Xebec (studio)

Xebec, Inc. (Japanese: 株式会社ジーベック, Hepburn: Kabushiki-gaisha Jībekku) was a Japanese animation studio based in Kokubunji, Tokyo, founded by former Tatsunoko Production animators on May 1, 1995. They have worked on many popular series such as Martian Successor Nadesico, Love Hina, Shaman King, To Love Ru, Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs, and Star Blazers: Space Battleship Yamato 2202.

Xebec, Inc.
Native name
株式会社ジーベック
Kabushiki-gaisha Jībekku
TypeKabushiki gaisha
IndustryJapanese animation
FateSold to Sunrise with some assets remaining with Production I.G
SuccessorSunrise Beyond
FoundedMay 1, 1995 (1995-05-01)[1]
DefunctMay 31, 2019 (2019-05-31)
Headquarters3-22-31 Minami-cho, Kokubunji, Tokyo, Japan 〒 185-0021 Southern Building 5F[1]
Key people
Nobuyoshi Habara (President)
Total equity¥10,000,000[1]
Number of employees
100
DivisionsXEBEC M2 (2003–2010; defunct)
XEBECzwei (2010–2019; given to Production I.G)

The company logotype is interesting in that it includes the International Phonetic Alphabet transcription: [zíːbek], not of the Japanese pronunciation, but of a presumed "English" pronunciation.

Closure

On November 20, 2018, Xebec's parent company, IG Port, sold the studio to Sunrise after constant deficits that the subsidiary had in different years.[2][3]

On March 5, 2019, Sunrise announced that they established a new company, Sunrise Beyond, at Xebec's address, with Xebec's operations being transferred to it.[4]

Xebec ceased to exist as a business entity on May 31, 2019. Its post-production teams, which were not part of the sale to Sunrise, were broken up and consolidated into several IG Port companies, but Production I.G inherited the company's assets. Copyright of Xebec's past works reverted to the IG Port group as a whole.[5]

Works

TV

OVA

Movies

Game animation

Divisions

In 2003 the subsidiary Xebec M2 was established, which focuses in providing animation assistance for their main studio and other companies (including OLM, as in Pokémon: Destiny Deoxys). It has also produced three full series: Petopeto-san, ZOMBIE LOAN and Hitohira. Its last activity was in 2009/2010.[6]

In 2010, it was followed by Xebeczwei, which handled in-between, key, and 2nd key animation for Xebec's main studio and other anime studios. It later produced the full series Fafner in the Azure: Exodus, which ran throughout 2015.[7]

In late 2018, it was announced the coloring department of Xebec would be transferred to Signal.MD following the release of the former from IG Port. In addition, Xebeczwei would be transferred to Production I.G as a subsidiary and subsequently be renamed IGzwei.[8]

References
  1. "Xebec Company, Inc" (in Japanese). Xebec. Retrieved 2009-09-30.
  2. "Anime Studio Xebec's Production Operations to Be Transfered [sic] to Sunrise". Anime News Network. November 20, 2018. Retrieved November 20, 2018.
  3. https://www.nikkei.com/nkd/disclosure/tdnr/bepnnh/
  4. "Sunrise Establishes Sunrise Beyond Studio at Xebec's Current Address". Anime News Network. March 5, 2019. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  5. http://animationbusiness.info/archives/7512
  6. "XEBEC M2（エムツー）" (in Japanese). Xebec. Archived from the original on 2008-12-05. Retrieved 2014-09-22.
  7. "蒼穹のファフナー EXODUS". XEBECzwei (in Japanese). XEBEC. Retrieved 2014-09-22.
  8. Loo, Egan (January 12, 2018). "Fafner Production Stays With IG Port as XEBECzwei Studio Is Renamed". AnimeNewsNetwork. Retrieved January 12, 2018.
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