{{Short description|Japanese production company}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}} {{Infobox company | name = Hayate Inc. | logo = | logo_caption = | image = SME Rokubancho Building.jpg | image_caption = Hayate Inc.'s headquarters at the SME Rokubanchō Building in Chiyoda, Tokyo | native_name = 株式会社HAYATE | native_name_lang = ja | romanized_name = Kabushiki-gaisha Hayate | type = Joint venture | industry = Production | genre = Japanese animation | founded = {{start date and age|2025|3|17}} | founder = | hq_location = 4-5 Rokubanchō | hq_location_city = Chiyoda, Tokyo | hq_location_country = Japan | parent = {{ubl|Aniplex|Crunchyroll, LLC}} | subsid = Lay-duce | key_people = {{ubl|Masanori Miyake (Chairman and CEO)|Leo Watanabe (President and COO) }} | products = {{hlist|Anime|Motion pictures}} | website = {{URL|hayate-inc.co.jp}} }} {{nihongo|'''Hayate, Inc.'''|株式会社HAYATE|Kabushiki-gaisha Hayate|lead=yes}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sme.co.jp/en/pressrelease/news/detail/NEWS001888.html|title=ANIPLEX AND CRUNCHYROLL ESTABLISH ANIME PRODUCTION JOINT VENTURE, HAYATE|work= Sony Music Group|date=March 17, 2025|access-date=April 12, 2025}}</ref> is a Japanese anime production joint venture established in March 2025 by Aniplex and Crunchyroll, LLC, both subsidiaries of Sony Music Entertainment Japan. Headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, the company focuses on the planning, development, and production of anime content specifically for global distribution via Crunchyroll streaming service.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.crunchyroll.com/news/announcements/2025/3/17/aniplex-and-crunchyroll-announce-anime-production-joint-venture-hayate-inc-?srsltid=AfmBOorl51RGLUJdBX82Csnqih7Sa0Pc_9dSuWPJGyxknVNjgzakyigV|title='Aniplex and Crunchyroll Announce Anime Production Joint Venture HAYATE Inc.|work= Crunchyroll News|date=March 17, 2025|access-date=April 12, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbr.com/crunchyroll-aniplex-hayate-production-company/|title=Solo Leveling's Crunchyroll & Aniplex Reveal New Era of Anime With 'High-Quality' Production Company|work=CBR|date=March 17, 2025|access-date=April 12, 2025}}</ref>
==History== Prior to the Sony acquisition, Crunchyroll had its own in-house animation studio which it founded in 2018 to produce its own animated originals for its streaming service as well as its VRV streaming service until it was shut down in August 2021 following the Sony acquisition.<ref name="auto">{{cite web |last=Roettgers |first=Janko |date=August 22, 2018 |title=AT&T's Ellation Launches Studios in Burbank and Tokyo to Produce Crunchyroll Originals |url=https://variety.com/2018/digital/news/ellation-studios-crunchyroll-originals-high-guardian-spice-1202912537/ |website=variety.com}}</ref>
On March 17, 2025, Aniplex and Crunchyroll, LLC announced the formation of Hayate, Inc.,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://comicbook.com/anime/news/aniplex-crunchyroll-partnership-original-anime/|title= Aniplex & Crunchyroll Launch Partnership to Produce New Original Anime|work=ComicBook.com|date=March 17, 2025|access-date=April 14, 2025}}</ref> a joint venture between the two companies to produce "premium content for anime fans worldwide," indicating a focus on high-quality productions with broad appeal.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://screenrant.com/crunchyroll-anime-growth-joint-venture-aniplex-hayate/|title=With Anime Booming, Crunchyroll Announces New Partnership With One of Japan's Top Producers|work= ScreenRant|date=March 17, 2025|access-date=April 12, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2025-03-17/aniplex-crunchyroll-establish-joint-venture-for-anime-production/.222499|title=Aniplex, Crunchyroll Establish Joint Venture for Anime Production|work=Anime News Network|date=March 17, 2025|access-date=April 12, 2025}}</ref>
The leadership of Hayate, Inc. comprises key figures Masanori Miyake as the Chairman and CEO, Leo Watanabe as President and COO, who are both from Aniplex. The company's staff includes employees from both Crunchyroll and Aniplex, fostering a collaborative environment that integrates the distinct expertise of each organization.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/anime-aniplex-crunchyroll-hayate-1236165011/|title=Anime Heavyweights Aniplex, Crunchyroll Co-Launch Production Company Hayate|website=The Hollywood Reporter |date=March 17, 2025|access-date=April 12, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/entertainment/anime/crunchyroll-partners-with-aniplex-for-anime-production-venture-hayate/ar-AA1B6uFn?ocid=BingNewsSerp|title=Crunchyroll Partners With Aniplex for Anime Production Venture Hayate|work= MSN|date=March 17, 2025|access-date=April 12, 2025}}</ref>
The primary objective of Hayate, Inc. is to produce original anime exclusively for Crunchyroll's streaming service. This initiative signifies a deeper investment by both Aniplex and Crunchyroll in creating new anime for the global market and potentially expanding the variety and exclusivity of content offered on the platform.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/news/ni65186493/?ref_=nwc_art_perm|title=Crunchyroll Partners With Aniplex for Anime Production Venture Hayate|work= IMDB|date=March 17, 2025|access-date=April 12, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/crunchyroll-partners-aniplex-anime-production-183300029.html|title=Crunchyroll Partners With Aniplex for Anime Production Venture Hayate|work=Yahoo|date=March 17, 2025|access-date=April 12, 2025}}</ref>
On April 3, 2026, Hayate announced the acquisition of anime studio Lay-duce as a wholly owned subsidiary.<ref>{{Cite web |title=HAYATE Acquires All Shares of Lay-duce, Making the Anime Production Studio a Wholly Owned Subsidiary {{!}} NEWS {{!}} -HAYATE Inc.- |url=https://hayate-inc.co.jp/en/news/?article_id=70118 |access-date=2026-04-03 |website=HAYATE Inc. |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2026-04-03/crunchyroll-aniplex-joint-venture-hayate-acquires-anime-studio-lay-duce/.236070 |title=Crunchyroll, Aniplex's Joint Venture Hayate Acquires Anime Studio Lay-duce |work=Anime News Network|date=April 3, 2026|access-date=April 3, 2026}}</ref>
==Productions== ===TV series=== {|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center; margin=auto; " |- ! Debut ! Series title ! Director ! Series composition ! Original network ! No. of episodes ! width="250"| Notes |- | 2026 | ''Hana-Kimi'' | Natsuki Takemura | Takao Yoshioka | Tokyo MX | 12 |align="left"| Anime Production Committee<ref name="Works">{{cite web |title=Works |url=https://hayate-inc.co.jp/works/ |website=HAYATE Inc. |access-date=31 December 2025}}</ref> |- | 2026 | ''A Returner's Magic Should Be Special season 2'' | Taishi Kawaguchi | Takamitsu Kōno | Tokyo MX | TBA |align="left"| Animation Partners<ref name="Works" /> |- | 2026 | ''Reborn as a Space Mercenary'' | Norihiko Nagahama | Takamitsu Kono | TBA | TBA |align="left"| Anime Production Committee<ref name="Works" /> |}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{official|hayate-inc.co.jp}} {{in lang|ja}} * {{official|hayate-inc.co.jp/en}} {{in lang|en}} * {{Ann|company|27581}}
{{Sony}} {{Sony Music}} {{Japanese animation studios}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Hayate Inc.}}
{{Authority control}} Category:Anime companies Category:Chiyoda, Tokyo Category:Entertainment companies established in 2025 Category:Entertainment companies of Japan Category:Film distributors of Japan Category:Japanese animation studios Category:Japanese companies established in 2025 Category:Mass media companies established in 2025 Category:Mass media companies based in Tokyo Category:Sony Music Entertainment Japan Category:Sony subsidiaries