Asahi Broadcasting Group Holdings (ABC Group Holdings) announced on Monday that it has acquired the Tokyo-based animation studio Silver Link. as a subsidiary. The acquisition comes a month after Silver Link. merged with its own subsidiary studio Connect. The studio will be newly established under ABC Group Holdings as a wholly owned subsidiary effective October 1.

Asahi Broadcasting Group also announced on Monday that it had incurred a deficit of 353 million yen (approximately US$3.3 million) during the April–June period this year, compared to a surplus of 486 million yen (approximately US$4.5 million) last year during the same period. The company saw a decline in broadcasting sales as television spot income decreased.

Silver Link. was founded by Hayato Kaneko in December of 2007 and assisted other studios in titles such as Nodame Cantabile: Paris-hen, ef: A Tale of Melodies. (ef - a tale of melodies.), and Higashi no Eden (Eden of the East). In 2009, the studio produced its first television anime, Tayutama: Kiss on My Deity.

The studio is known for titles such as Kokoro Connect, Rakudai Kishi no Cavalry (Chivalry of a Failed Knight), Baka to Test to Shoukanjuu (Baka & Test - Summon the Beasts), and Non Non Biyori.

Founded in 1949, Asahi Broadcasting Group began as a radio station in Osaka, officially debuting in 1951. In 1955, the company moved into television as well and began running their own television channel. Asahi Broadcasting Group established its animation production company ABC Animation in 2016.

Source: Animation Business Journal, Press Release, Nikkei