# Studio Hibari

Studio Hibari, Co., Ltd. (Japanese: 株式会社スタジオ雲雀, Hepburn: Kabushiki-gaisha Sutajio Hibari) is a Japanese animation studio founded in 1979, in Ōizumi, Gunma Prefecture.

## History

Studio Hibari was founded in July 1979 in Ōizumi by former Tsuchida Production cel-colorist Sachiko Mitsunobu and her husband, anime director Hiroyoshi Mitsunobu [ja]. In 1985, the couple's son, Seiji, was appointed managing director of the company. In 1998, the head office moved from Ōizumi to Nerima Ward in Tokyo. The next year, the studio debuted its first television animation production, Sensual Phrase. In 2002, the company moved offices to accommodate for the expansion of departments in order to integrate them into the company's production system, and Seiji became president of the company; and a year later set up its own 3DCG department. Due to an increase in employees, the digital sections (namely coloring, compositing, and 3D) were moved to another building separate from the head office. The 3D department was incorporated into a separate studio in 2006, which became Larx Entertainment, a wholly-owned subsidiary. The next year all of the departments were reallocated into a single building, which has served as the studio's headquarters since. In 2009, the studio opened up an office in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; and in 2011, Lerche was established as an animation brand by which most of Studio Hibari's production succeeding its creation would be produced under. The company again expanded in 2020 by taking in studio IngresA (a subsidiary of Ingres) in Osaka and reorganizing the company as a branch studio named Studio Hibari Osaka Studio. Music and sound production company AZ Creative is also a part of the Studio Hibari group. In 2022, Hibari's Vietnam branch was incorporated as its own subsidiarty entity.
The studio also maintains a relatively strong relationship with Sao Sang Design in Vietnam and Qixie Studio (formerly Shanghai M.C.C) in China. Producer Li Jiawen (李佳雯), the founder of Qixie Studio and Shanghai M.C.C, moved to Japan from China after college due to interest in Japanese animation, and in the late 2000s he joined Studio Hibari. At the time, Hibari had been looking to open its eventual Hibari Vietnam office; and they had begun accepting foreigners for production jobs. At some point, Li questioned whether he should move up in the company to a production desk (he was working as a production assistant) or if he should go back to China; and eventually, Studio Hibari's president (Seiji Mitsunobu) heard about Li's idea and stated that he would support Li in cultivating talent. After that, Li left the studio and went to establish Shanghai M.C.C. Since 2023, members of Li's studio have been credited under both "Laplace Animation" and "Hibari Shanghai" (雲雀上海). A "Studio Hibari Sao Sang Studio" (スタジオ雲雀 サオサンスタジオ) has also appeared. The relation between the studios is generally unknown.

## Works
### Television series

| Year | Title | Director(s) | Brand | Source | Eps |
| 1999−2000 | Sensual Phrase | Hiroko Tokita | Hibari | Manga | 44 |
| 2000−2001 | Taro the Space Alien | Yorifusa Yamaguchi | Hibari | Manga | 24 |
| 2001−2002 | Tantei Shounen Kageman | Yorifusa Yamaguchi | Hibari | Manga | 39 |
| 2002 | Happy Lesson | Iku Suzuki | Hibari | Manga | 13 |
| 2002−2005 | Mirmo! | Kenichi Kasai | Hibari | Manga | 172 |
| 2003 | Lime-iro Senkitan | Iku Suzuki | Hibari | Video game | 13 |
| 2003 | Happy Lesson Advance | Iku Suzuki | Hibari | Manga | 13 |
| 2004−2005 | Grandpa Danger | Yorifusa Yamaguchi | Hibari | Manga | 51 |
| 2004–2006 | Duel Masters Charge | Waruo Suzuki | Hibari | Video game | 52 |
| 2004−2007 | Major | Toshinori Fukushima | Hibari | Manga | 78 |
| 2005 | Happy Seven (with Trinet Entertainment) | Tsutomu Yabuki | Hibari | Light novel | 13 |
| 2005–2006 | Duel Masters: Sacred Lands | Mickey Corcoran | Hibari | Video game | 39 |
| 2006 | Gargoyle of Yoshinaga House (with Trinet Entertainment) | Iku Suzuki | Hibari | Light novel | 13 |
| 2006 | Tsuyokiss (with Trinet Entertainment) | Shinichiro Kimura | Hibari | Visual novel | 12 |
| 2006 | Nerima Daikon Brothers | Shinichi Watanabe | Hibari | Manga | 12 |
| 2006 | Kashimashi: Girl Meets Girl | Nobuaki Nakanishi | Hibari | Manga | 12 |
| 2006–2007 | Sumomomo Momomo | Nobuaki Nakanishi | Hibari | Manga | 22 |
| 2007 | Venus Versus Virus | Shinichiro Kimura | Hibari | Manga | 12 |
| 2007 | Moonlight Mile | Iku Suzuki | Hibari | Manga | 26 |
| 2008−2009 | Net Ghost PiPoPa | Shinichiro Kimura | Hibari | Original work | 51 |
| 2009 | Charger Girl Ju-den Chan | Shinichiro Kimura | Hibari | Manga | 12 |
| 2009 | Yumeiro Patissiere (produced by Pierrot) | Iku Suzuki | Hibari | Manga | 50 |
| 2009 | Weiß Survive | Iku Suzuuki | Hibari | Multi-media project | 16 |
| 2009–2010 | Weiß Survive R | Kenji Seto | Hibari | Multi-media project | 12 |
| 2010 | Yumeiro Patissiere SP Professional (produced by Pierrot) | Iku Suzuki | Hibari | Manga | 13 |
| 2011 | Maji de Watashi ni Koi Shinasai! | Keitaro Motonaga | Lerche | Visual novel | 12 |
| 2013 | Danganronpa: The Animation | Seiji Kishi | Lerche | Visual novel | 13 |
| 2013 | Unbreakable Machine-Doll | Kinji Yoshimoto | Lerche | Light novel | 12 |
| 2014 | Re:_Hamatora | Seiji Kishi | Lerche | Original work | 12 |
| 2015 | Assassination Classroom | Seiji Kishi | Lerche | Manga | 22 |
| 2015 | Rampo Kitan: Game of Laplace | Seiji Kishi | Lerche | Original work | 11 |
| 2015 | Monster Musume | Tatsuya Yoshihara | Lerche | Manga | 12 |
| 2015 | School-Live! | Masaomi Andō | Lerche | Manga | 12 |
| 2016 | Assassination Classroom: Second Season | Seiji Kishi | Lerche | Manga | 25 |
| 2016 | Undefeated Bahamut Chronicle | Masaomi Andō | Lerche | Light novel | 12 |
| 2016 | Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak High School | Seiji Kishi (chief) Daiki Fukuoka | Lerche | Visual novel | 24 |
| 2016 | Magical Girl Raising Project | Hiroyuki Hashimoto | Lerche | Light novel | 12 |
| 2017 | Clean Freak! Aoyama-kun | Kazuya Ichikawa | Hibari | Manga | 12 |
| 2017 | Scum's Wish | Masaomi Andō | Lerche | Manga | 12 |
| 2017 | Classroom of the Elite | Seiji Kishi Hiroyuki Hashimoto | Lerche | Light novel | 12 |
| 2017 | Konohana Kitan | Hideki Okamoto | Lerche | Manga | 12 |
| 2017 | Kino's Journey -the Beautiful World- the Animated Series | Tomohisa Taguchi | Lerche | Light novel | 12 |
| 2018 | Hakumei and Mikochi | Masaomi Andō | Lerche | Manga | 12 |
| 2018 | Seven Senses of the Reunion | Yoshihito Nishōji | Lerche | Light novel | 12 |
| 2018 | Asobi Asobase | Seiji Kishi | Lerche | Manga | 12 |
| 2018−2020 | Radiant | Seiji Kishi Daiki Fukuoka | Lerche | French comic | 42 |
| 2019 | Astra Lost in Space | Masaomi Andō | Lerche | Manga | 12 |
| 2019 | Given | Hikaru Yamaguchi | Lerche | Manga | 11 |
| 2020–present | Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun | Masaomi Andō | Lerche | Manga | TBA |
| 2021 | Idoly Pride | Yū Kinome | Lerche | Multi-media project | 12 |
| 2021 | Rumble Garanndoll | Masaomi Andō | Lerche | Original work | 12 |
| 2022 | Classroom of the Elite 2nd Season | Seiji Kishi (chief) Hiroyuki Hashimoto (chief) Yoshihito Nishōji | Lerche | Light novel | 13 |
| 2023 | World Dai Star | Yū Kinome | Lerche | Multi-media project | 12 |
| 2023–2024 | After-School Hanako-kun | Masaki Kitamura | Lerche | Manga | 8 |
| 2023–2024 | High Card | Junichi Wada | Hibari | Multi-media project | 25 |
| 2024 | Classroom of the Elite 3rd Season | Seiji Kishi (chief) Hiroyuki Hashimoto (chief) Yoshihito Nishōji | Lerche | Light novel | 13 |
| 2025 | Tougen Anki: Dark Demon of Paradise | Ato Nonaka | Hibari | Manga | TBA |

### OVA/ONAs

| Year | Title | Director(s) | Brand | Source | Eps |
| 1991 | Izumo (with Grouper Production) | Eiichi Yamamoto | Hibari | Manga | 1 (#2) |
| 2004 | Raimuiro Senkitan: The South Island Dream Romantic Adventure | Iku Suzuki | Hibari | Video game | 2 |
| 2004 | Netrun-mon | Poyoyon Rock | Hibari | Original work | 1 |
| 2006 | Kashimashi: Girl Meets Girl | Nobuaki Nakanishi | Hibari | Manga | 1 |
| 2007 | Sumomomo Momomo | Nobuaki Nakanishi | Hibari | Manga | 1 |
| 2007 | Keitai Shoujo | Tsutomu Yabuki | Hibari | Visual novel | 5 |
| 2008 | Hoshi no Umi no Amuri | Yoshitomo Yonetai | Hibari | Original work | 3 |
| 2009 | Isshoni Training: Training with Hinako | Iku Suzuki | Hibari | Original work | 1 |
| 2010 | Isshoni Sleeping: Sleeping with Hinako | Shinichirou Kimura | Hibari | Original work | 1 |
| 2010 | Isshoni Training 026: Bathtime with Hinako & Hiyoko | Shinichirou Kimura | Hibari | Original work | 1 |
| 2010 | Yumeiro Patissiere: Mune Kyun Tropical Island! | Iku Suzuki | Hibari | Manga | 1 |
| 2011 | Carnival Phantasm | Seiji Kishi | Lerche | Manga | 16 |
| 2011 | Fate/Prototype | Seiji Kishi | Hibari | Original work | 1 |
| 2013 | Land of the Lustrous PV | Akiyo Oohashi | Hibari | Manga | 1 |
| 2013−2014 | Unbreakable Machine-Doll | Seiji Kishi | Lerche | Light novel | 6 |
| 2015−2016 | Monster Strike | Kazuya Ichikawa | Hibari | Mobile game | 51 |
| 2016 | Monster Strike: Mermaid Rhapsody | Toshiya Niidome | Hibari | Mobile game | 1 |
| 2016 | Monster Strike: An Encore of Continuance- Pandora's Box | Kazuya Ichikawa | Hibari | Mobile game | 1 |
| 2016−2017 | Monster Musume | Tatsuya Yoshihara | Lerche | Manga | 2 |
| 2016−2017 | Koro Sensei Quest | Yoshito Nishouji | Lerche | Manga | 12 |
| 2020−2021 | Ninjala (with Domerica) | | Hibari | Video game | 5 |
| 2022 | Tekken: Bloodline (with Larx Entertainment) | Yoshikazu Miyao | Hibari | Video game | 6 |

### Films

| Year | Title | Director(s) | Brand | Source |
| 2005 | Duel Masters: Curse of the Deathphoenix | Warurou Suzuki | Hibari | Video game |
| 2010 | Junod | Shinichirou Kimura | Hibari | Original work |
| 2015 | Fw:Hamatora | Masaomi Andou | Lerche | Original work |
| 2016 | Assassination Classroom the Movie: 365 Days | Seiji Kishi | Lerche | Manga |
| 2020 | Given | Hikaru Yamaguchi | Lerche | Manga |
| 2020 | The Stranger by the Shore | Akiyo Oohashi | Hibari | Manga |

### Video games

* Dragon Master Silk (1997)
* Gotcha Force (2003)
* Persona 4 (2008) Contributed Cutscenes with A-1 Pictures Inc.
* Shining Force Feather (2009)
* Disgaea D2: A Brighter Darkness (2013)