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Lay-duce

Lay-duce, Inc. (株式会社Lay-duce) is a Japanese animation studio specializing in the planning, production, and consulting for , (CG), games, , illustrations, music, and other audiovisual content. Founded on August 9, 2013, by Noritomo Yonai and headquartered in , the company focuses on artist development, character design, management, and the creation of printed materials related to its projects. Under the leadership of CEO Noritomo Yonai, Lay-duce has established itself as a key player in the industry, producing a diverse range of television series, original net animations (ONAs), and original video animations (OVAs) since its inception. The studio's portfolio includes critically acclaimed works such as O Maidens in Your Savage Season (2019 TV series), addressing adolescent and personal growth; Tomo-chan Is a Girl! (2023 TV series), a adaptation; and recent titles like Clevatess (2025 TV series) and Rising Impact (2024 ONA), showcasing the studio's versatility across genres including fantasy, action, and sports. Lay-duce's contributions extend to collaborative efforts, such as episodes in high-profile series like Fate/Grand Order: First Order (2016 special) and OVAs for Magi: Adventure of Sinbad (2014), highlighting its role in supporting major anime adaptations while building its reputation through original and character-driven narratives. The studio continues to expand, with announcements for projects like the second season of Clevatess, reflecting its ongoing commitment to innovative storytelling and visual production in the evolving anime landscape.

History

Founding

Lay-duce was established on , 2013, as an independent animation studio in , . The company was founded by Noritomo Yonai, who served as its first president and CEO. Yonai, previously a producer at Studio Bones, left the established studio to create Lay-duce with a focus on producing character-driven projects. Drawing from his experience at Bones' , which specialized in action and character-focused works, Yonai aimed to build a new entity dedicated to high-quality production. The studio's early mission centered on planning, production, and consulting for , computer-generated imagery (), , and other visual content, alongside artist management and intellectual property handling. In its initial phase, Lay-duce contributed to in-between animation for other studios before transitioning to full production roles. The company's first credited project was the animation production for the short TV series Go! Go! 575 in 2014, marking its entry into original content creation. This groundwork led to independent full productions by 2015, including Classroom Crisis, solidifying Lay-duce's position in the anime industry.

Growth and affiliations

Following its initial years providing in-between animation support for other studios, Lay-duce achieved a significant milestone with its first major in-house production, the original television series Classroom Crisis in 2015, which marked the studio's shift toward leading animation roles on full-length projects. This series, directed by and produced in collaboration with , represented Lay-duce's entry into original storytelling with a focus on sci-fi drama and school life themes. Lay-duce entered a close partnership with the anime production company Twin Engine around 2018, collaborating on multiple projects that allowed for resource sharing and enabled the studio to undertake larger-scale works. Examples include the 2018 action series Release the Spyce, co-produced with Twin Engine and Kadokawa, and the 2021 idol anime I★Chu, which benefited from Twin Engine's planning and production support. This affiliation, involving joint teams and shared creators, expanded Lay-duce's involvement in diverse genres while leveraging Twin Engine's network for broader distribution and creative input. Lay-duce refocused on a mix of original concepts and adaptations, maintaining momentum through steady output in romance and fantasy genres. By 2025, the studio had produced over 20 titles, evolving from support roles to handling key animation for series like the romance comedy Tomo-chan Is a Girl! (2023) and the dark fantasy Clevatess (2025). This growth included expansion into computer-generated (CG) elements as part of its core business and original net animations, such as the Netflix-exclusive sports drama Rising Impact (2024), which incorporated CG for dynamic sequences. These developments underscored Lay-duce's adaptation to streaming platforms and hybrid animation techniques, with Clevatess exemplifying recent fantasy projects featuring beast-themed action and world-building. In September 2025, a second season of Clevatess was announced, further demonstrating the studio's ongoing success.

Productions

Television series

Lay-duce entered the television landscape as the primary for several character-focused series, emphasizing relational dynamics and emotional depth within episodic broadcast formats. These productions, often airing on networks like and , allowed for gradual narrative unfolding suited to weekly television schedules, distinguishing them from more condensed formats. The studio's debut television project was Go! Go! 575 (2014), a 52-episode educational series that aired from January 9 to December 25, 2014, on NHK-E, promoting poetry through rhythmic adventures of club members. Lay-duce's next major project was Classroom Crisis (2015), a 13-episode sci-fi drama that premiered on July 3, 2015, and explored themes of ambition, corporate intrigue, and interpersonal bonds among students at a Martian academy. As an early lead production, it marked the studio's expansion into handling full series animation, blending life with space exploration elements to highlight character growth and conflicts. In 2016, Lay-duce produced Magi: Adventure of Sinbad (TV series), a 13-episode fantasy adventure that aired from April 15 to July 8, 2016, adapting the prequel manga and following young Sinbad's conquests of dungeons and political rise in a mythical world. This series showcased the studio's capability in action-oriented fantasy narratives. In 2017, Lay-duce animated Our Love Has Always Been 10 Centimeters Apart. (original title: Itsudatte Bokura no Koi wa 10 cm Datta.), a 6-episode romance series that premiered on November 24, 2017, delving into the subtle emotional tensions and unrequited feelings among high school friends through music-infused vignettes. The series' focus on nuanced romantic relationships over its short run exemplified Lay-duce's approach to intimate, heartfelt storytelling in television anime. It aired on networks including Tokyo MX and BS11. Lay-duce's adaptation of the Release the Spyce (2018), an 12-episode action series, aired from October 6 to December 22, 2018, following a high school girl recruited into a secret spy organization, blending with slice-of-life elements. The studio's adaptation of the O Maidens in Your Savage Season (original title: Araburu Kisetsu no Otome-domo yo.) aired as a 12-episode coming-of-age drama from July 5 to September 20, 2019, on networks including , centering on a club's awkward explorations of sexuality, friendship, and self-discovery. This production underscored the studio's strength in portraying complex emotional landscapes and , contributing to its recognition for emotionally resonant narratives in the slice-of-life genre. In 2021, : Halfway Through the Idol (original title: I★CHU: Haito de Ataru), a 12-episode idol simulation adaptation, aired from July 6 to September 21, 2021, exploring the competitive world of trainee idols and their personal struggles. Lay-duce produced (2022), a 13-episode about jockey trainees at a racing academy, airing from April 2 to June 25, 2022, emphasizing themes of rivalry and growth in the world. In the same year, (original title: Heroine Tarumono!), a 12-episode series blending idol training with club life, aired from April 7 to June 23, 2022. More recently, Tomo-chan Is a Girl! (original title: Tomo-chan wa Onnanoko!), a 13-episode based on Fumita Yanagida's , premiered on January 4, 2023, broadcasting on channels such as and . The series humorously examines a tomboy's efforts to shift her childhood friend's perception of her, emphasizing themes of gender roles and evolving relationships, which further solidified Lay-duce's reputation for character-centric, emotionally engaging television works. In 2023, The Demon's Cursed Class (original title: Ronowe Sensei no Akuma na Kami Jugyō), a 12-episode series, aired from July 9 to September 24, 2023, following a teacher with demonic powers guiding troubled students. Lay-duce's 2025 productions include Clevatess (original title: Clevatess: Majū no Ō to Akago to Shikabane no Yūsha), a 12-episode fantasy series that aired from July 2 to September 24, 2025, on networks including , depicting a beast lord's redemption through adopting a baby and reviving a hero. A second season has been announced but lacks a confirmed release date as of November 2025. Also in 2025, #Compass 2.0: Combat Providence Analysis System, a 12-episode series based on the , premiered in July 2025, focusing on strategic battles among historical figures. Through these television series, Lay-duce has prioritized genres like romance, drama, and action that leverage broadcast anime's episodic structure to develop deep character interactions, establishing a niche in emotional, slice-of-life storytelling.

Films

Lay-duce's contributions to animated films are primarily in the form of television specials and promotional productions, showcasing their expertise in fluid action animation and detailed character designs within condensed narratives. Their film work often serves as extensions or introductions to larger franchises, emphasizing high-stakes sequences and fantastical elements. One of their notable projects is Fate/Grand Order: First Order (2016), a 72-minute TV special directed by Hitoshi Nanba. Produced in collaboration with and Delightworks, Lay-duce handled the animation production, focusing on intense battle choreography and a post-apocalyptic setting tied to the Fate/Grand Order . The film follows the Security Organization's efforts to avert humanity's extinction through a singularity in Fuyuki, highlighting Lay-duce's ability to deliver dynamic magical combat and atmospheric world-building in a feature-length format. Released on December 31, 2016, as part of a New Year's TV event, it received praise for its visual effects and pacing despite its introductory scope. Following this, Lay-duce produced Fate/Grand Order: Moonlight/Lostroom (2017), a 32-minute co-directed by Hitoshi Nanba and Takurō Tsukada. Again partnering with and Delightworks, the studio animated a prequel to the game's second arc, exploring themes of loss and alternate realities within Chaldea's facilities. Released on December 31, 2017, the project emphasized subtle horror elements and intricate environmental details, demonstrating Lay-duce's versatility in shifting from action-heavy narratives to more introspective storytelling. This work further established their role in the Fate franchise's animated expansions. In addition to franchise specials, Lay-duce has undertaken limited promotional projects, such as Shissou no Fanfare: Arima Kinen-hen (2020), a short original co-produced with for the Japan Racing Association's Arima Kinen horse race event. Directed by Satoshi Ishino, this approximately 5-minute opening movie depicts a dramatic jockey's journey with high-energy racing sequences and motivational themes. Aired on December 20, 2020, it exemplifies Lay-duce's capacity for quick-turnaround, high-impact visuals in non-theatrical contexts, blending sports drama with stylization. Up to 2025, no additional feature-length theatrical releases have been announced, with the studio's output remaining focused on these targeted, budget-conscious endeavors that highlight their animation prowess.

Original video animations

Lay-duce has produced several original video animations (OVAs), often serving as supplemental content tied to popular , games, or ongoing series, allowing for deeper exploration of characters and storylines in non-broadcast formats. These projects typically feature episode lengths ranging from 20 to 74 minutes and are released on Blu-ray or bundled with source material volumes, emphasizing high-quality animation in limited-run productions. One prominent example is Magi: Adventure of Sinbad (2014–2015), a five-episode OVA series adapting the prequel manga by Shinobu Ohtaka, set 30 years before the main Magi storyline and focusing on Sinbad's youthful adventures in a fantasy world of djinn and kingdoms. Episodes released from May 16, 2014, to July 15, 2015, each approximately 25 minutes long, bundled with limited-edition volumes of the manga, providing fans with exclusive content that expands on Sinbad's origin as a dungeon conqueror and leader. The production highlighted Lay-duce's ability to handle dynamic action sequences and intricate world-building in a compact format. Lay-duce also contributed to Haikyu!! LAND VS. AIR (2020), providing in-between animation support for the first episode of this two-part OVA series based on Haruichi Furudate's . Running about 25 minutes per episode, the OVAs depict rival high school teams Nekoma and Karasuno preparing for a practice match, emphasizing team dynamics and training montages as fan-service extensions between TV seasons. Released on Blu-ray, this collaboration showcased Lay-duce's role in enhancing fluid animation within a collaborative production involving multiple studios. These OVA projects demonstrate Lay-duce's versatility in creating experimental or fan-oriented content, often extending source materials through standalone releases that prioritize narrative depth and visual flair over extended serialization, thereby appealing to dedicated audiences in niche formats.

Original net animations

Lay-duce has produced several original animations (ONAs), emphasizing shorter formats and digital-first distribution to reach online audiences through streaming platforms and . These projects often serve as promotional tie-ins or standalone mini-series, allowing the studio to experiment with concise and integrate with broader marketing strategies for games and music projects. Lay-duce's ONAs expanded in the 2020s with projects like Heroine Tarumono! Kiraware Heroine to Naisho no Oshigoto Mini Anime (), a 12-episode chibi-style short series complementing the main TV adaptation. These web-exclusive episodes, released on official social media channels such as , focus on comedic vignettes of the characters' secret side jobs, enhancing fan engagement through bite-sized online content. A notable recent ONA is Rising Impact (2024), a 12-episode sports series (with a second season of 12 episodes following in August 2024) about young golfer Gawain Nanase's journey from a rural talent to professional aspirations, produced in collaboration with creator . Exclusively streamed on , it exemplifies Lay-duce's adaptation to global digital platforms, using episodic structures to build viewer retention in the competitive streaming landscape. Through these ONAs, Lay-duce has positioned itself as a versatile player in digital , leveraging short-form series and platform-specific releases to extend beyond traditional broadcasts and foster ties with gaming and music industries.

Key personnel

Leadership

Noritomo Yonai serves as the founder and CEO of Lay-duce, a position he has held since the studio's establishment on August 9, 2013. Prior to launching the company, Yonai worked as a producer at the anime studio Bones, where he played a key role in the production of the acclaimed series Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (2009), contributing to its development as animation producer. His experience at Bones, particularly in overseeing character-driven narratives, informed the foundational direction of Lay-duce, emphasizing high-quality production across television series and original videos. As CEO, Yonai maintains direct oversight of production strategies and operations, including active involvement in major projects such as Tomo-chan Is a Girl! (2023), where he is credited as animation producer. Under his leadership, Lay-duce navigated a period of affiliation with the production company Twin Engine from 2018 to 2021, during which Yonai also served as a board member, facilitating collaborations and resource sharing in the industry. Following this, the studio transitioned to full independence in 2021, allowing greater autonomy in project selection and creative control. Key executives supporting Yonai include producers focused on business development and partnerships, such as Yuki Sakurada, a producer involved in recent projects like the Fate/Grand Order 2024 Explore Movie, handling production coordination and external collaborations. This executive structure underscores Lay-duce's emphasis on strategic alliances while prioritizing internal production expertise to sustain growth in the competitive anime sector.

Creative staff

Lay-duce's creative staff has played a pivotal role in defining the studio's distinctive approach to , particularly in handling character-driven narratives and dynamic visuals. Notable directors include Hitoshi Nanba, who helmed the 2023 of Tomo-chan wa Onnanoko!, overseeing the integration of comedic timing with expressive character movements to capture the protagonist's unrequited affection. Similarly, Masahiro Andō and Takurō Tsukada co-directed Araburu Kisetsu no Otome-domo yo. in 2019, emphasizing subtle emotional shifts among the high school literature club members through layered directorial choices that balanced dialogue-heavy scenes with introspective pauses. In the realm of action-oriented projects, Yoshikazu Miyao directed the 2016 prequel series Magi: Sinbad no Bouken, where the creative team focused on fluid battle choreography, such as the high-energy sword fights and magical confrontations that highlighted Sinbad's adventurous spirit, drawing on the studio's expertise in dynamic sequencing. Animation directors like Miyako Kamiya contributed significantly to Tomo-chan wa Onnanoko!, serving as chief animation director for multiple episodes and refining character designs to enhance the and romantic tension through exaggerated yet naturalistic poses. The Lay-duce Animation Department has been instrumental in supporting key projects, providing in-between animation for , where staff members including Ikue Yoshima and Sayaka Takahashi ensured smooth transitions in emotional close-ups and group interactions across eight episodes. In collaborative efforts, the department offered in-between support for in 2020, with animators like Ji Won Kim and Jing Jing Wu contributing to episode 25's volleyball sequences, maintaining consistency in fast-paced athletic motion. Lay-duce's visual style reflects its origins as a studio founded in 2013 by former Bones producer Noritomo Yonai. This heritage is evident in the studio's romance adaptations, where animators prioritize nuanced facial expressions and —such as the subtle blushes and hesitant gestures in Tomo-chan wa Onnanoko!—to convey unspoken emotions without relying on overt dialogue. More recently, Hiroshi Ikehata directed Clevatess (2024 TV series), blending fantasy elements with strategic action. Masakazu Hishida helmed the ONA Rising Impact (2024), focusing on sports drama and character development in .

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