Science Saru

Science Saru is a Tokyo-based animation studio that has carved out a singular space in the anime world since its founding on February 4, 2013. The name itself tells the story: "Science" stands for logic, technology, and the business side of things, while "Saru" means monkey in Japanese, representing creativity, intuition, and playful chaos. That balance runs through everything they do. The studio was launched by director Masaaki Yuasa and producer Eunyoung Choi, two veterans who wanted a home for projects that didn't fit the conventional mold. Their first job was the "Food Chain" episode of Adventure Time in 2014, a wild 11-minute short that introduced their fluid, digital-heavy style to American audiences.

From there, Science Saru moved into original features. Their debut film, Lu Over the Wall (2017), won the Cristal for Best Feature at Annecy International Animated Film Festival. That same year they released The Night Is Short, Walk on Girl, a dizzying romantic comedy set over one surreal evening in Kyoto. Both films showcased the studio's signature approach: hand-drawn characters moving in unpredictable ways, bold color palettes, and stories that feel personal and strange. The studio's output grew quickly. Devilman Crybaby (2018) for Netflix became a global talking point with its graphic violence and emotional rawness. Ride Your Wave (2019) took a gentler turn, mixing romance with supernatural tragedy. Inu-Oh (2021) was a rock opera about a blind biwa player and a cursed dancer, set in feudal Japan. Each project felt like a deliberate left turn from the last.

In 2024, Toho acquired Science Saru, making it a subsidiary of Japan's biggest entertainment conglomerate. The acquisition brought financial stability and wider distribution, but the studio hasn't softened its edges. That same year they released The Colors Within, a quiet film about a teen who can see people's emotions as colors, and Dandadan, a hyperactive action-comedy series that became one of the year's biggest anime hits. Earlier, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off (2023) reimagined the graphic novel as a metatextual mystery, earning praise for its bold narrative choices. The studio now employs about 75 people, working from a modest office in Kichijoji, a leafy neighborhood in western Tokyo. [edit]