Image: Signal.MD, Sublimation
IG Port is dissolving Signal.MD.
In an official announcement released on January 24, Japanese holding company IG Port has revealed that its consolidated subsidiary Production I.G will absorb group company Signal MD on June 1, leading to the closure of Signal.MD’s studio.
The purpose of the merger is to improve and enhance the profitability of the entire group, mainly by making effective use of the management resources of both companies. Both Production I.G and Signal.MD have a huge presence in the animation industry, and have made significant contributions to the world of anime.
Production I.G was founded in 1987 by producer Mitsuhisa Ishikawa and character designer Takayuki Goto. The studio is known for producing a number of acclaimed feature films, television series, OVAs, and ONAs, with series titles like Ghost in the Shell, Psycho-Pass, Haikyuu!!, and Kaiju No.8 under its belt. For feature films, Production I.G worked on unforgettable titles like Haikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle, Psycho-Pass the Movie, and Blood: The Last Vampire. In the international sphere, Production I.G is well remembered by the animation sequence included in Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill Vol.1.
On the other hand, Signal.MD was formed in 2014, with Production I.G’s Katsuji Morishita appointed as president. The studio worked on anime titles like Recovery of an MMO Junkie, Platinum End, The Fire Hunter, and Nina the Starry Bride. Signal.MD also worked on films like Words Bubble Up Like Soda Pop, Fate/Grand Order - Divine Realm of the Round Table: Camelot ~ Wandering; Agateram ~, and Birthday Wonderland.