From Japan to the World —
A Flight of Traditional Beauty
Studio ONI is dedicated to creation by human hands.
We produce hand-drawn traditional Japanese ink painting animation and art.
By weaving the beauty of Japanese tradition with a contemporary approach, we carry its cultural light forward into the future.
Studio Updates
July 10, 2026
We have released a concept art our original hand drawn ink painting animation “Operation ONI”. New
June 14, 2026
Studio ONI welcomed students from the Rochester Institute of Technology in the United States for a cultural exchange lecture in Tokyo.
May 20, 2026
Studio ONI held a special lecture in Tokyo for students from Furman University.
March 19, 2026
Studio ONI contributed to the immersive experience facility “Wonderia YOKOHAMA,” overseeing worldbuilding, narrative text design and direction, and the writing of the “Wonderia Tips.”
February 1, 2026
We have produced the Japanese traditional ink painting animation “The Tale of Azai Nagamasa and His Family” as a satellite exhibition work for the NHK Taiga Drama “BROTHERS IN ARMS”.
Wonderia YOKOHAMA
Studio ONI contributed to the immersive edutainment facility “Wonderia YOKOHAMA Supported by Umios,” which opened on March 19, 2026 at BASEGATE Yokohama Kannai, located in front of Kannai Station in Yokohama.
For this project, Studio ONI was responsible for worldbuilding, writing the “Wonderia Tips,” as well as the overall design and direction of the narrative text throughout the facility.
Wonderia YOKOHAMA is a large scale immersive experience facility of approximately 4,200 square meters, planned and operated by DeNA Co., Ltd. It is designed as an immersive environment where visitors can experience living creatures and nature while journeying through six distinct ecosystems: highlands, the deep sea, forests, light and darkness, the open sky, and urban environments.
By linking with the official Wonderia mobile application, visitors can collect creatures, natural elements, and even scenes from the city of Yokohama as cards. Each card contains one of over 100 original “Wonderia Tips” written specifically for this facility, offering enjoyable and accessible knowledge about living organisms and natural phenomena.
Credits
Creative Director
Minoru Sako
Creative Producer
Yoshihisa Watanabe
Creature Design
Lē Yamamura
World Design
Seiji Yoshida
Worldbuilding & Wonderia Tips
Hiroshi Takane
Project Manager
Kanako Nagatomi
Art Direction
Tomoyuki Arima
Planning
Takuya Sejima
Spatial Design
Nomura Co., Ltd.
Planning and Operation
DeNA Co., Ltd.
Official Website
https://wonderia.jp/en/
The Tale of Azai Nagamasa and His Family
Studio ONI has produced a hand-drawn Japanese ink painting animation titled
“The Tale of Azai Nagamasa and His Family”
as a satellite exhibition work for the NHK Taiga Drama Toyotomi Brothers (BROTHERS IN ARMS).
From February 1, 2026, the film is now on permanent public display at the mini theater of “Gi to Kizuna-kan (Hall of Loyalty and Bonds),” a newly opened cultural facility in Nagahama City, Shiga Prefecture, Japan.
NHK Taiga Dramas are long-running historical television series produced by Japan’s national public broadcaster, NHK, and are regarded as one of the most influential forms of historical storytelling in Japanese popular culture.
This work focuses on Azai Nagamasa, a Sengoku-period warlord of 16th-century Japan, his wife Oichi (sister of the famous warlord Oda Nobunaga), and their three daughters, who later became key historical figures through marriage into powerful ruling families.
Nagahama City is the region where the Azai clan lived, fought, and built their legacy, making it a place deeply connected to their history.
It is a great honor for us to contribute an official work connected to such a historic television series and to present it in the very land where these historical figures once lived and loved.
If you have the opportunity to visit Japan, we warmly invite you to experience the film in Nagahama.
Creative Director
Hiroshi Takane (Studio ONI)
Key Animation / Background Art / Ink Painting Art Director
Sho Hosokawa (Studio ONI)
Storyboard
Kinosuke Rakuga (Studio ONI)
Narration
Risa Imayanagi (Yurin Pro)
Music
Sorasido (Sayaka Asaoka)
Sumochi
harryfaoki
Alpha
Ink, Brushes and Inkstone
Rimpamura
Planning & Production
Canon Marketing Japan Inc.
“Himitsu (Secret)” performed by HIPPY
Honored to have created a hand-drawn Japanese ink and watercolor animation music video in collaboration with Graphinica, blending traditional techniques with animation.
Chief Animation Director, Main Animator
Kinosuke Rakuga
Art Director (Sumi-e & Watercolor)
Sho Hosokawa
Animator
Oksana Grabenko
Digital Color Artist
Irene Trapero
Animator
Mirko De Stefano
Animator
Pedro Marcelino
Animator
Eva Julia Olivares
Animator
Ardie Walton
International Relations Director, Interpreter
Carolyn Anderson
Ink, Brushes and Inkstone
Rimpamura
Associate Producer
Hiroshi Takane
In-between Checker
Tomoko Murakami
Assocoate Director
Eiko Hirayama
Director
Little L
Producer
Wako Kobayashi
Executive Producer
Motoko Fujikuro
Planning & Production
Graphinica, Inc.
International Education & Cultural Exchange
Furman University, United States
On May 20, 2026, Studio ONI Inc. held a special lecture and live demonstration program titled “Studio ONI Creative Experience” in Tokyo for students and faculty members from Furman University in South Carolina, USA.
Hiroshi Takane, Founder and CEO of Studio ONI, spoke about the meaning of human-made creation in the age of AI, how traditional culture can be shared with contemporary audiences, and the role of storytelling in Japanese ink painting animation.
Kinosuke Rakuga, Vice President and Lead Animator, gave a demonstration of character expression through digital Japanese ink painting. Sho Hosokawa, Vice President, Japanese ink painting artist, and Lead Art Director, demonstrated the process of creating traditional background art using brush, ink, and paper.
Carolyn Anderson, Director of International Relations, guided the program and provided explanations in English, helping connect the students with Studio ONI’s creative process. Tenkuroku, Video Director, created the Japanese ink painting VTuber slide visuals, helping communicate Studio ONI’s creative philosophy in an accessible way.
The students’ sincere attention, warm reactions, and thoughtful questions made this a deeply inspiring session for Studio ONI.
Rochester Institute of Technology, United States
On June 14, 2026, Studio ONI Inc. welcomed students from the Rochester Institute of Technology in the United States for a cultural exchange lecture in Tokyo.
The lecture was held as part of the “Manga in Japan” program led by Kofi Bazzell-Smith. The theme was “Dreams.” Through a lecture and live demonstrations, Studio ONI introduced how a single dream can become a story, a character, a world, and eventually a finished creative work.
Carolyn Anderson, Director of International Relations, shared her own experience of coming from the United States to Japan in pursuit of a dream, while also guiding the program and providing explanations in English. Tenkuroku, Video Director, created the Japanese ink painting VTuber slide visuals, helping communicate the worldview of the lecture and Studio ONI’s creative philosophy.
Kinosuke Rakuga, Vice President and Lead Animator, and Sho Hosokawa, Vice President, Japanese ink painting artist, and Lead Art Director, demonstrated how a single dream can take shape as art. Rakuga showed how a character begins to come alive through digital Japanese ink painting, while Hosokawa created the “world” in which that character can live through background art painted with brush, ink, and paper.
To close the lecture, Hiroshi Takane, Founder and CEO of Studio ONI, spoke about his own journey of dreams and his gratitude to the American culture that shaped the roots of his creativity. Reflecting on how he once learned so much from American films and stories, and how they gave him the power to dream, he saw his younger self in the students who now love Japanese manga and animation. With that feeling, he shared the message: “Draw the page that only you can draw.”
Introduction to Our Divisions
Animation Division
Studio ONI specializes in animations that blend digital and analog hand-drawn ink wash painting techniques to create a traditional Japanese aesthetic. Our unique style is showcased in projects like the feature-length animated film Operation ONI, as well as short animations for commercials, music videos and corporate promotional videos.
We are dedicated to hand-drawn animation and do not use any generative AI.
Art Division
At Studio ONI’s Art Division, we offer a diverse range of artistic services, including traditional ink wash and watercolor paintings, sophisticated ink-brush portraits, hybrid digital and analog art, website and app design. We also produce live drawing events.
We received the Visual Impression Award at the “JAPAN Kyoto Trade Exhibition 2025” held in Dubai. Later that same year, we exhibited and sold our sumi-e artworks at Kyoto Takashimaya S.C., one of Japan’s most historic and prestigious department stores.
We are dedicated to hand-drawn art and do not use any generative AI.
Vtuber Division
Vtubers carry the potential to become a new tradition in Japan. At Studio ONI, we create original traditional Japanese ink painting style models.
We are dedicated to hand-drawn design and do not use any generative AI.
| Company Name | Studio ONI Inc. |
| Capital | ¥3,000,000 |
| History | – Established as a limited company in July 2004 – Rebranded as Studio ONI in April 2024 – Reorganized as Studio ONI Inc. in April 2026 |
| Address | 2-30-5-502 Minamino, Tama, Tokyo, Japan |
| Major Clients / Partners | – NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation) – DeNA Co., Ltd. – Yokohama City, Kanagawa, Japan – Nippon Design Center (NDC) – NOMURA Co., Ltd. – Canon Marketing Japan Inc. – Tanseisha Co., Ltd. – Nagahama City, Shiga, Japan – Takashimaya Co., Ltd. – Graphinica, Inc. – Rochester Institute of Technology (USA) – Dentsu Inc. – Toyota Motor Corporation – Sony Group Corporation – Amuse Inc. – Naked Communications Inc. – Wacoal Corporation – Cygames, Inc. – Hakuhodo Inc. – Frontedge Co., Ltd. – Kyoto Entei – Inohana Musoen – Seahorse Agency L.L.C.(UAE) – Voices.com Inc. (Canada) – IMAGE Infotainment Limited (India) – Asia Pacific Academic Co., Ltd. |
| Membership | Tama Chamber of Commerce and Industry |
| Main Financial Institutions | – The Tama Shinkin Bank, Tama Center Branch – Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, Shibuya-ekimae Branch – Japan Finance Corporation |
| Corporate Number | 4010402028130 |
| Qualified Invoice Issuer Number | T4-0104-0202-8130 |
Company Name:
Studio ONI Inc.
Capital:
¥3,000,000
History:
– Established as a limited company in July 2004
– Rebranded as Studio ONI in April 2024
– Reorganized as Studio ONI Inc. in April 2026
Address:
2-30-5-502 Minamino, Tama, Tokyo, Japan
Major Clients / Partners:
– NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation)
– DeNA Co., Ltd.
– Yokohama City, Kanagawa, Japan
– Nippon Design Center (NDC)
– NOMURA Co., Ltd.
– Canon Marketing Japan Inc.
– Tanseisha Co., Ltd.
– Nagahama City, Shiga, Japan
– Takashimaya Company, Limited
– Graphinica, Inc.
– Rochester Institute of Technology (United States)
– Dentsu Inc.
– Toyota Motor Corporation
– Sony Group Corporation
– Amuse Inc.
– Naked Communications Inc.
– Wacoal Corporation
– Cygames, Inc.
– Hakuhodo Inc.
– FRONTAGE INC.
– Kyoto Entei
– Inohana Musoen
– Seahorse Agency L.L.C. (UAE)
– Voices.com Inc.(Canada)
– IMAGE Infotainment Limited (India)
– Asia Pacific Academic Co., Ltd.
Membership:
– Tama Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Main Financial Institutions:
– The Tama Shinkin Bank, Tama Center Branch
– Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, Shibuya-ekimae Branch
– Japan Finance Corporation
Corporate Number
4010402028130
Qualified Invoice Issuer Number:
T4-0104-0202-8130
Hiroshi Takane
CEO, Founder, Representative Director, Creative Director, Executive Producer, Scriptwriter and Copywriter
Hiroshi Takane is a Tokyo-born creative director, producer, and scriptwriter with over 20 years of experience in creative storytelling, advertising, and art direction. As the founder and CEO of Studio ONI Inc., he leads projects that blend Japanese traditional ink painting aesthetics with modern hand-drawn animation.
He has created advertising and branded content for clients such as NHK, LEXUS, SONY, DeNA, Wacoal, BABYMETAL, and Granblue Fantasy, developing story concepts, scripts, worldbuilding, and narrative-driven promotional experiences across these campaigns.
He currently serves as an Honorary Jury Member for the international anime art competition “The GIANT Hunt,” organized by IMAGE Infotainment Limited in India, contributing to a global initiative aimed at discovering and nurturing the next generation of creative talent.
Most recently, Takane contributed to the immersive edutainment facility “Wonderia YOKOHAMA Supported by Umios,” operated by DeNA, where he was responsible for worldbuilding, narrative text design and direction, and writing more than 100 original “Wonderia Tips.”
These texts range from creatures and food to the broader world of Wonderia, blending serious, pop, and comedic tones into a distinctive narrative voice created for the facility. The facility is a large-scale immersive experience space of approximately 4,200㎡ located at BASEGATE Yokohama Kannai.
Previously, Takane served as Creative Director for “The Tale of Nagamasa Azai and His Family,” a hand-drawn animation series created in the style of Japanese traditional ink painting as a satellite exhibition work for the NHK Taiga Drama “Toyotomi Brothers! (BROTHERS IN ARMS).” The work has been on permanent public display since February 1, 2026 at the Azai Three Sisters’ Hometown “Gito Kizuna-kan” in Nagahama City, Shiga Prefecture.
He also served as Associate Producer for the hand-drawn Japanese traditional ink painting and watercolor animation music video “Himitsu,” produced in collaboration with Graphinica, as well as for the Kyoto Takashimaya S.C. ink painting art exhibition.
Takane also wrote scripts for acclaimed video games including 428: Shibuya Scramble and Nintendo’s Fire Emblem series.
In May 2026, Takane planned and structured “Studio ONI Creative Experience,” a special lecture and live demonstration program held in Tokyo for students and faculty members from Furman University in the United States. Under the theme “How Does Traditional Culture Become Modern Anime?”, he spoke to the next generation of creators about the meaning of human craftsmanship in the age of AI, Studio ONI’s creative philosophy behind Japanese ink painting animation, the fusion of traditional culture and modern animation, and cultural storytelling for global audiences.
In June of the same year, he also planned and spoke at a cultural exchange lecture in Tokyo for students from Rochester Institute of Technology, held as part of the “Manga in Japan” program led by Kofi Bazzell-Smith. Under the theme “Dreams,” he shared his gratitude for the American culture that shaped his creative roots, his passion for storytelling, and the meaning of passing the cultural baton to the next generation.
He is a certified lifetime member of Creators HQ, an international creative network based in Dubai.
Sho Hosokawa
Vice President, Executive Producer, Key Animation Artist, Background Artist, and Art Director
Sho Hosokawa is a Kyoto-based artist specializing in Japanese traditional ink painting. Self-taught since childhood, he has pursued the essence of beauty by studying masterpieces from both Eastern and Western art traditions.
His YouTube art channel, Turara-an, has gained over 70,000 followers worldwide, attracting a global audience interested in traditional ink expression and contemporary visual storytelling. In 2025, he received the Visual Impression Award at the JAPAN Kyoto Trade Exhibition held in Dubai, and his works were also exhibited at Kyoto Takashimaya S.C.
Hosokawa served as Original Artist, Background Artist, and Art Director for the hand-drawn Japanese traditional ink painting and watercolor animation music video “Himitsu,” produced in collaboration with Graphinica.
Most recently, he worked as Original Artist, Background Artist, and Japanese traditional ink painting Art Director for “The Tale of Nagamasa Azai and His Family,” a hand-drawn animation series created as a satellite exhibition work for the NHK Taiga Drama “Toyotomi Brothers! (BROTHERS IN ARMS).” The work is permanently exhibited at the Azai Three Sisters’ Hometown “Gito Kizuna-kan” in Nagahama City, Shiga Prefecture.
In May 2026, Hosokawa appeared in “Studio ONI Creative Experience,” a special lecture and live demonstration program for Furman University held in Tokyo. He gave a live demonstration of analog Japanese ink background art using ink and paper, introducing how traditional ink painting expression can connect with the worldbuilding of modern animation. Through his unique worldbuilding approach, “Parallel World Drawing,” he depicted the space and atmosphere in which characters can truly live.
In June of the same year, he also appeared in a cultural exchange lecture for students from Rochester Institute of Technology. Through a live demonstration of background art using brush, ink, and paper, he introduced how Japanese ink painting can create the “world” in which a character lives.
Hosokawa is also a certified lifetime member of Creators HQ, an international network of creative professionals in the global film and media industry based in Dubai.
Kinosuke Rakuga
Vice President, Producer, Chief Animation Director, Action Director, Storyboard Artist, Lead Animator, Character Designer, and Vice Director
Kinosuke Rakuga is the Vice President, Producer, Lead Animator, and Supervising Animation Director at Studio ONI Inc. She is currently working on the ink-brush animated film Operation ONI. Known for her strong sense of responsibility and deep passion for animation, Kinosuke leads a global team with outstanding leadership skills, bringing warmth and energy to every project she oversees.
She served as Supervising Animation Director and Lead Animator for the hand-drawn Japanese traditional ink painting and watercolor animation music video “Himitsu,” produced in collaboration with Graphinica. Her work blends traditional Japanese digital brush techniques with dynamic action, creating animation that is both graceful and powerfully alive. This distinctive style has earned her recognition in Japan and internationally.
Most recently, Kinosuke served as Storyboard Artist for “The Tale of Nagamasa Azai and His Family,” a hand-drawn animation series created as a satellite exhibition work for the NHK Taiga Drama “Toyotomi Brothers! (BROTHERS IN ARMS).” The work is permanently exhibited at the Azai Three Sisters’ Hometown “Gito Kizuna-kan” in Nagahama City, Shiga Prefecture.
In May 2026, Kinosuke appeared in “Studio ONI Creative Experience,” a special lecture and live demonstration program for Furman University held in Tokyo. She gave a live demonstration of character animation using digital Japanese ink painting, introducing the production process of connecting traditional brush expression with emotional expression in modern animation. Through the delicate emotions she brings to characters’ expressions and movements, she conveyed the possibilities of character expression in Japanese ink painting animation to the next generation of creators.
In June of the same year, she also appeared in a cultural exchange lecture for students from Rochester Institute of Technology. Through a live demonstration of digital Japanese ink painting, she introduced how lines, expressions, and movement can bring a character to life.
Company Overview
Announcement of Corporate Reorganization to Studio ONI Inc.
Effective April 1, 2026, Studio ONI has transitioned from a limited liability company to a corporation. Our official name is now Studio ONI Inc.
We would like to express our sincere gratitude to everyone who has supported us over the years. With this new milestone, we will continue to dedicate ourselves wholeheartedly to our creative work and pursue new challenges both in Japan and internationally.
Please note that there are no changes to our registered address, Qualified Invoice Issuer Registration Number, or telephone number as a result of this reorganization.
We sincerely appreciate your continued support for Studio ONI Inc.
Partnership & Integration
In March 2025, Studio ONI Ltd. formed a partnership and integration with the Dubai-based production company Seahorse Agency.
Seahorse Agency is a globally active creative company specializing in art and design. Under the leadership of its founder, Sotüde Yari, the company has collaborated with numerous world-renowned businesses and achieved success in the European and U.S. markets as well.
We are truly honored to have the opportunity to bring our Sumi-e animation to the world through this collaboration. By combining the strengths of both companies, we hope to showcase the creativity of Seahorse Agency, the essence of Dubai, and the beauty of Japan to as many people as possible.
Please feel free to inquire!
