Studio Trigger

Trigger, Inc. (Japanese: 株式会社トリガー, Hepburn: Kabushiki-gaisha Torigā), also known as Studio Trigger, is a Japanese animation studio founded by former Gainax employees Hiroyuki Imaishi and Masahiko Ōtsuka in 2011. It has produced anime works including Kill la Kill (2013), Little Witch Academia (short films, 2013 and 2015; TV series, 2017), Promare (2019), BNA: Brand New Animal (2020), Cyberpunk: Edgerunners (2022), and Delicious in Dungeon (2024), as well as the animated continuations of Gridman the Hyper Agent: SSSS.Gridman (2018), SSSS.Dynazenon (2021), and Gridman Universe (2023).

Trigger, Inc.

Native name	株式会社トリガー
Romanized name	Kabushiki-gaisha Torigā
Company type	Subsidiary
Industry	Anime and production enterprise
Predecessor	Gainax
Founded	August 22, 2011; 13 years ago (2011-08-22)
Founders	Hiroyuki Imaishi Masahiko Ōtsuka
Headquarters	Kichijōji, Musashino, Tokyo , Japan[1]
Key people	Masahiko Ōtsuka[a] Yoshiki Usa[b] Hiroyuki Imaishi[c] Kazuya Masumoto[d]
Parent	Ultra Super Pictures
Subsidiaries	Trigger Dōga-bu (2013)
Website	www.st-trigger.co.jp

History

Studio Trigger was founded by former Gainax employee Hiroyuki Imaishi, following his success with Gurren Lagann (2007). This led to the creation of Studio Trigger, with Gurren Lagann's visual humor and style defining the studio's work, and Trigger being seen as a successor to Gainax.^[2][3]

Studio Trigger was established on August 22, 2011,^[4][5] by Hiroyuki Imaishi and Masahiko Ōtsuka^[6] shortly after leaving Gainax.^[7] The studio name and official website was revealed in October 2011.^[8] The first animation they released was for the game Project X Zone.^[9] Along with assisting production on various series, Trigger released a short film, Little Witch Academia,^[10] and developed its first original anime television series, Kill la Kill, which aired from October 2013 to March 2014.^[11][12] On July 8, 2013, Trigger launched a Kickstarter project in order to fund a second episode of Little Witch Academia. The project was well received and achieved its goal of $150,000 in under five hours, and went on to raise a total of $625,518.^[13]

Studio Trigger, along with studios Sanzigen and Ordet, joined joint holding company Ultra Super Pictures.^[14]

In 2018, Studio Trigger created a Patreon with the goal of acquiring necessary funding for projects and merchandise. As of February 2025, Studio Trigger's Patreon offers two support tiers for patrons (US$1/month and US$5/month), has over 6000 members, and raises over US$3,000 per month.^[15]

In 2023, Trigger announced it had acquired the rights to Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt and Gurren Lagann, and announced a follow-up series for Panty & Stocking and a North American re-screening of both Gurren Lagann movies.^[16][17]

Productions

Anime television series

Year	Title	Network	Director(s)	Eps.	Note(s)	Refs.
2013–2014	Kill la Kill	MBS	Hiroyuki Imaishi	24 +OVA	Original work.	[18]
2014	When Supernatural Battles Became Commonplace	TV Tokyo	Masahiko Ōtsuka (chief) Masanori Takahashi	12	Based on a light novel by Kōta Nozomi.	[19]
2016	Space Patrol Luluco	AT-X	Hiroyuki Imaishi	13	Original work.	[20]
	Kiznaiver	ABC	Hiroshi Kobayashi	12	Original work.	[21]
2017	Little Witch Academia	Tokyo MX	Yoh Yoshinari	25	Based on Trigger's short film of the same name.	[22]
2018	Darling in the Franxx	Tokyo MX	Atsushi Nishigori	24	Original work. Co-production with CloverWorks and A-1 Pictures.	[23]
	SSSS.Gridman	WOWOW	Akira Amemiya	12	Based on the tokusatsu series Gridman the Hyper Agent by Tsuburaya Productions.	[24]
2020	BNA: Brand New Animal	+Ultra	Yoh Yoshinari	12	Original work.	[25]
2021	SSSS.Dynazenon	Tokyo MX	Akira Amemiya	12	Studio's 10th anniversary project. Related to SSSS.Gridman.	[26]
2024–present	Delicious in Dungeon	Tokyo MX	Yoshihiro Miyajima	24+	Based on a manga by Ryoko Kui.	[27] [28]
2025	New Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt	TBA	Hiroyuki Imaishi	TBA	Upcoming project based on the original series by predecessor studio Gainax.	[29]

Anime films

Year	Title	Director(s)	Dur.	Note(s)	Refs.
2013	Little Witch Academia	Yoh Yoshinari	30m	Original work. Produced for Anime Mirai 2013.	[10]
2015	Little Witch Academia: The Enchanted Parade		55m	Original work. Sequel to the first Little Witch Academia film.	[30]
2019	Promare	Hiroyuki Imaishi	115m	Original work. CG animation produced by Sanzigen.	[31]
2023	Gridman Universe	Akira Amemiya	118m	Crossover between SSSS.Gridman and SSSS.Dynazenon.	[32]

Original net animations

Year	Title	Director(s)	Eps.	Note(s)	Refs.
2012–2013	Inferno Cop	Akira Amemiya	13	Original work. Released on YouTube.	[33]
2013	Turning Girls	Masahiko Ōtsuka Ren Shimorenjaku	7	Original work. Released on YouTube.	[34]
2015	Japan Animator Expo	Akira Amemiya (#9) Yasuhiro Yoshiura (#11, #29) Hiroyuki Imaishi (#14)	—	Four shorts: Electronic Superhuman Gridman: Boys Invent Great Hero (#9; based on Gridman the Hyper Agent),[35] Power Plant No. 33 (#11; co-produced with Studio Rikka),[36] Sex & Violence with Machspeed (#14),[37] and Bureau of Proto Society (#29; co-produced with Studio Rikka).[38]
	Ninja Slayer From Animation	Akira Amemiya	26	Based on the novel series by Bradley Bond and Philip "Ninj@" Morzez. Released on Niconico.	[39]
2021	Star Wars: Visions	Hiroyuki Imaishi (#3) Masahiko Otsuka (#7)	—	Episodes #3 ("The Twins") and #7 ("The Elder"). Co-production with Lucasfilm, released on Disney+.	[40][41]
2022	Cyberpunk: Edgerunners	Hiroyuki Imaishi	10	Based on the video game Cyberpunk 2077 published by CD Projekt. Co-production with CD Projekt, released on Netflix.	[42]

Other productions

• Project X Zone (2012; game) – Opening animation production^[43]
• Yonhyakunijuu Renpai Girl (2013; PV) – Promotional video for light novel published by Enterbrain^[44]
• Hacka Doll (2014; PV) – Promotional videos for mobile news app by DeNA^[45]
• Bishoujo Mobage: Mobami-chan (2014; PV) – Promotional video for mobile game by DeNA^[46]
• Black Dynamite (2014; TV) – Season 2 opening animation production; co-production with Sanzigen^[47]
• Hacka Doll the Animation (2015; TV) – Animation assistance^[48]
• Battlesaurs (2015; OVA) – Opening animation production^[49]
• Chunithm (2015; MV) – Music video animation production^[50]
• Fire Emblem Fates (2015; game) – Live2D illustrations^[51][52]
• Hyoketsu (2016; CM) – TV commercial animation production for beverage by Kirin Company^[53]
• Steven Universe (2016; TV) – Animation production assistance for S4E4, "Mindful Education"^[54][55]
• OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes (2017; TV) – Opening animation production^[56]
• Little Witch Academia: Chamber of Time (2017; game) – Cutscene animation production^[57]
• Kill la Kill: The Game: IF (2019; game) – Development supervision^[58]
• Shantae and the Seven Sirens (2019; game) – Opening animation production^[59]
• Delicious in Dungeon (2019; PV) – Promotional video for manga published by Enterbrain^[60]
• Indivisible (2019; game) – Opening animation production; co-produced with Titmouse, Inc.^[61]
• Idolish7 (2020; MV) – Music video animation production^[62]
• Metallic Child (2021; PV) – Promotional video for video game published by Crest^[63]
• Omega Strikers (2023; PV) – Promotional video for video game published by Odyssey Interactive^[64]
• "Chocolat Cadabra" (2024; MV) – Music video animation production^[65]
• Transformers 40th Anniversary Special Movie (2024; PV) - Promotional video for the 40th anniversary of the Transformers media franchise by Takara Tomy and Hasbro, with assistance from Production I.G., Madhouse, Studio Colorido, Studio Kai and Production +h^[66]

Notes

1. Co-founder, president, and CEO
2. Executive vice president
3. Co-founder and board director
4. Board director