also branded as is a Japanese animation studio. It is a spinoff of Sunrise, a subsidiary of Bandai Namco Filmworks which is owned by Bandai Namco Holdings. The company was formed as a part of the medium-term management plan of Bandai Namco Holdings on restructuring itself. All the anime intellectual property, copyright and production divisions of Sunrise that target children and family were transferred to BN Pictures such as Sgt. Frog, the Battle Spirits series, the Aikatsu series, the Gintama series, the Zorori series among others. Aside from its animation studio operations, the company also handles character licensing and domestic video releases for its works. The company began its operations in April 2015.
History
On February 12, 2015, Bandai Namco Holdings announced plans to restructure itself through the usage of a three-year medium-management plan. The company sought to focus its resources on creating new intellectual properties (IPs) and marketable characters, and required faster planning and development time to satisfy these demands. Bandai Namco executives also believed it was necessary for its IP Creation content area to strengthen ties with its Toy and Hobby area, as it would lead to both strong relationships between the two divisions and allow for future product collaborations.
As part of its efforts to fulfill these obligations, Bandai Namco Pictures was established in April 2015 in Nerima, Tokyo. Headed by Masayuki Ozaki, the representative director of animation studio Sunrise, the company was to lead its parent's "Strengthen IP Creation Output" project and focus on the creation of new characters and franchises, specifically those targeted towards children and families. Bandai Namco Pictures would also work together with the Toy and Hobby division of Bandai Namco Holdings to strengthen the linkage between the two areas of the latter company. BNP absorbed Sunrise's production departments and copyrights relating to children-oriented IPs, becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of Sunrise and part of Bandai Namco's IP Creation department.
The company's first project was Aikatsu!, an anime based on the Bandai trading card arcade game of the same name which had been produced by Sunrise until that point. In addition to working on pre-established franchises, BNP would produce several original projects, such as the stop-motion animation series Milpom! BNP focused primarily on series and characters targeted towards children and families, though some, such as Tiger & Bunny and the Gintama series, were aimed at older audiences. The company regularly collaborates with other subsidiaries within Bandai Namco Holdings; in 2016, it partnered with Bandai Namco Entertainment to produce Dream Festival!, a multimedia franchise centered around video games and original net animations.
In August 2018, BNP opened a division in Osaka, the BN Pictures Osaka Studio, for the purpose of digitally transferring animation to decrease production times. The company hoped the success and productivity from the Osaka Studio could allow for additional offices to be opened in Japan and eventually overseas. A year later in October, BNP absorbed Studio Dub, an animation subcontractor established by former Sunrise animators. The acquisition renamed the company BN Pictures Iwaki, though it continues using the name Studio Dub for its projects.
Works Television series Title Director(s)First runstart dateFirst runend date Broadcast network(s) Notes Kunihisa SugishimaApril 1, 2015March 30, 2016TV Tokyo51Original work, Battle Spirits production produced by BN PicturesTribe Cool CrewMasaya FujimoriApril 5, 2015October 4, 2015Nagoya TV, TV Asahi26Original work, took over production from SunriseGintama°Chizuru MiyawakiApril 8, 2015March 30, 2016 TV Tokyo51Based on the Gintama manga series by Hideaki Sorachi, first Gintama production produced by BN PicturesAikatsu!Ryūichi KimuraOctober 1, 2015March 31, 201626Original work, took over production from SunriseBrave BeatsYūta MuranoOctober 6, 2015March 27, 2016Nagoya TV, TV Asahi22Original workKunihisa SugishimaApril 6, 2016March 29, 2017 TV Tokyo51Original work, second Battle Spirits production produced by BN PicturesAikatsu Stars!Teruo SatōApril 7, 2016March 29, 2018100Original workShinji IshihiraSeptember 18, 2016September 24, 2017Nagoya TV, TV Asahi50 Original workGintama.Chizuru MiyawakiJanuary 8, 2017October 7, 2018 TV Tokyo51 Second Gintama production produced by BN PicturesAlso known as Gintama. Porori-hen and Gintama. Shirogane no Tamashii-henAikatsu Friends!Shishō IgarashiApril 5, 2018September 26, 201976Original workB-PROJECT～Zecchō＊Emotion～Makoto MoriwakiJanuary 11, 2019March 29, 2019 Tokyo MX12Original workAikatsu on Parade!Shishō IgarashiOctober 5, 2019March 28, 2020 TV Tokyo25Original workWelcome to Demon School! Iruma-kunMakoto MoriwakiOctober 5, 2019present NHK Educational TV65 Renewed for season 4Takahide OgataApril 5, 2020September 21, 202275Based on the Kaiketsu Zorori book series by Yutaka Hara, co-production with AjiadoMitsutoshi SatōOctober 9, 2020April 9, 2021 Tokyo MX26Original work, first premiered on BN Pictures' YouTube channel on September 28, 2020 before launching on television.Aikatsu Planet!Ryūichi KimuraJanuary 10, 2021June 27, 2021 TV Tokyo25 Original work, live-action/anime hybridCestvs: The Roman FighterApril 15, 2021June 24, 2021 Fuji TV11Based on the manga series by Shizuya WazaraiBirdie Wing: Golf Girls' StoryTakayuki InagakiApril 6, 2022June 24, 2023 TV Tokyo25Original workRaven of the Inner PalaceChizuru MiyawakiOctober 1, 2022December 24, 2022 Tokyo MX13 Based on the light novel series by Kōko ShirakawaMalevolent Spirits: MononogatariRyūichi KimuraJanuary 10, 2023September 19, 202324Based on the manga series by OniguzouWistoria: Wand and Sword July 7, 2024 present TBS12Based on the manga series written by Fujino Ōmori and illustrated by Toshi Aoi, co-production with ActasI Left My A-Rank Party to Help My Former Students Reach the Dungeon Depths!Katsumi OnoJanuary 12, 2025June 29, 2025 Nippon TV24Based on the light novel series by Kōsuke UnagiMashin Creator WataruYumi KamakuraJanuary 12, 2025June 22, 2025 TV Tokyo24Fourth installment in Sunrise's Mashin Hero Wataru seriesRock Is a Lady's ModestyShinya WatadaApril 3, 2025June 26, 2025 TBS13Based on the manga series by Hiroshi Fukuda ShabakeTakahiro ŌkawaOctober 3, 2025December 26, 2025 Fuji TV13Based on the novel series by Megumi HatanakaGintama: Mr. Ginpachi's Zany ClassOctober 7, 2025December 23, 2025 TV Tokyo12 Based on the light novel series written by Tomohiko Ōsaki and illustrated by Hideaki Sorachi, spin-off to the Gintama franchiseSgt. Frog☆October 3, 2026Based on the Sgt. Frog manga series by Mine YoshizakiMasashi KudoOctober 6, 2026 Tokyo MX Original work, Battle Spirits production produced by BN Pictures
Films TitleDirector(s)Release dateDistributor NotesIncredible Zorori: Heroes of SpaceTomoko IwasakiSeptember 12, 2015 Tokyo TheatersCo-produced with AjiadoAikatsu! Music Awards - The Show Where Everyone Gets an Award!Shinya WatadaAugust 22, 2015 Toei CompanyAikatsu Stars! The MovieShinya Watada August 13, 2016Aikatsu! The Targeted Magical Aikatsu CardRyūichi KimuraDouble-billed with Aikatsu Stars! The MovieIncredible Zorori: Secret of the Double ZMasaya FujimoriNovember 22, 2017 Tokyo TheatersCo-produced with AjiadoGintama: The Very FinalChizuru MiyawakiJanuary 8, 2021 Warner Bros. JapanHula Fulla DanceDecember 3, 2021 Aniplex Aikatsu Planet! The MovieRyūichi KimuraJuly 15, 2022 BN PicturesAikatsu! 10th Story: Starway to the FutureRyūichi KimuraJuly 15, 2022 (short film)January 20, 2023 (feature film)The short-film version was double-billed with Aikatsu Planet! The MovieIncredible Zorori: Lalala A Star Is BornTakahide OgataDecember 9, 2022 Tokyo TheatersCo-produced with AjiadoTakahiro OkawaOctober 10, 2025BN PicturesNaoya AndoFebruary 13, 2026Warner Bros. PicturesNew Theatrical Movie Keroro Gunsō: Upon Revival, Immediately Facing the Threat of Earth's Destruction!June 26, 2026KadokawaBandai Namco Filmworks
OVA/ONAs Title Director(s)First runstart dateFirst runend date NotesMilpom! (Pilot)N/AMarch 20, 2015N/A1Milpom!N/ASeptember 5, 2015September 29, 20176Dream Festival!Yūta MuranoSeptember 23, 2016December 16, 201612Co-produced with Ajia-do Animation WorksGintama°: Love Incense ArcChizuru MiyawakiYouichi FujitaApril 8, 2015March 30, 20162Dream Festival! RYūta MuranoAugust 23, 2017November 8, 201712Co-produced with Ajia-do Animation Works Gintama: Monster Strike-henN/AAugust 29, 2019September 4, 20192Fight League: Gear Gadget GeneratorsDaisuke NakajimaFebruary 14, 2019August 8, 201926Co-Produced by XFLAGBattle Spirits: Kakumei no Galette Masaki WatanabeAugust 28, 2020April 23, 20215Aikatsu on Parade! Dream StoryShishō IgarashiMarch 28, 2020July 11, 20206Tiger & Bunny 2Mitsuko KaseApril 8, 2022October 7, 202225
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