News Reporting

Manglobe Rumored Insolvent, Animators Scrambling To Find Work


It’s never good to report news like this.

Earlier today, animator Toshio Kobayashi (Mobile Suit Gundam UC effect animation director) revealed that anime studio Manglobe has become insolvent. Kobayashi tweeted that, due to the studio’s inability to pay its debts, his expected income for this month and the next is unavailable.

The Twitter post has since been deleted, though his requests for work and notice of unemployment are still online.

Rough Translation: I’m unemployed. (・∀・)ゞ

Rough Transltion: [Breaking] I said, I’ve become unemployed.

Translation: [Urgent Employment] Please contact me for work.

Kobayashi isn’t the only animator to express distress over the news. Hayate the Combat Butler! animator Hideto Komori tweeted his own reactions to the news, which began as a questioning as to whether he would get paid, which quickly turned to distress. He was unable to contact certain people, and needs to look for new work.

Kobayashi continued, explaining how people can claim unpaid wages from a bankrupt company.

Rough Translation: My salary wasn’t credited…?

Rough Translation: SOmebody help me – (*_*)

Rough translation: I’m not out to cut out or hang up on anybody

Rough Translation: A solution to retrieving salaries from a bankrupt company, up to a maximum of 80%! Summary at http://Camatome.Com/2013/01/kyuryo -Mibarai-Torimodoseru.Php …

Rough Translation: Nothing subtle, so I’m taking hard work. I’m good to last, but not for long…

As of today, Manglobe’s website is offline.

Anime studio Manglobe produced a number of fan-favorite titles, including Samurai Champloo, Hayate the Combat Butler, Samurai Flamenco, and Gangsta..

Sources: Anime News Network, Otakomu

About the author

Samantha Ferreira

Samantha Ferreira is Anime Herald’s founder and editor-in-chief. A Rhode Island native, Samantha has been an anime fan since 1992, and an active member of the anime press since 2002, when she began working as a reviewer for Anime Dream. She launched Anime Herald in 2010, and continues to oversee its operations to this day. Outside of journalism, Samantha actively studies the history of the North American anime fandom and industry, with a particular focus on the 2000s anime boom and bust. She’s a huge fan of all things Sakura Wars, and maintains series fansite Combat Revue Review when she has free time available. When not in the Anime Herald Discord, Samantha can typically be found on Bluesky.

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