However, these studio changes in anime bring with them production complexity, scheduling conflicts, and financial considerations. In this article, we’ll explore some popular anime that have undergone studio changes and how these changes have impacted the series. So, without further ado, let’s get started.

10. Fruits Basket

Natsuki Takaya's Fruits Basket received its first anime adaptation in 2001, which, without denying, had its own charms, but failed to successfully adapt the original manga. Studio Deen's ignorance in adapting the source material has also hampered its current and future developments.

Unsatisfied with the results, the author of Fruits Basket stated that if he ever wanted another adaptation, it would have to be from scratch with a new team. Then TMS Entertainment came into the picture, taking over the project in 2019 and has since created the faithful adaptation that the story deserves.

9. Fate

The Fate franchise that we all know brings great action, exceptional animation and well-crafted narration. However, this did not happen overnight and before becoming a successful anime by Ufotable it was a poorly developed series by Studio Deen.

When the series was handed over to Ufotable, they upped the production value, and with an incredible mix of 2D and 3D animation styles, the new team members brought out the best in the story. Ufotable navigated the sinking ship of the Fate franchise and, to everyone’s surprise, made it a fan favorite.

8. Durarara!!

Durarara!! is a popular urban fantasy mafia anime that is told from multiple perspectives, featuring a diverse set of criminal organizations from Japan to Russia. The first season of the anime was produced by Brain's Base and they did an excellent job making it a successful show.

However, in the following season, the anime moved to the newly formed Studio Shuka, which was originally founded by the same staff members who worked on the first season. As the studio change was not out of necessity, the staff delivered the same level of quality as the previous installment.

7. Log Horizon

Studio Satelight is responsible for bringing the world of the massively multiplayer online role-playing game Log Horizon to life. Even though the anime did very well, the production committee passed it on to Studio Deen for subsequent seasons, although the director and writers remained the same.

After the change in the production committee, the anime suffered a major decline with a noticeable drop in the quality of the art and character designs. The pacing began to drag and the wasting of time on irrelevant side characters left fans disappointed with the series and eventually they gave up.

6. Yu-Gi-Oh!

Yu-Gi-Oh! amassed a global fanbase upon its release, all thanks to its card-focused gameplay elements of Duel Monsters. However, the series didn't get off to such a great start, as Toei Animation's first original anime attempt was heavily criticized for its dark and gory elements.

The show was eventually canceled after airing only 27 episodes. Studio Gallop later took over the project and rebooted the series with a theme that appealed to audiences, naming the first episode “Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters.” Gallop transformed the story into what fans know today, and the rest is history.

5. Vinland Saga

When Studio Wit decided to pull the plug on the historical drama Vinland Saga, it was shocking news for the anime community. Without the talented production team at Wit Studio, it was hard to imagine an adaptation that would continue the anime’s legacy and make it better than the previous one.

Thankfully, Studio Mappa jumped on board and made sure to do Makoto Yukimura justice. After a long wait, the anime finally continued under the same director and staff that worked on the first season at Studio Wit, with little to no changes to the story and much improved animation quality.

4. Psycho-Pass

Psycho-Pass is a cyberpunk psychological thriller anime set in an authoritarian dystopia of the future. After its anime debut, Production I.G. tried hard to make it a box office hit and eventually succeeded as well. But out of the blue, Psycho-Pass moved to a different studio for the second season.

Tatsunoko Productions, the parent company of Production IG, worked on the second season and maintained the quality of the animation as well, but the story did not live up to the original. The change in scriptwriter took away the essence of the story which shook the expectations of the fans.

3. Nanatsu no Taizai

Nanatsu no Taizai is still considered one of the best animes from A1 Pictures, but the arrival of Studio Deen ruined its reputation. For the third season, Nanatsu no Taizai ended up changing studios, which resulted in a major downgrade in the quality of the animation and the level of direction.

The move to Studio Deen left many fans upset due to their poor track record in handling other anime projects. While the Deen team faithfully adapted the story, it wasn't good enough to make up for the sloppy visuals that left fans really upset with such a downgrade in this series.

2. One Punch Man

Over the years, the superhero comedy series One Punch Man faced many obstacles along the way, mainly due to production issues. This modern classic started out in the hands of Studio Madhouse and ended up in the office of JC Staff who took over production in its second season.

The decision was made after the unavailability of the team that worked with Madhouse to produce Season 1. Under a new director, JC Staff delivered a great sequence, but Season 2 saw a drop in art quality and suffered greatly in its fight animation, resulting in a major error that was not expected.

1. Attack on Titan

It sometimes seems ridiculous that Studio Wit didn't have enough time or resources to commit to taking on the final season of the critically acclaimed series of the decade, Attack On Titan. The production committee simply let the goose that laid the golden eggs slip through their fingers, making the future of the anime bleak.

Many anime studios were hesitant to take on such a large-scale project, and it took years for its final act to be released until Studio MAPPA stepped in. They took on the project despite initial animosity and overperformed in every aspect, bringing back the good old days of Attack on Titan.

Which of the following studio changes surprised you the most? Feel free to comment with your opinion and recommend any other anime like the ones listed above. Also, don't forget to share this article with your otaku friends.