Sabaa

Glad to see that they are not sunk. Have not really seen any of the stuff that is being cited as crappy but then again I tend to not be able to get my anime until it has been out for a bit. One problem of not having any good supplier or at least knowing of any near where I am.

Sep 12, 2008 8:14 PM by Joni-Carrigen

WcDuck said:
Gonzo, die! Worst studio ever.

No way. That's bee train.

ZoiQ said:
LOL GONZO.

Sep 12, 2008 12:24 PM by Kappaka

Neverender said:

A White Knight

Suzaku, is that you?

Good one Emperor.

Sep 12, 2008 11:21 AM by chocolatematter

Nothing of value would had been lost if they went under.

Sep 12, 2008 5:45 AM by TechnicsMKII

Damn. Just when you'd think a crappy studio finally goes bankrupt...

Sep 12, 2008 4:02 AM by Dozer

A White Knight

Suzaku, is that you?

Sep 11, 2008 1:52 PM by Neverender

Oh thank God. I was starting to break a sweat. Hope they get back to their roots. Couple of my favorites were done by them. They need to hire more skilled and creative directors. And for all those chanting Mahiro Maeda, he's not exactly fool proof himself: Final Fantasy Unlimited.

Looks like they are taking a step in the right direction. The staff behind Shangri-La has me salivating for more. Can't wait. And I'm curiously optimistic of Kurogane no Linebarrels.

Sep 11, 2008 1:50 PM by NeoBasch

ukonkivi said:
I'm only ok with Gonzo going under so long as someone else picks up Strike Witches.:x

Agreed.

Sep 11, 2008 1:39 PM by LensFlaredAway

That's good. Atleast we won't be loosing them.

Sep 11, 2008 11:42 AM by Shunhades

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