Made in Abyss anime rights and licensing: who owns what
The Made in Abyss anime is a Takeshobo production committee property animated by Kinema Citrus, with Sentai Filmworks as the North American streaming and home video licensee.
Published: 2026-08-19. Updated: 2026-08-19.
Short answer: The Made in Abyss anime copyright notice lists Akihito Tsukushi, Takeshobo, and the production committee. Kinema Citrus is the animation studio. Sentai Filmworks holds the North American license and streams the series on HIDIVE while distributing Blu-ray and DVD releases.
Who owns the Made in Abyss anime?
The Made in Abyss manga is written and illustrated by Akihito Tsukushi and serialized in Takeshobo's Web Comic Gamma. The official movie site uses the copyright line ©つくしあきひと・竹書房／劇場シリーズ「メイドインアビス」製作委員会, which names Tsukushi, the publisher Takeshobo, and the Made in Abyss movie series production committee.
Kinema Citrus animated the 2017 television series and the sequel films. The committee structure means no single company owns the entire anime outright; Takeshobo holds the source manga rights, Kinema Citrus owns the animated production, and the committee coordinates licensing.
How Made in Abyss is licensed outside Japan
Sentai Filmworks acquired the North American rights to Made in Abyss. The company's catalog page lists the television series and states that it is streaming on HIDIVE. Sentai also released the series on Blu-ray and DVD, which means its license covers both streaming and home video in the territories it serves.
Other international licensees exist, but Sentai Filmworks is the most publicly documented English-language distributor. The streaming deal covers the territories in Sentai's contract and does not extend to all downstream rights such as merchandise or games.
Publicly disclosed Made in Abyss rights holders and their roles.| Party | Role | Rights layer |
|---|
| Akihito Tsukushi / Takeshobo | Original manga creator and publisher | Underlying literary and character rights |
| Made in Abyss production committee | Investment and rights coordination | Production-committee stake |
| Kinema Citrus | Animation studio | Animation production |
| Sentai Filmworks | North American licensee | Streaming and home video |
| HIDIVE | Streaming platform | North American streaming via Sentai Filmworks |
What the copyright notice does and does not reveal
The copyright line establishes Tsukushi and Takeshobo as the underlying rights holders and identifies the production committee as the coordinating entity. It does not disclose each member's percentage or the full list of committee members.
Because the franchise spans a television series, compilation films, and a sequel film series, different agreements may govern different installments. The copyright notice for the movie series is the most reliable public document for the later entries.
Ownership uncertainty note: The exact membership and revenue shares of the Made in Abyss production committee are not public. Sources confirm Takeshobo as the manga publisher, Kinema Citrus as the animation studio, and Sentai Filmworks as the North American streaming and home video licensee, but the full rights map remains private.
Why Sentai Filmworks' license is significant
Sentai Filmworks is one of the largest remaining independent anime licensors in North America. Its acquisition of Made in Abyss meant the series joined HIDIVE rather than Crunchyroll as the primary streaming home in the United States and Canada.
The practical implication is that fans in North America should look to HIDIVE for streaming and to Sentai for physical media, while rights inquiries for the underlying property flow to Takeshobo and the production committee.
How Made in Abyss compares to other Takeshobo adaptations
Made in Abyss is Takeshobo's highest-profile international anime property in recent years. Like many publisher-driven adaptations, the manga publisher sits at the top of the rights chain, the animation studio executes production, and a specialist distributor handles international sales.
The takeaway for licensors is that Takeshobo controls the source material, Kinema Citrus handles animation production, and Sentai Filmworks is the key North American partner for streaming and home video.
Frequently asked questions
Who owns the anime rights to Made in Abyss?
The Made in Abyss anime copyright notice lists Akihito Tsukushi, Takeshobo, and the production committee. Kinema Citrus is the animation studio.
Who licenses Made in Abyss for streaming?
Sentai Filmworks licenses Made in Abyss for North America and streams it on HIDIVE.
Which studio animates Made in Abyss?
Kinema Citrus animated the Made in Abyss television series and the sequel films.
Is Made in Abyss on Crunchyroll?
In North America, Made in Abyss streams on HIDIVE through Sentai Filmworks. Availability on other platforms depends on the territory and separate licensing agreements.