Nippon Television Network Corporation, or Nippon TV, has announced it will make anime maker Studio Ghibli its subsidiary by becoming its largest shareholder with 42.3 percent of the voting rights.

Studio Ghibli is known for producing films by renowned director Miyazaki Hayao.

The broadcaster plans to make the studio its subsidiary from October 6. Nippon TV will send executives, including a president, to run Studio Ghibli.

Nippon TV has frequently aired productions by Studio Ghibli since 1985, when Miyazaki's "Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind" was shown on TV for the first time.

The broadcaster notes that both sides reached the decision through their efforts to look for successors to Miyazaki and producer Suzuki Toshio.

Nippon TV officials say they believe they can preserve the brand value of the animation studio.

Suzuki plans to resign as the president of the studio.
He says that now that Studio Ghibli has grown into a much larger entity than they ever imagined, it is no longer able to operate without powerful help.

He says the studio has been facing the need to find people for its top posts, and he thought all the parties concerned would accept the idea of Nippon TV taking over the management because of their long-standing ties.

Suzuki said they agreed with Nippon TV that they will concentrate on creating films while entrusting the management of the studio to the broadcaster. He said both sides agreed to further deepen their ties while preserving this framework.

Suzuki also says he has found it very difficult to nurture promising directors who are capable of succeeding Miyazaki, although he has made various attempts to do so.

Suzuki says Studio Ghibli is unique because it only creates films. He says creating excellent TV animation series will be indispensable for training talented young people. He says his studio definitely needs executive managers who are able to produce such series.