Evangelion’s Gainax bankruptcy takes the cake when it comes to anime failures. After 40 years of producing hit titles like “Neon Genesis Evangelion” and “Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water,” the Tokyo-based animation studio has finally fallen victim to its own mismanagement, loss of talent, and legal woes. And let’s be real, this isn’t the first time we’ve seen this happen in the industry.

Gainax’s rise to fame was swift, thanks to the popularity of their iconic series “Neon Genesis Evangelion.” But as they say, what goes up must come down. And for Gainax, that downfall began around 2012. Poor management decisions by their executives led to financial troubles, and the loss of their creative staff only added fuel to the fire. It’s no surprise that talented animators and artists would jump ship when faced with the sinking ship that was Gainax.

But the final nail in the coffin for Gainax was the arrest of one of their representatives on charges of sexual abuse towards minors in 2019. Talk about a PR nightmare. It’s a shame that such a talented studio would have such a dark cloud hanging over its name.

And let’s not forget about the financial mess that Gainax left behind. Despite the efforts of Khara, another animation studio, to save them, Gainax still filed for bankruptcy in May 2020. And just when we thought it couldn’t get any worse, they were hit with a lawsuit for unpaid debts. It’s clear that their famous anime director-turned-president didn’t have the Midas touch when it came to managing a company.

Of course, Gainax couldn’t go down without a heartfelt apology to their loyal fans. But let’s be real, their words of gratitude for their support over the past four decades don’t mean much when they’ve left a trail of unpaid debts and disgruntled employees in their wake.

And the cherry on top of this whole mess? No one knows exactly how much debt Gainax accumulated before its downfall. Seriously, how does a credit research firm have no record of this? It’s almost laughable.

But in the end, what can we learn from Gainax’s bankruptcy? Well, for starters, it’s a reminder that behind every beloved animated series lies questionable business practices. And sadly, the industry never seems to learn from its mistakes.

So farewell, Gainax. May your legacy serve as a cautionary tale for future studios. And hey, at least now Netflix can add “bankrupt” to the list of accolades when promoting Neon Genesis Evangelion. Silver linings, right?

Sincerely,

A sarcastic Gainax, Evangelion, and anime fan who’s still mourning the loss of their favorite anime studio.