Dehogallery, Inc.

Dehogallery, Inc. (株式会社でほぎゃらりー) is a Japanese background art studio based in Mitaka, Tokyo, specializing in the creation of background art and art direction for animation, games, advertising, publications, and exhibitions. The company was established on July 1, 2015, with investment from three prominent entertainment companies: Dwango, Khara, and Studio Ponoc. Its founding was driven by a desire to preserve the traditional hand-drawn background art techniques that were at risk of disappearing as the anime industry increasingly shifted toward digital production. The studio was conceived when Yoshiaki Nishimura, president of Studio Ponoc, sought to create a company that could employ skilled background artists as full-time employees, similar to the employment model at Studio Ghibli. This initiative was supported by Nobuo Kawakami, chairman of Dwango, and Hideaki Anno, president of Khara. The name "Dehogallery" was suggested by Kazuo Oga, a renowned art director known for his work on Studio Ghibli films such as "My Neighbor Totoro" and "Princess Mononoke." The name combines "dehogi," an Akita dialect word meaning to speak off the cuff or improvise, with "gallery," reflecting the studio's aspiration for spontaneous, brush-driven creativity. Dehogallery's core business includes background art production for animation and games, art direction, and the creation of backgrounds and illustrations for advertising, publications, and exhibitions. The studio has contributed to notable works such as "When Marnie Was There," "Mary and the Witch's Flower," "The Tale of the Princess Kaguya," and the "Famicom Detective Club" game series. It also produces calendar illustrations for clients like Shiga Bank and Doraemon. The studio is led by President Tomoki Ota, who took over in 2016. As of its founding, it had 11 creators on staff, many of whom had worked on Studio Ghibli and Mamoru Hosoda films. Advisors include Kazuo Oga and Yohei Takashige, both veteran art directors. Dehogallery remains a private company and continues to operate from its office near Mitaka Station in Tokyo.

Dehogallery was established on July 1, 2015, as a joint venture between Dwango, Khara, and Studio Ponoc. The studio was created in response to the dissolution of Studio Ghibli's production department in 2014, following Hayao Miyazaki's retirement announcement. Concerned that Ghibli's traditional hand-drawn background art techniques would be lost, Yoshiaki Nishimura, president of Studio Ponoc, sought to create a new company that could employ skilled background artists as full-time employees. He enlisted the support of Nobuo Kawakami of Dwango and Hideaki Anno of Khara. The name "Dehogallery" was suggested by Kazuo Oga, a legendary art director known for his work on numerous Studio Ghibli films. The name derives from "dehogi," an Akita dialect term meaning to speak off the cuff or improvise, combined with "gallery." This reflects the studio's philosophy of valuing spontaneous, brush-driven creativity in background art. At its founding, the studio had 11 creators on staff, many of whom had worked on Studio Ghibli and Mamoru Hosoda films. Advisors included Kazuo Oga and Yohei Takashige. The first president was Takeshi Kobayashi, who was succeeded by Tomoki Ota in 2016. In 2017, Dehogallery served as art director and background artist for the film "Mary and the Witch's Flower," produced by Studio Ponoc. The studio has also contributed to other notable works such as "When Marnie Was There," "The Tale of the Princess Kaguya," and the game "Famicom Detective Club: Emio – The Smiling Man." In addition to animation and games, Dehogallery produces illustrations for advertising, publications, and exhibitions, including calendars for Shiga Bank and Doraemon. The studio remains committed to preserving hand-drawn techniques while embracing digital tools, aiming to be a hub for next-generation artists skilled in both analog and digital methods.

• Dehogallery founded with investment from Dwango, Khara, and Studio Ponoc. Takeshi Kobayashi appointed as first president.

• Tomoki Ota becomes Representative Director and President.

• Served as art director and background artist for the film 'Mary and the Witch's Flower'.

• Produced background illustrations for Doraemon 2025 calendar and Shiga Bank 2025 calendar; provided background art for 'Famicom Detective Club: Emio – The Smiling Man'.

Specialized studio preserving traditional hand-drawn background art techniques for animation and games.

• Background art for 'When Marnie Was There'

  Background art production for the 2014 Studio Ghibli film.

• Background art for 'Mary and the Witch's Flower'

  Art direction and background art for the 2017 Studio Ponoc film.

• Background art for 'The Tale of the Princess Kaguya'

  Background art production for the 2013 Studio Ghibli film.

• Background art for 'Famicom Detective Club: Emio – The Smiling Man'

  Background art for the 2024 Nintendo Switch game.

• Doraemon 2025 calendar background illustrations

  Background illustrations for the Doraemon 2025 calendar.

• Shiga Bank 2025 calendar illustrations

  Illustrations for the Shiga Bank 2025 calendar.

1. 1でほぎゃらりー official websitedehogallery.co.jp
2. 2ABOUT でほぎゃらりーとはdehogallery.co.jp
3. 3Dehogallery - Wikidatawikidata.org
4. 4でほぎゃらりー - Wikipedia (Japanese)ja.wikipedia.org