A New Era at Studio Ghibli: Kenichi Yoda Takes the Presidential Seat in June

The world-renowned animation studio Studio Ghibli is preparing for a significant change in its leadership team. According to the official announcement, Kenichi Yoda will begin his tenure as the new president of the studio as of June 2026. Current president Hiroyuki Fukuda is not saying goodbye entirely as he steps down; Fukuda will continue to serve as a board member and will also maintain his position as president of the parent company, NTV Holdings (Nippon TV).

This leadership change is seen as a strategic step following the acquisition of Studio Ghibli by Nippon TV in late 2023. As you may recall, the studio needed a corporate structure due to the advancing age of co-founders Hayao Miyazaki and Toshio Suzuki and the difficulties in finding successors, leading to its integration into NTV. The arrival of Kenichi Yoda aims to further professionalize the studio's operational and administrative structure while preserving its creative freedom.

Founded in 1985, Studio Ghibli stands at the pinnacle of the anime world with masterpieces such as Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, and most recently, the Oscar-winning The Boy and the Heron. Although the studio, shaped by Hayao Miyazaki's unique vision, has tried to maintain its independent structure for years, global changes in the industry and managerial needs made this new partnership model inevitable. With his experience during the NTV era, Kenichi Yoda will be the key figure coordinating the studio's future projects and international distribution strategies.

For fans, this change brings to mind the question of whether the studio will compromise on its production quality.