Posted in Sports

White Fox Studio founder’s latest comments clear doubts over Re:Zero anime’s future

Posted on
by Joelgalvan


On Sunday, August 3, 2025, White Fox Studio’s founder, Gaku Iwasa, responded to fans’ comments online, clearing up all doubts about the future of the Re:Zero anime. As Gaku Iwasa shared, he plans to stick with Re:Zero until Kadokawa or series creator Tappei Nagatsuki decides to replace him.

For those who may not know, AlphaPolis recently acquired White Fox Studio by purchasing all of Gaku Iwasa’s shares. With this acquisition, AlphaPolis announced that it plans to focus on its own IPs by utilizing White Fox Studio’s technical animation expertise. As expected, Re:Zero fans were concerned about what this means for the anime’s future.

White Fox Studio founder responds to concerns over Re:Zero anime’s future

Natsuki Subaru, as seen in Re:Zero anime (Image via White Fox)Natsuki Subaru, as seen in Re:Zero anime (Image via White Fox)
Natsuki Subaru, as seen in Re:Zero anime (Image via White Fox)

On August 3, 2025, days after AlphaPolis acquired White Fox Studio, a Re:Zero fan on X, @OkeanixALT, criticized White Fox Studio founder Gaku Iwasa for selling the animation studio to AlphaPolis. The fan asked the founder to retire, claiming he had no idea what today’s audiences want or think.

The fan called Gaku Iwasa incompetent for clinging to outdated ideas and said that the Re:Zero anime could have been just as successful as One Piece if someone else had been in charge. The fan also criticized Gaku Iwasa, saying he hadn’t made a single good decision in the past decade and that he was the reason the studio didn’t grow as fast as others.

While it’s unusual for company founders to respond to such criticism, Gaku Iwasa was surprised that someone despised him so much. He apologized to the fan and explained that he didn’t start the company to make money. Soon after, another Re:Zero fan responded to Iwasa’s reply, telling him to ignore that person.

Gaku Iwasa's response to the fan (Image via X/@WhiteFox_gakuri)Gaku Iwasa's response to the fan (Image via X/@WhiteFox_gakuri)
Gaku Iwasa’s response to the fan (Image via X/@WhiteFox_gakuri)

The fan then shared concerns held by Re:Zero anime fans. With AlphaPolis stating that they want to focus on the animation of their own IPs, fans were worried about what it meant for Re:Zero season 5 and its future. If Iwasa wasn’t kept on as CEO after the acquisition, would it make it impossible to guarantee anything?

Gaku Iwasa's response on Re:Zero's future (Image via X/@WhiteFox_gakuri)Gaku Iwasa's response on Re:Zero's future (Image via X/@WhiteFox_gakuri)
Gaku Iwasa’s response on Re:Zero’s future (Image via X/@WhiteFox_gakuri)

In response, the White Fox Studio founder said he plans to continue working on Re:Zero until the end, unless Kadokawa or Tappei Nagatsuki fires him. Even if something comes up, he assured fans that he would handle the handover properly. Gaku Iwasa then asked fans not to worry about the future of the Re:Zero anime.

Related Links