Where magic happens
sparking into animated stories that go beyond
"The important thing is not the destination, but the journey." For NORA ノラ, each stop along the way becomes a story worth telling. Last week, that story led to Rome.
On October 23, Maga Animation Studio took part in MIA 2026 - Mercato Internazionale Audiovisivo, Italy's premier audiovisual market, where CEO and creative director Massimo Carrier Ragazzi presented the talk “NORA V-IDOL Immersive Travel (Italian Chapter)” as part of the MIA XR programme.
NORA ノラ is the virtual idol at the heart of Maga Animation Studio's original transmedia project. Introduced as a young digital artist, she is a fully human-created character, developed by writers, musicians, designers and animators rather than generated by algorithms.
During the presentation, attendees discovered the vision behind NORA V-IDOL Immersive Travel (Italian Chapter), an immersive experience that invites audiences to explore some of Italy's most iconic locations alongside NORA ノラ. Blending music, travel and interactive gameplay, the project reimagines Italian musical influences through a contemporary lens, allowing participants to become active companions in NORA's journey while discovering the culture, stories and atmosphere of each destination.
One more city, one more story, and another step forward in NORA's journey. The next chapter is already waiting!
Ideas travel farther when people come together! From October 12 to 15, Max Carrier Ragazzi, CEO and executive producer of Maga Animation Studio, attended MIPCOM 2026 in Cannes, France, during a special year that marks the studio's 30th anniversary, joining professionals from across the international television and entertainment industry.
The event provided a valuable opportunity to reconnect with long-standing partners, meet new industry professionals and exchange ideas with creators, producers, distributors and decision-makers from around the world. As one of the industry's most important international gatherings, MIPCOM continues to be a unique space where new collaborations take shape and future projects begin.
For our studio, these occasions are about more than presenting projects. They are an opportunity to listen, learn and better understand the directions in which the global entertainment landscape is evolving.
In a world where stories cross borders more easily than ever, events like MIPCOM Cannes remain a valuable reminder of the power of meeting, sharing experiences and discovering new perspectives. Sometimes, the next chapter begins with a simple conversation.
Thirty years ago, a dream began. On September 23, 1996, Max Carrier Ragazzi founded Maga Animation Studio with a simple belief: great stories are made by talented people working together. Thirty years later, so much has changed. Technologies have evolved, creative boundaries have moved and new ways of telling stories have emerged. Along the way, we have explored animation, video games, music, advertising and original creations, always driven by the same curiosity and desire to discover what could come next.
But if there is one thing these thirty years have taught us, it is that a studio is not made by its projects alone. It is made by people.
Artists, technicians, storytellers, innovators, partners and friends have crossed paths at Maga, each bringing their own talent, ideas and imagination. Together, they have shaped what the studio is today and created the magic that continues to inspire what we will become tomorrow.
Today we celebrate all of them. We celebrate our past, our present and everything that is still waiting to be imagined.
Thank you to everyone who has been part of our first 30 years of magic. The best stories are still ahead!
From the first rendered frames of the 1990s to today's real-time worlds, technology never stands still! On September 11th we had the opportunity to look back at that journey and share it with the local creative community at the Unreal Engine Official Meetup - Turin Chapter.
Our CEO Max Carrier Ragazzi presented "Maga Animation Studio, 30 years of CG", a talk retracing the evolution of our studio's production pipeline over three decades, from the early days of computer graphics to GPU-based workflows and the growing integration of real-time technologies such as Unreal Engine. It was a pleasure to meet professionals, artists, students and fellow studios, exchange ideas and discuss where animation, technology and storytelling are heading next.
A special thank you to Daniele Barone and the Biunivoca team for the invitation and for organizing an excellent event that brought together so many members of the creative community. As we celebrate our 30th anniversary this month, moments like these remind us how much our industry has evolved and how exciting the future still looks!
Few events bring together so much talent, creativity and innovation under one roof as Gamescom, making this year's edition particularly inspiring for Maga Animation for Games, the gaming division of our studio.
From the 26th to the 30th of August 2026, CEO Max Carrier Ragazzi represented the company in Cologne, Germany, meeting partners and industry professionals from across the international gaming community. The event became even more meaningful on the 28th August, when Rayman Legends Retold received the Best Nintendo Switch 2 Game award at the Gamescom Awards 2026!
Our studio is so proud to be contributing to the project as an animation partner alongside Ubisoft. Behind every game is the passion, creativity and dedication of many talented teams. Seeing a project we are helping shape receive such recognition was a meaningful moment for everyone at Maga who has been part of that journey!
Sometimes a destination becomes part of a story long before you ever arrive there.
"Beat of A Romance / Cha Cha Cha", directed by Serena Tripepi for the virtual idol project NORA ノラ and produced by Maga Animation Studio, has received an Honorable Mention for Best Music Video at the BonDance International Film Festival 2026 in Tokyo, Japan!
NORA is a digital artist whose story unfolds through music, animation and visual storytelling. The recognition feels especially meaningful given the connection between NORA's creative universe and Japan, a country that has long inspired many aspects of her artistic journey.
So receiving recognition in Tokyo adds a special layer of meaning to this achievement. Japan is not only one of the cultural influences that helped shape the character's artistic identity, but also a place deeply connected to her fictional background and aspirations.
We would like to thank the BonDance International Film Festival and its jury for this honor, and everyone who continues to follow NORA's journey!
Stories travel even farther when they act as a bridge between cultures. From August 6 to 10, Maga Animation Studio participated in the 16th China International Animation Copyright Fair (ACTIF) in Dongguan, one of Asia's leading events dedicated to art, toys and animation, with a focus on licensing and intellectual properties.
As part of a collective Italian presence, our IPs The GoGoPig and Acqua in Bocca were presented alongside other Italian animation properties, offering Chinese audiences and industry professionals a glimpse into the richness of Italy's creative landscape.
With more than 2,200 animation, film and toy IPs on display, ACTIF brought together creators, companies and industry professionals from around the world. For our studio, the event represented a valuable opportunity to explore new perspectives within one of the world's most dynamic entertainment industries and share our creative vision with audiences and partners from across Asia.
We are grateful to Cristian Jezdic and the ACTIF organization for connecting with us at this huge event. For a studio that believes animation is a universal language, seeing our characters meet new audiences on the other side of the world was a special reminder that stories can travel much farther than we imagine!
From the dark streets of Ilden, straight to your playlist. The official soundtracks from the Soulstice Cinematic Trailer and Launch Trailer are now available on major streaming platforms, together with their official music videos on the Maga Animation Music YouTube channel.
Developed by Reply Game Studios, Soulstice is a dark fantasy action RPG for which Maga Animation Studio produced the official trailers and more than 80 minutes of in-game cinematics, helping shape the visual identity and storytelling of the game's universe.
Through Maga Animation Music, Maga Animation Studio's division dedicated to original music productions, these compositions are now reaching music lovers and gamers worldwide, offering a new way to experience the atmosphere and emotion of Soulstice beyond the screen. The music was composed by the Italian progressive metal project Waking Void. Blending cinematic orchestral textures with experimental metal influences, it creates a distinctive sound that bridges the worlds of film scoring and progressive music.
Stream the tracks on your favorite platform and watch the official music videos on Maga Animation Music!
