WIT Studio
Japanese animation studio internationally recognized for Attack on Titan and a broad portfolio of television, film, streaming, and experimental animation.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
WIT Studio is a Japanese animation production company established in Tokyo in 2012 as a subsidiary of IG Port. It was created by producers associated with Production I.G, notably George Wada and Tetsuya Nakatake, and initially drew on a group of experienced Production I.G staff members. The studio operates primarily as an animation production house rather than as a consumer-products brand: its work includes television anime, films, original net animations, original video animation, music videos, video-game animation, and other visual projects. The company became internationally prominent through its production of the first three television seasons of Attack on Titan. That series combined large-scale action animation, distinctive character design, and a highly visual directorial approach, giving the relatively young studio a major global profile. WIT Studio's association with the franchise remains central to its public identity, although it subsequently developed a wider body of work across different genres and formats. Among its other notable productions are The Ancient Magus' Bride and Vinland Saga, for which WIT Studio produced the initial television seasons; the original television series Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress; the streaming-oriented series Great Pretender; the fantasy series Ranking of Kings; and the first season of the globally distributed comedy-action series Spy × Family, produced in collaboration with CloverWorks. The studio has also worked on titles such as My Deer Friend Nokotan and other projects that demonstrate a willingness to move between action, fantasy, historical drama, comedy, and experimental animation. WIT Studio's creative identity is closely associated with skilled animation direction and the recruitment of experienced personnel from Production I.G. Staff linked to its early period included animation directors Kyoji Asano and Satoshi Kadowaki, as well as director Tetsuro Araki, who worked together on Attack on Titan. The studio has therefore combined the resources and industry relationships of the IG Port group with a comparatively focused production structure. The company expanded beyond conventional hand-drawn and digital television production in December 2020 by establishing a stop-motion animation studio in partnership with director Tomoki Misato, known for Pui Pui Molcar. In May 2022, WIT Studio joined Aniplex, CloverWorks, and Shueisha in forming JOEN, a company intended to support the planning and production of television anime, films, and short-form animation. These initiatives indicate a broader role in anime development and production coordination, not merely subcontracted episode production. WIT Studio remains active and headquartered in Musashino, Tokyo. Its business is oriented toward the Japanese animation industry, while licensing, streaming, theatrical distribution, and international fandom give its productions a global reach. The studio's standing rests on a combination of high-profile adaptations, original projects, collaborative production, and participation in new production structures within the IG Port and wider anime ecosystem.
History
WIT Studio was established on June 1, 2012, in Tokyo as an animation company under the IG Port group. Its formation was closely connected to Production I.G: founder George Wada had previously worked there, while Tetsuya Nakatake was also a Production I.G producer. Nakatake became the studio's representative director at its establishment. The new company was supported by experienced staff from the same production environment, including animation directors Kyoji Asano and Satoshi Kadowaki and director Tetsuro Araki. The studio's early organization gave it access to experienced creative personnel while allowing it to operate as a distinct production unit. Its initial capital was reported as 30 million yen, provided by IG Port, Wada, and Nakatake. The reported initial ownership proportions were 66.6 percent for IG Port, 21.6 percent for Wada, and 10.0 percent for Nakatake. These figures describe the company's reported founding capitalization and ownership structure rather than ongoing financial performance. WIT Studio's breakthrough came with Attack on Titan, for which it produced the first three television seasons. The series brought the company substantial domestic and international attention and became the defining early work in its catalog. The studio's production approach combined high-impact action direction with detailed character and mechanical animation, helping establish its reputation among viewers and industry observers. After Attack on Titan, WIT Studio continued to work across adaptation and original-production models. It produced the first television seasons of The Ancient Magus' Bride and Vinland Saga, and it developed projects in substantially different styles, including the original action series Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress, the streaming series Great Pretender, and Ranking of Kings. It also participated in the first season of Spy × Family together with CloverWorks. These projects expanded the studio's profile beyond a single successful franchise. The company also diversified its production activity. In December 2020, it established a stop-motion studio with Tomoki Misato, the director associated with Pui Pui Molcar. This initiative connected WIT Studio with a different animation technique and production tradition. In May 2022, WIT Studio, Aniplex, CloverWorks, and Shueisha created JOEN. The new company was designed to facilitate anime planning and production, including television series, feature films, and short clips, and reflected broader cooperation among companies involved in the anime production pipeline. WIT Studio is headquartered in Musashino, Tokyo, and remains active. Its productions are made within Japan but reach international audiences through theatrical distribution, broadcasters, streaming platforms, licensing, and the global circulation of Japanese animation. The studio's history is consequently defined by three connected developments: its origin within the Production I.G and IG Port network, its rapid rise through Attack on Titan, and its later effort to sustain a diverse production portfolio and participate in new collaborative structures.
- 2022
JOEN is established
[1]WIT Studio joins Aniplex, CloverWorks, and Shueisha in forming JOEN to support anime planning and production.
- 2020
Stop-motion studio is established
[1]WIT Studio partners with Tomoki Misato to establish a dedicated stop-motion animation studio.
- 2019
Great Pretender expands the studio's streaming portfolio
[1]WIT Studio produces the original series Great Pretender, a globally distributed crime and con-artist animation.
- 2017
The Ancient Magus' Bride television series begins
[1]WIT Studio produces the first television season of The Ancient Magus' Bride.
- 2013
Attack on Titan begins
[1]WIT Studio produces the first television season of Attack on Titan, the project that establishes its international reputation.
- 2012
WIT Studio is founded
[1]WIT Studio is established on June 1 as an IG Port subsidiary by producers associated with Production I.G, with George Wada as founder and Tetsuya Nakatake as representative director.
Products and positioning
A creator-led Japanese animation studio focused on high-quality television and streaming animation, with a reputation for visually ambitious adaptations, strong animation direction, and genre diversity.
Television anime series · 2013
Attack on Titan
WIT Studio produced the first three television seasons of Attack on Titan, the adaptation that made the company internationally prominent. The series is an action-oriented dark fantasy centered on humanity's struggle against giant humanoid creatures and is known for demanding movement, large-scale combat staging, and intense dramatic direction. It remains the studio's most recognizable production and a major reference point for its visual identity.
Television anime series · 2017
The Ancient Magus' Bride
WIT Studio produced the first television season of The Ancient Magus' Bride, a fantasy drama drawing on folklore, magic, and an emotionally complex relationship between its central characters. The production demonstrated the studio's ability to handle slower character development, atmospheric world-building, and supernatural imagery in addition to action-focused material.
Television anime series · 2019
Vinland Saga
WIT Studio produced the first television season of Vinland Saga, a historical action drama set against the Viking world. Its production combined combat choreography with political conflict and character-driven storytelling. The series broadened WIT Studio's reputation for action animation into historical drama and reinforced its association with ambitious adaptations of acclaimed manga.
Original streaming anime series · 2020
Great Pretender
Great Pretender is an original crime-comedy series produced by WIT Studio. It follows groups of con artists operating across several international settings and uses colorful visual design, changing locations, and elaborate schemes as central elements of its presentation. The project represents the studio's movement into original, globally oriented streaming animation rather than relying solely on established manga properties.
Television anime series · 2021
Ranking of Kings
Ranking of Kings is a fantasy television series produced by WIT Studio and based on the manga by Sosuke Toka. It follows Bojji, a small and deaf prince whose apparent disadvantages contrast with his determination and moral strength. The series uses a deceptively simple visual style for an emotionally substantial story and illustrates the studio's range beyond realistic action animation.
Television anime series · 2022
Spy × Family
WIT Studio co-produced the first season of Spy × Family with CloverWorks. The series combines espionage, family comedy, and action through the story of a fabricated household whose members conceal unusual identities from one another. The collaboration gave WIT Studio a major contemporary hit in a lighter genre and demonstrated its ability to share production responsibilities on a high-profile adaptation.
Original television anime series · 2016
Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress
Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress is an original action series produced by WIT Studio. Set in a world threatened by infected undead creatures, it uses fortified railway vehicles and industrial-era imagery as major visual motifs. The project allowed the studio and associated creators to develop a new setting and action concept outside an existing manga franchise.
Television anime series · 2024
My Deer Friend Nokotan
My Deer Friend Nokotan is a comedy television anime produced by WIT Studio. Its premise and visual tone contrast school-life conventions with absurd deer-related humor. The series illustrates the studio's continuing work across comedic and unconventional material, alongside its better-known fantasy and action productions.
Brand decisions
2022
Participate in the formation of JOENStrategyBackground
Anime production increasingly depends on coordinated planning among publishers, distributors, studios, and production committees.
Action taken
WIT Studio joined Aniplex, CloverWorks, and Shueisha in creating JOEN to facilitate planning and production of television anime, films, and short clips.
Aftermath
JOEN created an additional collaborative platform in which WIT Studio could participate in anime development and production coordination.
2020
Expand into stop-motion animationStrategyBackground
WIT Studio sought to broaden its production capabilities beyond conventional television and digital animation.
Action taken
The company established a stop-motion studio in partnership with director Tomoki Misato.
Aftermath
The move added stop-motion to WIT Studio's production scope, although the available reference material does not provide further operating or financial details.
2012
Create a dedicated animation subsidiary within IG PortStrategyBackground
IG Port and producers from the Production I.G network established WIT Studio as a separate animation production company.
Action taken
The new studio was capitalized and organized around experienced producers, directors, and animation staff from the Production I.G environment.
Aftermath
The structure gave WIT Studio a distinct identity while keeping it within the IG Port group and provided the platform for its later breakout production.
Initial capital. ¥30,000,000 (At establishment in 2012)
Recent events
Reported
Netflix partners to establish WIT Animator Academy[3]
Netflix announced a partnership with WIT Studio and Sasayuri Video Training Center to establish the WIT Animator Academy, which will train young animators. Netflix plans to cover tuition and living costs for students for multiple years.
Netflix, Wit Studio and Sasayuri establish WIT Animator Academy[4]
Netflix partnered with Wit Studio and Sasayuri to establish the WIT Animator Academy, which will train young animators. Netflix will cover tuition and monthly living costs for students; the first six-month course is planned to start in April.
Sources4 sources
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