Tag Archive for: Animation

Toei Animation Claims Recent Hack Caused By Third-Party Software Download, Assures Fans “Anime Production Are More Or Less Functioning Normally”


In the latest update in the saga of Toei Animation’s recent anime-delaying hack, the studio has claimed that the digital disruption was caused by employee error.

RELATED: Toei Animation Reveals Recent Hack Was Result Of Targeted Ransomware Attack

As previously reported, on March 6th, Toei Animation was hit with a massive ransomware attack, the effects of which resulted in the delay of several of the studio’s anime productions, including One Piece and the long awaited anticipated movie Dragon Ball Super Super Hero. 

Source: Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero (2022), Toei Animation

Five days later, Toei Animation would publicly reveal the hack, announcing in an official statement that an unauthorized third-party had accessed the company’s network and in doing so caused a partial shutdown of the company’s internal computing systems.

At the time, as reported by Japanese news outlet NHK, the studio “believed that the cyber-attack was caused by ‘ransomware,’ a ransom-type computer virus.”

Source: Digimon Ghost Game Season 1 Episode 8 “Nightly Procession of Monsters” (2021), Toei Animation

RELATED: Dragon Ball Super Super Hero Receives New Release Date Following Toei Hack

Following a further investigation into the matter, Toei Animation has now revealed that the hack was caused by “a Company employee [who] downloaded a software required for business from an external website, which had been tampered with so as to simultaneously download a software program that would serve as the entry point for ransomware infiltration.”

Source: One Piece Episode 1015 “Straw Hat Luffy – The Man Who Will Become the Pirate King” (2022), Toei Animation

Speaking to their subsequent “response and investigation”, the studio explained in an April 28th press release. “When the above-mentioned unauthorized access into its network was confirmed, the Company took various measures including immediately shutting down portions of its internal system and restricting access from outside.”

“Moreover, the Company not only promptly reported the incident to the concerned authorities but also has been carrying out appropriate and…

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Toei Animation Reveals Recent Hack Was Result Of Targeted Ransomware Attack


The recent hack of Toei Animation, which resulted in a delay to the production schedules various anime series that continues to effect them to this day, has been found to have been the consequence of a targeted ransomware attack.

Source: One Piece Episode 1009 “Sasaki’s Onslaught! Armored Division vs. Yamato” (2022), Toei Animation

RELATED: One Piece Odyssey JRPG Announced, Will Feature An Original Story As Well As New Character And Monster Designs By Eiichiro Oda

On March 11, Easter came early when Toei Animation announced that five days earlier, an unauthorized third party accessed the company’s network and proceeded to cause a partial shutdown of the company’s computing systems. Specifically, the hack halted internal systems that were used in the production process of their various anime series.

As such, the hack kept on giving by subsequently affecting the broadcast schedules for One Piece, Dragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai, Delicious Party Precure, and Digimon Ghost Game, starting with the respectives episodes of each series slated to air on the weekend of March 12th-13th.

Source: Toei Animation Press Release

On March 8th, the NHK reported (via machine translation provided by DeepL) that after a preliminary investigation, Toei Animation “believed that the cyber-attack was caused by ‘ransomware,’ a ransom-type computer virus.”

Information in regards to the demands of the ransom, the type of virus the hacker used, and the origin of the virus was not revealed.

Source: Digimon Ghost Game Episode 10 “Game of Death” (2022), Toei Animation

RELATED: Is The New Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero Synopsis Hinting At The Return Of A Classic Villain?

As defined by the FBI, a ransomware attack is “a type of malicious software, or malware, that prevents you from accessing your computer files, systems, or networks and demands you pay a ransom for their return. Ransomware attacks can cause costly disruptions to operations and the loss of critical information and data.”

Toei also confirmed that they had shut down parts of its internal systems to investigate the extent of the virus’ reach.

The Japan Computer Emergency Response Team Coordination Center (JPCERT)…

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Animation Nation (Ellen Gamerman/Wall Street Journal)

Ellen Gamerman / Wall Street Journal:
Animation Nation  —  Quickly made computer-generated cartoons are attracting millions of viewers online.  Now, corporations, advertisers and Hollywood executives are taking notice.  —  Last fall, television actor Richard Ruccolo sat down to make an animated movie about life in Hollywood.

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