時をかける少女
Studio Chizu was founded by Yūichirō Saitō and Mamoru Hosoda, both of which had ties to animation studio Madhouse. Saitō had been with Madhouse since 1999, and had co-produced "The Girl Who Leapt Through Time", which Mamoru Hosoda directed. The aim of the studio was described by Saito as an "auteur's studio" for Hosoda, who himself mentioned that creating Studio Chizu was necessary in order for him to make the films that he wanted to make.