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Game Director Chiyomaru Shikura Buys Out MAGES., Goes Independent
posted on by Rafael Antonio Pineda
The multimedia company MAGES. announced on Friday that the company CHIYOMARU STUDIO executed a management buyout of MAGES. CHIYOMARU STUDIO purchased all shares of MAGES. from Dwango, a subsidiary of Kadokawa and the previous parent company of MAGES. Game director and developer Chiyomaru Shikura is the representative director for both MAGES. and CHIYOMARU STUDIO. MAGES. will consolidate its 5pb. brand for games and music into MAGES.
The announcement noted that the buyout will allow MAGES. to be more agile and flexible in its business decisions, while utilizing its experience gained under Kadokawa and as a long-standing media company.
The announcement further noted that while MAGES. will no longer be under Kadokawa, the two companies will still maintain a positive relationship.
Shikura's 5pb. company merged with a number of companies under Kadokawa to form MAGES. in 2011. The company publishes games and music under its 5pb. Games and 5pb. Records labels, and works with Kadokawa for anime and manga adaptations of its properties. Shikura founded CHIYOMARU STUDIO in 2015.
Source: MAGES.