The official Twitter account for studio SHAFT announced on Friday, June 10, 2022, that they have opened a new animation production set up, Shaft aoi, in Shizuoka’s Aoi Ward. The new studio will focus mainly on 2D and 3DCG animation.

At the new studio, Shaft aims to create and develop new animation styles. Since 2004, Shaft’s productions have been broadly influenced by director Akiyuki Shinbo, whose visual style and avant-garde cinematography are featured in works including Hidamari Sketch (2007), Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei (2007), the Monogatari series (2009–2019), Puella Magi Madoka Magica (2011), Nisekoi (2014), and March Comes In like a Lion (2016).

In addition, Studio Shaft aoi intends to hire and train local talents who can actively take part in animation without sacrificing the convenience of their existing privileged surroundings.

The new anime studio will be entirely digital, employing a variety of software, including Toon Boom Harmony in their animation process.

Studio aoi will also produce animation in a “hybrid” animation model, establishing a team that can work in both a traditional and CG animation space at the same time. This team will also handle the majority of the production process, from animation through post-production.

Shaft, also known as Studio Shaft, is a Japanese animation studio headquartered in Suginami, Tokyo, and founded in 1975.

Source: Mantan Web, Game biz