{"rewrite":{"id":"r_cb04a6857320392e2d764cff","clusterId":"c_26ea0dec6b6d8f8f0912416c","slug":"wit-studio-s-george-wada-says-attack-on-titan-was-the-studio-s-only-first-project","model":"deepseek-v4-1-flash","headline":"Wit Studio's George Wada Says Attack On Titan Was The Studio's Only First Project","summary":"Wit Studio president George Wada said Attack on Titan was the only project the studio considered for its first anime. Speaking with Anime News Network at Anime Expo 2026, Wada said he chose Hajime Isayama's manga because it fit director Tetsuro Araki and because the studio's own situation matched the story. \"It was the only one,\" he said when asked whether other options were discussed. Wada said the series helped Japanese anime reach audiences worldwide and showed what Japanese animation could do. He also noted the studio grew from six people to more than 300. Wada said Wit Studio is preparing The One Piece for release in February 2027, and he described some fear and anxiety about the adaptation alongside greater excitement. He also mentioned Tokyo Anime Next, an international animation event in Ikebukuro from October 30 to November 2, 2026.","whyItMatters":"Wada's account ties Wit Studio's identity and its global reach to a single, unmade-alternative decision, at a moment when the studio is applying the same logic to One Piece, one of Japan's best-known manga.","webCardHtml":"\u003cp\u003eWada said Tetsuya Nakatake showed him the first promotional video before it went public. \u0026#34;Isn\u0026#39;t this incredible? We should be proud that we\u0026#39;re able to make something like this,\u0026#34; Nakatake told him.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe studio\u0026#39;s later work includes The Ancient Magus\u0026#39; Bride and the first season of Vinland Saga, plus Ranking of Kings and SPY x FAMILY. Wada said the through-line from Attack on Titan to The One Piece is a wish to pursue \u0026#34;forms of expression that can only be achieved through animation.\u0026#34; He pointed to co-founders Nakatake and Kyoji Asano, saying their stories about a protagonist confronting difficulty shape what Wit Studio picks.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEiichiro Oda\u0026#39;s One Piece already has a running anime and a live-action version, and Wada said the new take should introduce the manga to more people.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTokyo Anime Next runs in Ikebukuro from October 30 to November 2, 2026, as a launch event for a yearly international animation festival planned for 2027.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe event is organized by the Association of Japanese Animations with the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, and was announced during the Production I.G x Wit Studio panel at Anime Expo.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWada said he pushed for the event because Japan lacked a large, established awards showcase for animation. He credited Masahiko Minami of BONES with the line that a studio\u0026#39;s time to leave comes once people forget what it made.\u003c/p\u003e","blueskyPost":"Wada says Attack On Titan was the only option in the room when Wit Studio had six staff. He now runs 300-plus people and is preparing The One Piece for February 2027 with fear alongside excitement.","twitterPost":"Wit Studio grew from six people to over 300. George Wada still carries fear into The One Piece, set for February 2027.","threadsPost":"George Wada frames Attack On Titan as an easy call: it fit Tetsuro Araki and matched Wit Studio's own situation. The harder one is ahead. Wit Studio is preparing The One Piece for February 2027, and Wada says the fear comes bundled with the excitement.","newsletterBlurb":"Wit Studio president George Wada told Anime News Network that Attack on Titan was the only project the new studio considered for its first anime. He said the manga fit director Tetsuro Araki and that the series helped Japanese anime reach audiences worldwide. Wada also said Wit Studio is preparing The One Piece for February 2027.","attributionJson":"[{\"source\":\"Anime News Network\",\"url\":\"https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/convention/2026/all-the-news-and-reviews-from-anime-expo/wit-studio-george-wada-on-attack-on-titan-trust-and-taking-on-the-one-piece/.241031\",\"title\":\"All the News and Reviews from Anime Expo 2026: WIT Studio's George Wada on Attack on Titan, Trust, and Taking on The One Piece\"},{\"source\":\"OtakuKart Anime\",\"url\":\"https://otakukart.com/wit-studio-president-george-wada-says-attack-on-titan-was-the-studios-only-choice-for-its-first-anime-calls-its-global-impact-significant/\",\"title\":\"Wit Studio President George Wada Says Attack on Titan Was the Studio's Only Choice for Its First Anime, Calls Its Global Impact Significant\"}]","lintFlagsJson":null,"lintHits":0,"costUsd":0,"inputTokens":12355,"outputTokens":1311,"status":"published","repairAttempts":0,"nextRepairAt":null,"factsAttemptedAt":1791073767,"createdAt":"2026-10-04T00:26:28.000Z","publishedAt":"2026-10-04T00:28:22.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-10-04T00:28:22.000Z"},"cluster":{"id":"c_26ea0dec6b6d8f8f0912416c","canonicalTitle":"Wit Studio President George Wada Says Attack on Titan Was the Studio’s Only Choice for Its First Anime, Calls Its Global Impact Significant","representativeArticleId":"a_0a35e0f9cc2dbf6d40eca302","sourceCount":2,"writtenSourceCount":2,"writeAttempts":0,"isSolo":false,"entitiesJson":"{\"anime_titles\":[\"Attack on Titan\",\"The One Piece\",\"Vinland Saga\",\"Ranking of Kings\",\"SPY x FAMILY\"],\"manga_titles\":[\"One Piece\"],\"work_titles\":[],\"studios\":[\"Wit Studio\"],\"people\":[\"George Wada\"],\"type\":\"news\",\"domain\":\"anime\",\"is_roundup\":false}","contentType":"news","status":"published","firstSeenAt":"2026-09-26T13:28:41.000Z","lastSeenAt":"2026-09-26T13:28:41.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-10-04T00:28:20.000Z"},"attribution":[{"source":"Anime News Network","url":"https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/convention/2026/all-the-news-and-reviews-from-anime-expo/wit-studio-george-wada-on-attack-on-titan-trust-and-taking-on-the-one-piece/.241031","title":"All the News and Reviews from Anime Expo 2026\nWIT Studio's George Wada on Attack on Titan, Trust, and Taking on The One Piece"},{"source":"OtakuKart Anime","url":"https://otakukart.com/wit-studio-president-george-wada-says-attack-on-titan-was-the-studios-only-choice-for-its-first-anime-calls-its-global-impact-significant/","title":"Wit Studio President George Wada Says Attack on Titan Was the Studio’s Only Choice for Its First Anime, Calls Its Global Impact Significant"}],"entities":{"anime_titles":["Attack on Titan","The One Piece","Vinland Saga","Ranking of Kings","SPY x FAMILY"],"manga_titles":["One Piece"],"work_titles":[],"studios":["Wit Studio"],"people":["George Wada"],"type":"news","domain":"anime","is_roundup":false},"keyFacts":["Wit Studio president George Wada said Attack on Titan was the only project the studio considered for its first anime.","Wada chose the Attack on Titan manga because he thought it fit director Tetsuro Araki.","Wit Studio grew from six people to more than 300, according to Wada.","Wit Studio is preparing The One Piece for release in February 2027.","Tokyo Anime Next is scheduled for Ikebukuro from October 30 to November 2, 2026."]}