Kunihiko Hamada, a cornerstone figure in Madhouse's animation department, has departed from the studio after more than three decades of service. The animator and character designer announced his exit on May 26, his birthday, confirming he left Madhouse at the end of March.

Hamada joined Madhouse in 1990, beginning his career there as an animator on Cyber City Oedo 808. Over the following 35 years, he became instrumental to the studio's output, spending more than 20 years as a full-time staff member. His contributions as chief animation director shaped some of Madhouse's most beloved series, including Monster, NANA, Kaiji: Ultimate Survivor, Chihayafuru, and My Love Story!!

Beyond directing animation, Hamada earned recognition for his character design work across numerous titles. His distinctive visual style defined projects like Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card, My Love Story With Yamada-kun at Lv999, and the recently released A Hundred Scenes of AWAJIMA, which premiered in April and credits him for character designs. He also contributed animation work to films including Summer Wars and No Game, No Life.

In his announcement, Hamada stated he is now employed at a different company, though he did not immediately specify which studio. Notably, he mentioned not receiving severance compensation despite his lengthy service and significant contributions to the studio.

Hamada's departure marks a transition for both the veteran animator and Madhouse. His 35-year run represents a substantial institutional loss for the studio, particularly given his influence on character design and animation direction across multiple generations of series. The timing of his exit comes as the anime industry continues navigating workforce challenges and employment practices, with Hamada's statement about severance adding to ongoing conversations about creator compensation and retention in the field.

The industry will likely watch closely to see which projects Hamada takes on at his new company and how his departure might influence Madhouse's animation department moving forward.