One of The Most Legendary Anime Studios Has Closed Its Doors Forever

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For decades, Studio Gainax has been known for creating some of the most innovative and thought-provoking anime series ever made. Founded in 1984, the studio helped revolutionize the industry with hits like Neon Genesis Evangelion, FLCL, Gurren Lagann, Gunbuster, and Panty & Stocking With Garterbelt. Sadly, after facing difficulties in recent years, Studio Gainax has now officially shut down.

Hideaki Anno, the creator of Evangelion and a founding member of Gainax, has confirmed the animation studio has officially closed. According to a recent announcement, Gainax completed its bankruptcy proceedings and is no longer operating after almost 42 years. Anno, who was involved with the company for over 20 years and remained a shareholder until recently, expressed his disappointment but acknowledged the closure.

We want to sincerely thank the companies who generously supported Gainax for almost six years, without cost, as we rebuilt and reorganized after the 2019 arrest of our then-CEO, Maki Tomohiro. Their cooperation allowed us to correctly manage and transfer the rights to all our works, along with all related materials, ensuring everything was safely returned to the rightful owners and creators. We are deeply grateful for their help.

What Does This Mean For NERV?

Despite the closure of Gainax, the story of Shinji Ikari and NERV isn’t over. In 2023, Studio Khara acquired many of Gainax’s assets after the original studio declared bankruptcy. An official announcement in 2024 confirmed this transition.

Gainax, the animation studio, officially filed for bankruptcy on May 29th, and the court has accepted the filing. We’ve been working with Khara and new leadership to secure the rights to our works, protect the creators, and properly manage all related materials. Our goal is to ensure these projects can continue through their original production committees. Unfortunately, despite these efforts and the continued involvement of former management as shareholders, we haven’t been able to resolve the significant debts that built up under the previous administration.

Currently, there are no confirmed new projects for Neon Genesis Evangelion. Although the creator, Hideaki Anno, has suggested that a return to the series is possible, specific details about any potential continuation are still unknown.

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Via Studio Khara

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2025-12-11 18:44