Leadership Change at DLE Animation Studio

Animator known as "FROGMAN" has officially been appointed as the new president and representative director of the animation studio DLE, replacing Hideo Hoshi who has resigned.

Image credit: DLE's Facebook account

New Leadership Announced

DLE announced on Friday that Ryō Ono, the creator of Eagle Talon, will step into the role of president. This move was approved by the Board of Directors and will be officially confirmed at the company's Ordinary General Meeting of Shareholders scheduled for June 23.

The company stated that this leadership change aims to boost sustainable growth and enhance corporate value under the new management structure.

About Ryō Ono

• Also known by his pseudonym FROGMAN
• Created the popular Eagle Talon anime shorts
• Led the Himitsu Kessha Taka no Tsume (Secret Society Eagle Talon) TV series in 2006
• The series has spawned nine films
• Ono has served as a director, writer, character designer, sound engineer, animator, editor, and voice actor
• Became a director at DLE in 2007 and has been serving as Chief Creative Officer (CCO) since 2021

About DLE

• DLE is a well-known animation studio responsible for various popular productions
• In May 2019, Asahi Broadcasting Group Holdings acquired a majority stake in DLE, investing approximately 2.772 billion yen (around US$19.43 million) and making DLE a subsidiary
• In April 2024, their stake was reduced from 51.75% to 49.75%, and DLE was transitioned to an equity method affiliate.

Sources

• DLE Official Website
• Animation Business Journal (Tadashi Sudo)

Stay tuned for further updates on DLE's new direction under Ryō Ono’s leadership!