Production I.G
Japanese animation studio behind the Ghost in the Shell, Patlabor, Psycho-Pass, and Haikyu!! franchises.
Last updated August 21, 2026
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Overview
Production I.G is a Japanese animation studio headquartered in Musashino, Tokyo. It was established on December 15, 1987, as I.G Tatsunoko by producer Mitsuhisa Ishikawa and character designer Takayuki Goto. The company emerged from a production team associated with Tatsunoko Production and brought together staff who had worked on projects including the television series Zillion. The initials I.G refer to Ishikawa and Goto. The company adopted the name Production I.G in September 1993 and later developed from a subcontracting studio into a production, financing, rights-management, and international partnership business. In its early years, the studio worked primarily as a subcontractor and production partner. Its involvement in Mamoru Oshii's Patlabor projects helped establish its reputation, while Ishikawa increasingly argued that animation studios needed to participate in copyright ownership and financing rather than depend solely on production fees. To support this strategy, a related planning and production company, Ing, was established in 1990. Production I.G subsequently moved toward serving as a prime contractor, investing in productions, negotiating rights, and participating in the commercial exploitation of works. The studio's major international breakthrough came with the 1995 feature Ghost in the Shell. Its United States home-video release reached the top position on Billboard's U.S. video-sales chart in 1996, helping position Production I.G as one of Japan's most internationally recognized animation companies. The studio continued developing the franchise through films, television series, original video and online productions, and games. Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence, released in 2004, was financed through a more ambitious international model and became the first Japanese animated film selected for competition at the Cannes Film Festival. Production I.G has produced or participated in feature films, television series, original video animations, original net animations, game cinematics, promotional animation, and other visual media. Representative works include Patlabor, Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade, Blood: The Last Vampire and Blood+, Eden of the East, Guilty Crown, Kuroko's Basketball, Haikyu!!, and Psycho-Pass. The studio also created animation sequences for Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill: Vol. 1 and has contributed openings, cut-scenes, and artwork to video-game properties including Bandai Namco's Tales series. The company expanded through subsidiaries, investments, and partnerships. It established Xebec in 1995, invested in Bee Train in 1997, and created Production I.G., LLC in Los Angeles. It co-developed IGPX with Cartoon Network, an early high-profile collaboration between a Japanese animation studio and a U.S. cable network. In 2007, Production I.G became a subsidiary of the IG Port holding company, which also became associated with studios including Wit Studio. Subsequent group development included relationships with Mag Garden, Lingua Franca, and Netflix. Production I.G has also helped generate or support other animation companies, including Wit Studio and Signal.MD. Mitsuhisa Ishikawa served as president and chief executive for many years and became chairman in August 2022, when George Wada assumed the studio's president and chief executive role. Production I.G remains known for technically ambitious, creator-driven animation and for combining studio production with ownership, investment, licensing, and international distribution strategies.
History
Production I.G began on December 15, 1987, when producer Mitsuhisa Ishikawa and character designer Takayuki Goto created I.G Tatsunoko. The studio grew from a team connected with Tatsunoko Production and from personnel involved in Zillion and Studio Chime. Kyoto Animation president Hideaki Hatta supported Ishikawa's establishment of the company and invested in its creation. The initials in the name represented Ishikawa and Goto, while Tatsunoko was retained to acknowledge the studio's origins and to help secure production work. The young company initially depended heavily on subcontracting. Its work on Mamoru Oshii's Patlabor OVA and film projects gave it industry visibility, but Ishikawa believed that subcontracting alone left studios with limited control over revenue and intellectual property. In 1990 he established Ing as a planning and production company capable of handling contracts, financing, and copyright-related business. Production I.G later became the prime production company for Patlabor 2: The Movie and participated financially, illustrating its movement up the value chain. Ing also invested in selected outside projects, including Neon Genesis Evangelion. The name changed to Production I.G in 1993. The studio's 1995 film Ghost in the Shell became a decisive turning point. Its strong international reception, including a leading position on the U.S. Billboard video-sales chart in 1996, helped establish the studio as a global animation brand. Production I.G used the franchise to pursue a more direct rights and production model, obtaining authorization from Kodansha to develop an animated television series, a film, and a video game from the original manga. This allowed the studio to take a more active role in assembling partners and licensing the resulting properties. During the 1990s and 2000s, the company expanded its corporate footprint. It established Xebec in 1995, invested in Bee Train in 1997, and formed a Los Angeles subsidiary. It became a joint-stock company in 1998 and merged Ing into the company in 2000. That year it released Blood: The Last Vampire, described as Japan's first full-digital animated feature and the studio's first project for which it acquired the original rights. The company subsequently increased its television output and worked on adaptations of popular manga as well as original properties. Production I.G pursued international relationships through projects such as IGPX, co-developed and co-produced with Cartoon Network in 2005. It also contributed animation to Kill Bill: Vol. 1 and maintained relationships with global film and entertainment companies. Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence, released in 2004, represented an especially ambitious financing and distribution experiment. Ishikawa and Oshii negotiated directly with Hollywood companies, eventually securing DreamWorks involvement and worldwide distribution. The production also received a major Japanese publicity push through Studio Ghibli producer Toshio Suzuki. The film became the first Japanese animated feature selected for competition at Cannes. In 2007, Production I.G became a subsidiary of IG Port. The wider group later included or supported studios such as Wit Studio and Signal.MD, while Production I.G continued to participate in animation production, rights management, investment, licensing, and international partnerships. Its output has covered feature films, television series, OVAs, ONAs, game-related animation, and advertising or promotional work. The studio's best-known properties include Ghost in the Shell, Patlabor, Psycho-Pass, Blood, Eden of the East, Haikyu!!, Kuroko's Basketball, and Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade. Ishikawa served as president and CEO until August 2022, when George Wada became president and CEO and Ishikawa remained chairman.
- 2022
Leadership transition
[1]George Wada becomes president and CEO, while Mitsuhisa Ishikawa becomes chairman.
- 2007
Integration into IG Port
[1]Production I.G becomes a subsidiary of the IG Port holding company.
- 2005
IGPX partnership with Cartoon Network
[1]Production I.G co-develops and co-produces IGPX with Cartoon Network.
- 2004
Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence is released
[1]The feature is developed through a more direct international financing and distribution strategy.
- 2000
Blood: The Last Vampire is released
[1]The studio releases a fully digital feature and takes original-rights ownership in a project.
- 1995
Ghost in the Shell is released
[1]The feature film becomes the studio's major international breakthrough.
- 1993
Name change to Production I.G
[1]The studio adopts the name it uses today.
- 1990
Ing is founded
[1]Ishikawa establishes a related planning and production company to support financing, contracts, and rights business.
- 1987
I.G Tatsunoko is established
[1]Mitsuhisa Ishikawa and Takayuki Goto establish the predecessor of Production I.G in Tokyo.
Products and positioning
A premium Japanese animation studio emphasizing sophisticated storytelling, high-end visual production, creator-led projects, international collaboration, and participation in intellectual-property ownership and financing.
Animation franchise · 1995
Ghost in the Shell
Production I.G's defining international franchise, originating with the 1995 feature film based on Masamune Shirow's manga. The property expanded into sequel and reboot films, television series, OVAs, ONAs, and games. Its cyberpunk setting, philosophical themes, and detailed digital production helped establish the studio's reputation outside Japan.
Animation franchise · 1989
Patlabor
A major early project associated with Production I.G and director Mamoru Oshii. The studio first worked as a subcontractor and later took a more prominent role, including prime production and investment in Patlabor 2: The Movie. The franchise helped the company move beyond low-margin subcontract work.
Television anime franchise · 2012
Psycho-Pass
A science-fiction crime series produced by Production I.G and developed into multiple television seasons, films, and related releases. It is recognized for its dystopian social systems, police-investigation narrative, and mature thematic approach.
Animated feature and franchise · 2000
Blood: The Last Vampire
A 2000 feature notable for its digital production and for Production I.G's acquisition of original rights. The property later generated derivative works including the television series Blood+.
Television anime series · 2014
Haikyu!!
A sports anime adaptation based on Haruichi Furudate's manga. Production I.G's television series helped make the volleyball story a major international anime property and demonstrated the studio's ability to produce long-running, high-energy broadcast animation.
Animated feature film · 1999
Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade
A dark alternate-history feature directed by Hiroyuki Okiura and produced by Production I.G. It is regarded as one of the studio's technically accomplished and critically respected films.
Marketing campaigns
- 2005IGPX international co-production
Japan · United States
Production I.G worked with Cartoon Network on the development and co-production of IGPX, creating a prominent cross-border television animation project.
Outcome. Expanded the studio's international production and broadcasting relationships.
Brand decisions
2004
Direct international financing for Ghost in the Shell 2: InnocenceStrategyBackground
The studio sought greater control over financing and distribution for a major feature project.
Action taken
Production I.G negotiated directly with Hollywood companies and secured DreamWorks participation and worldwide distribution.
Aftermath
The film received international exposure and became the first Japanese animated feature selected for competition at Cannes.
1990
Move into rights and financingStrategyBackground
Ishikawa considered subcontracting insufficient for sustaining high-quality animation production and supporting creators.
Action taken
The company created Ing to handle planning, contracts, investment, and copyright-related business.
Aftermath
Production I.G gradually became more involved in ownership, financing, and licensing rather than relying only on production fees.
Sources2 sources
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