Studio Hibari
Studio Hibari is a Japanese animation production company established in 1979 and known for television animation, digital production, subsidiary studios, and animation brands including Lerche.
Last updated August 22, 2026
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Overview
Studio Hibari is a Japanese animation studio founded in July 1979 in Ōizumi, Gunma Prefecture. The company was established by Sachiko Mitsunobu, a former cel-colorist at Tsuchida Production, and her husband, anime director Hiroyoshi Mitsunobu. It began as a production-services and animation company and later developed a broader production structure encompassing traditional animation, digital coloring, compositing, three-dimensional computer graphics, overseas support, and related sound and music activities. The Mitsunobu family has remained central to the company’s development. Their son, Seiji Mitsunobu, became managing director in 1985 and president in 2002. Studio Hibari moved its head office to Nerima Ward in Tokyo in 1998, reflecting its development beyond its original Gunma base. In 1999, the company made its television-animation production debut with Sensual Phrase. The studio subsequently reorganized its facilities as its workforce and technical departments expanded, moving digital functions into separate premises before consolidating departments again in 2007. A major stage in Studio Hibari’s evolution was the creation of an in-house 3DCG department in 2003. That division was separated into a distinct studio in 2006 and became Larx Entertainment, a wholly owned subsidiary. In 2009, Studio Hibari opened an office in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The Vietnamese operation later became associated with Sao Sang Design and was incorporated as Hibari Vietnam in 2022. These developments gave the group an international production-support footprint in addition to its Japanese studios. In 2011, Studio Hibari established Lerche as an animation brand. Much of the company’s subsequent animation production was released under the Lerche name, allowing Studio Hibari to operate both as a corporate production organization and through a recognizable creative label. The group also expanded in Japan by incorporating Osaka-based studio IngresA in 2020 and reorganizing it as Studio Hibari Osaka Studio. Its related music and sound-production company, AZ Creative, was reported to have adopted the name Alouette Studio by 2025. Studio Hibari has worked across television animation, original video and online animation, films, and commissioned or contributed animation for games. Listed game-related credits include Dragon Master Silk, Gotcha Force, Persona 4, Shining Force Feather, and Disgaea D2: A Brighter Darkness. The company also maintains a relationship with the China-based Qixie Studio, formerly Shanghai M.C.C., founded by producer Li Jiawen after his earlier experience at Studio Hibari. Since 2023, personnel connected with Li’s studio have reportedly received credits under names including Laplace Animation and Hibari Shanghai. The company’s present identity is therefore broader than that of a single animation production unit. Studio Hibari functions as a Japanese animation group with domestic branches, overseas subsidiaries or affiliates, branded production labels, digital capabilities, and related audio operations. Its historical continuity is marked by family management, gradual technical modernization, expansion into international production, and the use of specialized group companies and brands.
History
Studio Hibari was founded in July 1979 in Ōizumi, Gunma Prefecture, by Sachiko Mitsunobu and Hiroyoshi Mitsunobu. Sachiko had worked as a cel-colorist at Tsuchida Production, while Hiroyoshi was an anime director. Their son, Seiji Mitsunobu, joined the company’s management and became managing director in 1985. The company moved its head office from Ōizumi to Tokyo’s Nerima Ward in 1998. The following year it produced its first television animation, Sensual Phrase. As operations expanded, Studio Hibari reorganized its premises to accommodate additional production departments and technical capabilities. In 2002, Seiji Mitsunobu became president, and the company established an internal 3DCG department in 2003. Digital coloring, compositing, and three-dimensional production were subsequently handled through separate facilities as the staff grew, before the company brought its departments together in a single building in 2007. The 3DCG division was incorporated as a separate studio in 2006 and became Larx Entertainment, a wholly owned subsidiary. Studio Hibari also pursued international expansion. It opened an office in Ho Chi Minh City in 2009; that operation became associated with Sao Sang Design and was later incorporated as Hibari Vietnam in 2022. Studio Hibari established Lerche as an animation brand in 2011. The brand became the name attached to much of the group’s later animation production, while Studio Hibari continued to serve as the broader corporate and production organization. In 2020, the company took in Osaka-based studio IngresA, a subsidiary of Ingres, and reorganized it as Studio Hibari Osaka Studio. The group’s related music and sound-production company AZ Creative was reported to have rebranded as Alouette Studio by 2025. The company has also maintained a relationship with Qixie Studio in China, formerly known as Shanghai M.C.C. Its founder, Li Jiawen, had worked at Studio Hibari before returning to China and establishing his own production organization. Since 2023, members of that studio have reportedly appeared in credits under names such as Laplace Animation and Hibari Shanghai. Studio Hibari’s production history spans television animation, original video and online animation, films, and game-related animation. Its listed video-game work includes Dragon Master Silk, Gotcha Force, animation contributions to Persona 4, Shining Force Feather, and Disgaea D2: A Brighter Darkness. The company’s development reflects the transformation of a traditional Japanese animation studio into a group with specialized digital subsidiaries, branded labels, overseas operations, and related sound-production capabilities.
- 2025
AZ Creative rebrands as Alouette Studio
[1]The group’s music and sound-production company AZ Creative is reported to have adopted the Alouette Studio name.
- 2022
Hibari Vietnam becomes a subsidiary entity
[1]The Vietnam operation previously associated with Sao Sang Design is incorporated as Hibari Vietnam.
- 2020
Studio Hibari Osaka Studio is organized
[1]The company incorporates Osaka-based IngresA and reorganizes it as Studio Hibari Osaka Studio.
- 2011
Lerche is established
[1]Studio Hibari creates Lerche as an animation production brand.
- 2009
Vietnam office opens
[1]Studio Hibari opens an office in Ho Chi Minh City, later associated with Sao Sang Design.
- 2006
Larx Entertainment is formed
[1]The 3DCG division is separated into a studio that becomes Larx Entertainment, a wholly owned subsidiary.
- 2003
3DCG department is established
[1]Studio Hibari creates an internal department dedicated to three-dimensional computer graphics.
- 2002
Seiji Mitsunobu becomes president
[1]Seiji Mitsunobu becomes president as the company expands its production departments and facilities.
- 1999
Television production debut
[1]The studio makes its television-animation production debut with Sensual Phrase.
- 1998
Head office moves to Tokyo
[1]Studio Hibari relocates its head office from Ōizumi to Nerima Ward in Tokyo.
Products and positioning
A Japanese animation production group combining long-running 2D animation expertise with digital compositing, 3DCG, branded production labels, overseas production support, and related audio services.
Animation production · 1999
Television animation
Studio Hibari produces and contributes to television anime. Its first television production was Sensual Phrase, released in 1999. Later work has often appeared through the Lerche brand, which Studio Hibari established in 2011.
Animation brand · 2011
Lerche
Lerche is an animation label established by Studio Hibari in 2011. It became the brand under which much of Studio Hibari’s subsequent animation production was released.
3DCG studio · 2006
Larx Entertainment
Larx Entertainment originated from Studio Hibari’s 3DCG department. It was established as a separate studio in 2006 and operates as a wholly owned subsidiary focused on three-dimensional computer graphics and related animation work.
Video-game animation · 1997
Game animation and cutscenes
Studio Hibari has supplied animation or contributed cutscenes for games including Dragon Master Silk, Gotcha Force, Persona 4, Shining Force Feather, and Disgaea D2: A Brighter Darkness.
Audio production
Music and sound production
The Studio Hibari group includes a music and sound-production operation formerly known as AZ Creative, which was reported to have rebranded as Alouette Studio by 2025.
Brand decisions
2020
Incorporate IngresA into the groupM&ABackground
Studio Hibari expanded its Japanese production network by taking in Osaka-based IngresA, a subsidiary of Ingres.
Action taken
The company reorganized the Osaka operation as Studio Hibari Osaka Studio.
Aftermath
The group gained a designated Osaka branch studio.
2011
Establish the Lerche animation brandStrategyBackground
Studio Hibari sought a dedicated identity for a substantial portion of its later animation production.
Action taken
The company launched Lerche as an animation brand.
Aftermath
Many subsequent Studio Hibari productions were made or released under the Lerche name.
2006
Separate the 3DCG division as Larx EntertainmentStrategyBackground
Studio Hibari’s 3DCG activities had expanded from an internal department into a distinct production operation.
Action taken
The division was incorporated as a separate studio and became Larx Entertainment, wholly owned by Studio Hibari.
Aftermath
The move created a specialized group company for three-dimensional computer graphics production.
Sources1 sources
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