Gainax
Encyclopedia
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
studio famous for productions such as Gunbuster
Gunbuster
Gunbuster, known in Japan as is a six episode anime OVA series created by Gainax in 1988. It was the directorial debut of Hideaki Anno, best known as the director of Neon Genesis Evangelion. The title is a combination of the titles of classic tennis anime Aim for the Ace!, whose plot inspired...
, The Wings of Honneamise, Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water
Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water
is a Japanese animated television series inspired by the works of Jules Verne, particularly Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea and the exploits of Captain Nemo...
, Neon Genesis Evangelion, FLCL
FLCL
is an original video animation series written by Yōji Enokido, directed by Kazuya Tsurumaki and produced by the FLCL Production Committee, which included Gainax, Production I.G, and Starchild Records....
and Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann which have gone on to critical acclaim and commercial success, as well as for their association with award-winning anime director and studio co-founder Hideaki Anno
Hideaki Anno
is a Japanese animation and film director. Anno is best known for his work on the popular anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion. His style has come to be defined by the touches of postmodernism that he injects into his work, as well as the thorough portrayal of characters' thoughts and emotions,...
. The company is headquartered in Koganei
Koganei, Tokyo
is a city located in Tokyo, Japan. As of July 1, 2011, the city has an officially registered population of 116,055 with 56,296 households and a population density of 10,243.16 persons per km²...
, Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
.
Until Neon Genesis Evangelion, Gainax typically worked on stories created in-house, but the studio has increasingly developed anime adaptations of existing manga like Kareshi Kanojo no Jijou and Mahoromatic
Mahoromatic
is a sci-fi romantic comedy manga and animeseries which contains elements of the literary genre of tragic dramas. It is about a female android former soldier, Mahoro...
.
The Animage
Animage
is a Japanese anime and entertainment magazine which Tokuma Shoten began publishing in July 1978. Hayao Miyazaki's internationally renowned manga, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, was serialized in Animage from 1982 through 1994...
Anime Grand Prix has been awarded to Gainax for Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water
Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water
is a Japanese animated television series inspired by the works of Jules Verne, particularly Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea and the exploits of Captain Nemo...
in 1991, Neon Genesis Evangelion in 1995 and 1996, and The End of Evangelion
The End of Evangelion
is a 1997 Japanese animated science fiction film written and directed by Hideaki Anno along with Kazuya Tsurumaki; it ended the anime releases in the Neon Genesis Evangelion franchise until the Rebuild of Evangelion tetralogy remakes were announced in 2006....
in 1997.
History
The studio was formed in the early 1980s as Daicon Film by university students Hideaki AnnoHideaki Anno
is a Japanese animation and film director. Anno is best known for his work on the popular anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion. His style has come to be defined by the touches of postmodernism that he injects into his work, as well as the thorough portrayal of characters' thoughts and emotions,...
, Yoshiyuki Sadamoto
Yoshiyuki Sadamoto
is a Japanese character designer, manga artist, and one of the founding members of the Gainax anime studio. Before the studio was founded under the official name , he served as animator on the second animated project, the Daicon IV opening animation...
, Hiroyuki Yamaga
Hiroyuki Yamaga
is a founding member of the Japanese animation studio Gainax, and a anime director. He wrote the screenplay for Gundam 0080 . He is best known for directing the film "Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honneamise" at age 24, directing Mahoromatic & Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi , and an episode...
, Takami Akai
Takami Akai
is an illustrator, game creator, character designer and animator born on November 21, 1961 in Yonago, Tottori Prefecture, Japan. He was a board member of Gainax, and runs his own company titled NineLives. His wife is Kimiko Higuchi...
, Toshio Okada
Toshio Okada
is an anime producer, author, and lecturer. He is a co-founder and former president of the production company Gainax.-Childhood:Okada was born on July 1, 1958 in Osaka, Japan and attended Osaka University of Arts....
, Yasuhiro Takeda
Yasuhiro Takeda
is a Japanese anime director and founding member of Gainax; for most of his career, he was General Manager. He is also a two-time chair of the Nihon SF Taikai...
, and Shinji Higuchi
Shinji Higuchi
is a storyboard artist and is one of the top special effects wizards in Japan, best known for his work on the Heisei Gamera Trilogy. He works on both anime and tokusatsu projects.-Biography:...
. Their first project was to make an animated short for the 20th Annual Japan National SF Convention, also known as Daicon III, held in 1981 in Osaka, Japan. The short film is about a girl who fights all sorts of monsters, robots, and spaceships from earlier science fiction TV shows (including Ultraman
Ultraman
is Japanese television series that first aired in 1966. Ultraman, the first and best-known of the "Ultra-Crusaders," made his debut in the tokusatsu SF/kaiju/superhero TV series, , a follow-up to the television series Ultra Q...
, Gundam
Gundam
The is a metaseries of anime created by Sunrise studios that features giant robots called "Mobile Suits" ; usually the protagonist's MS will carry the name Gundam....
, Space Runaway Ideon
Space Runaway Ideon
is a 1980 anime television series produced by Sunrise.-Production:Ideon was created and directed by Yoshiyuki Tomino, and was the series he produced immediately following his most famous work, Mobile Suit Gundam....
, Space Battleship Yamato
Space Battleship Yamato
is a Japanese science fiction anime series featuring an eponymous spacecraft. It is also known to English-speaking audiences as Space Cruiser Yamato; an English-dubbed and heavily edited version of the series was broadcast on North American and Australian television as Star Blazers...
, Star Trek
Star Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
, Star Wars
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
, Godzilla
Godzilla
is a daikaijū, a Japanese movie monster, first appearing in Ishirō Honda's 1954 film Godzilla. Since then, Godzilla has gone on to become a worldwide pop culture icon starring in 28 films produced by Toho Co., Ltd. The monster has appeared in numerous other media incarnations including video games,...
, and many others) until she finally reaches a desert plain and pours a glass of water on a dried-out daikon radish
Daikon
Daikon , Raphanus sativus var. longipinnatus, also called White Radish, Japanese radish, Oriental radish, Chinese radish, lo bok and Mooli , is a mild flavoured, very large, white East Asian radish...
, which immediately resurrects itself and grows into a huge spaceship and beams her aboard. While this animated short was ambitious, its animation was rough and low-quality.
The group made a much bigger splash at the 22nd Annual Japan National SF Convention, Daicon IV, in 1983. The short they produced for this convention started with a recap of the original short, showing highlights of the girl's adventures with much better animation quality; then it showed the girl all grown up: wearing a bunny suit
Playboy Bunny
A Playboy Bunny is a waitress at the Playboy Club. The Playboy Clubs were originally open from 1960 to 1988. The Club re-opened in one location in The Palms Hotel in Las Vegas in 2006...
, fighting an even wider selection of creatures from all sorts of science fiction and fantasy movies and novels (appearances include various Mobile Suits from the Gundam
Gundam
The is a metaseries of anime created by Sunrise studios that features giant robots called "Mobile Suits" ; usually the protagonist's MS will carry the name Gundam....
series, Darth Vader
Darth Vader
Darth Vader is a central character in the Star Wars saga, appearing as one of the main antagonists in the original trilogy and as the main protagonist in the prequel trilogy....
, an Alien
Alien (film)
Alien is a 1979 science fiction horror film directed by Ridley Scott and starring Tom Skerritt, Sigourney Weaver, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton, John Hurt, Ian Holm and Yaphet Kotto. The film's title refers to its primary antagonist: a highly aggressive extraterrestrial creature which...
, a Macross
The Super Dimension Fortress Macross
is an anime television series. According to story creator Shoji Kawamori, it depicts "a love triangle against the backdrop of great battles" during the first Human-alien war....
Valkyrie
VF-1 Valkyrie
This article is about a fictional vehicle; for the fighter squadron see VF-1.In the fictional Macross Japanese anime series and its English adaptation Robotech, the first mass-produced variable fighter or veritech fighter is called the VF-1 Valkyrie.-Background:The VF-1 was created by the...
, a Pern
Pern
Pern is a fictional planet created by Anne McCaffrey for the Dragonriders of Pern series of fantasy and science fiction books. It is said to be "Rukbat 3", the third planet in orbit around the star Rukbat, counting outward....
dragon
Dragons (Pern)
The Dragons of Pern are a fictional race created by Anne McCaffrey as an integral part of the science fiction world depicted in her Dragonriders of Pern novels....
, Aslan
Aslan
Aslan, the "Great Lion," is the central character in The Chronicles of Narnia, a series of seven fantasy novels for children written by C. S. Lewis. He is the eponymous lion of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and his role in Narnia is developed throughout the remaining books...
, a Klingon
Klingon
Klingons are a fictional warrior race in the Star Trek universe.Klingons are recurring villains in the 1960s television show Star Trek: The Original Series, and have appeared in all five spin-off series and eight feature films...
battle cruiser, Spider-Man
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
, and a pan across a vast array of hundreds of other characters) as she surfs through the sky on the sword Stormbringer
Stormbringer
Stormbringer is the name of the infamous black sword featured in a number of fantasy stories by the author Michael Moorcock. Created by the forces of Chaos, it is described as a huge, black sword covered with strange runes carved deep into its blade...
. The action was set to the song "Twilight" from the group Electric Light Orchestra
Electric Light Orchestra
Electric Light Orchestra were a British rock group from Birmingham who released eleven studio albums between 1971 and 1986 and another album in 2001. ELO were formed to accommodate Roy Wood and Jeff Lynne's desire to create modern rock and pop songs with classical overtones...
. The use of this song, however, was unlicensed, preventing the short from being officially released on DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
, making the limited laserdisc
Laserdisc
LaserDisc was a home video format and the first commercial optical disc storage medium. Initially licensed, sold, and marketed as MCA DiscoVision in North America in 1978, the technology was previously referred to interally as Optical Videodisc System, Reflective Optical Videodisc, Laser Optical...
release (Daicon Film) of the Daicon shorts very rare and highly sought after. The Daicon IV short firmly established Daicon Film as a talented new anime studio (albeit small and on a shoestring—it was founded in Musashino, Tokyo with only 20 million yen, ~US$200,000). The studio changed its name to Gainax in 1985, basing the term "Gainax" on an obscure Tottori Prefecture
Tottori Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region. The capital is the city of Tottori. It is the least populous prefecture in Japan.- History :Before the Meiji Restoration, Tottori encompassed the old provinces of Hōki and Inaba...
term for "giant" and the English suffix "x" (which sounded "good and was international").
Since Gainax has originated as a group of fans, it has maintained ties to the general otaku
Otaku
is a Japanese term used to refer to people with obsessive interests, particularly anime, manga or video games.- Etymology :Otaku is derived from a Japanese term for another's house or family , which is also used as an honorific second-person pronoun...
community, allowing dōjinshi
Dojinshi
is the Japanese term for self-published works, usually magazines, manga or novels. Dōjinshi are often the work of amateurs, though some professional artists participate as a way to publish material outside the regular industry. The term dōjinshi is derived from and . Dōjinshi are part of a wider...
of its work, fan-made action figure
Action figure
An action figure is a posable character figurine, made of plastic or other materials, and often based upon characters from a film, comic book, video game, or television program. These action figures are usually marketed towards boys and male collectors...
s, and promoting series like Evangelion at private festivals and so on.
As a commercial entity, Gainax's first essay was Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honneamise
Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honneamise
is a 1987 Japanese animated science fiction film and the first film produced by Gainax and Bandai Visual. It was directed and written by Hiroyuki Yamaga with assistant director Takami Akai. The film would eventually be a critically acclaimed Gainax classic, but it was poorly received and sold only...
, released in 1987. Honneamise was (and still is) critically acclaimed and a classic anime movie; however, it had a tepid commercial reaction. Gainax would attempt to develop a sequel later in March 1992 and abandon it for lack of funds. Gunbuster
Gunbuster
Gunbuster, known in Japan as is a six episode anime OVA series created by Gainax in 1988. It was the directorial debut of Hideaki Anno, best known as the director of Neon Genesis Evangelion. The title is a combination of the titles of classic tennis anime Aim for the Ace!, whose plot inspired...
was the next release, in 1988. The OVA was a commercial success and put Gainax on the stabler footing to produce works like Nadia
Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water
is a Japanese animated television series inspired by the works of Jules Verne, particularly Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea and the exploits of Captain Nemo...
and Otaku no Video
Otaku no Video
is a 1991 comedy anime spoofing the life and culture of otaku, individuals with obsessive interests in media, particularly anime and manga, as well as the history of Gainax, its creators. It is noted for its mix of conventional documentary film styles , with a more traditional anime storytelling...
.
During this period, Gainax produced a number of items besides anime series and movies—garage kit
Garage kit
A garage kit or resin kit is an assembly scale model kit most commonly cast in polyurethane resin. They are often figures portraying humans or other living creatures. In Japan, kits often depict anime characters, and in the United States depictions of movie monsters are common...
s, adult video games (a major earner which kept Gainax afloat on occasion, and which were sometimes banned), and other such items.
In 1995, Gainax produced perhaps their best known series, the commercially successful and critically acclaimed Neon Genesis Evangelion
Neon Genesis Evangelion
, commonly referred to as Evangelion, is a commercially and critically successful Japanese anime series that began airing in October 1995. The series was highly influential, and launched the Neon Genesis Evangelion franchise. It garnered several major animation awards...
. In the wake of Evangelion
In 2004, Gainax marked their 20th anniversary with the production of Diebuster
Diebuster
Diebuster, known in Japan as is a six episode anime Original Video Animation series created by Gainax in 2004.The first episode was aired on October 3, 2004, while the final episode was released on August 14, 2005. A movie, officially titled retells and recaps the end of the first Gunbuster OVA...
, the sequel to Gunbuster
Gunbuster
Gunbuster, known in Japan as is a six episode anime OVA series created by Gainax in 1988. It was the directorial debut of Hideaki Anno, best known as the director of Neon Genesis Evangelion. The title is a combination of the titles of classic tennis anime Aim for the Ace!, whose plot inspired...
. Gainax's most recent successes on television are the popular anime series Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann (2007), and Panty and Stocking with Garterbelt (2010).
In August 2011, A.D. Vision
A.D. Vision
A.D. Vision was an American international multimedia entertainment company headquartered in Houston, Texas, prior to its collapse and distress sale to four other Houston-based companies in 2009...
sued Gainax over Gainax's refusal to accept an option payment for the perpetual live-action rights to Evangelion, including the planned live-action film; ADV charges that by refusing to accept payment, Gainax broke the contract and is asking for the rights and legal fees.
Works
Gainax works include (year given is that of first broadcast, theatre showing, or publishing):- Series
- Nadia: The Secret of Blue WaterNadia: The Secret of Blue Wateris a Japanese animated television series inspired by the works of Jules Verne, particularly Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea and the exploits of Captain Nemo...
(1990–1991) (Fushigi no Umi no Nadia) - Neon Genesis Evangelion (1995–1996) (Shin Seiki Evangelion) (co-production with Tatsunoko)
- His and Her Circumstances (1998–1999) (Kareshi Kanojo no Jijo; "Kare Kano" for short)
- Modern Love's SillinessModern Love's Sillinesswas an anime anthology series produced by Gainax, but animated by Group TAC. The series consisted of three love and relationship-related comedy segments aimed at women:* Ebichu Minds the House...
(1999) - Oruchuban EbichuOruchuban Ebichuis a manga series by Risa Itō that was published by Futabasha Publishers. It later became an anime produced by Gainax, but animated by Group TAC. It first aired as six eight-minute episodes in 1999 as one third of the show Modern Love's Silliness. Ebichu is very adult in nature, and its explicit...
(1999) - MahoromaticMahoromaticis a sci-fi romantic comedy manga and animeseries which contains elements of the literary genre of tragic dramas. It is about a female android former soldier, Mahoro...
(2001–2003, 2009) - Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi (2002) (Abenobashi Mahō Shōtengai)
- Petite Princess YuciePetite Princess Yucieis an anime series, which was produced by Gainax, aired from 2002 to 2003, and ran for 26 episodes. Six volumes of videos were released on DVD by ADV Films in the United States. As of Sep. 1, 2009, the series is now licensed by ADV's successor, AEsir Holdings; with distribution from Section23 Films...
(2002–2003) (Puchi Puri Yūshi) - The Melody of Oblivion (2004) (Boukyaku no Senritsu)
- This Ugly Yet Beautiful WorldThis Ugly Yet Beautiful Worldis an anime television series created by Shouji Saeki and Hiroyuki Yamaga. It was co-produced by the Gainax and Shaft animation studios.The series aired on the Tokyo Broadcasting System from April 1, 2004 to June 16, 2004, totaling 12 episodes...
(2004) (Kono Minikuku mo Utsukushii Sekai or "Konomini") - He Is My MasterHe Is My Masteris a gag comedy manga which ran in Monthly Shōnen Gangan, later spun off into a television anime series in the harem genre with a lolicon aspect. The manga is authored by two individuals: Mattsu who does the story and his ex-wife Asu Tsubaki who does the artwork...
(2005) - Gurren Lagann (2007)
- Corpse Princess (2008) (Shikabane Hime, animation co-produced by FeelFeel (studio)is the name of a Japanese based company that specializes in the production of anime.-Anime produced:*Coyote Ragtime Show *Da Capo *Da Capo: Second Season *Da Capo II...
) - Hanamaru KindergartenHanamaru Kindergartenis a Japanese situation comedy manga series written and illustrated by Yuto and published by Square Enix. It is mainly about a kindergarten girl who is in love with her teacher and tries to win his affection but always fails...
(2010) - Panty & Stocking with GarterbeltPanty & Stocking with Garterbeltis a Japanese anime television series produced by Gainax. It aired nationwide between October 1, 2010 and December 24, 2010 on BS NTV and was also simulcast on Nico Nico Douga and Crunchyroll...
(2010) - The Mystic Archives of Dantalian (2011)
- Medaka BoxMedaka Boxis a Japanese shonen manga written by Nisio Isin and illustrated by Akira Akatsuki. The series follows the student council, originally Medaka Kurokami and Zenkichi Hitoyoshi, during their various adventures to honor suggestions, presented by academy members, in order to better the academy.Medaka...
(2012)
- Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water
- Films
- Royal Space Force: The Wings of HonneamiseRoyal Space Force: The Wings of Honneamiseis a 1987 Japanese animated science fiction film and the first film produced by Gainax and Bandai Visual. It was directed and written by Hiroyuki Yamaga with assistant director Takami Akai. The film would eventually be a critically acclaimed Gainax classic, but it was poorly received and sold only...
(1987) - Evangelion: Death and RebirthEvangelion: Death and Rebirthis the first movie in the Neon Genesis Evangelion franchise. It consists of two parts, Death and Rebirth, respectively. It was released, along with the follow-up, The End of Evangelion, in response to the success of the TV series and a strong demand by fans for another ending...
/ The End of EvangelionThe End of Evangelionis a 1997 Japanese animated science fiction film written and directed by Hideaki Anno along with Kazuya Tsurumaki; it ended the anime releases in the Neon Genesis Evangelion franchise until the Rebuild of Evangelion tetralogy remakes were announced in 2006....
/ Revival of Evangelion (1997/1997/1999) (animation co-produced by Production I.G) - Cowboy Bebop: Knockin' on Heaven's Door (noted in the credits as an outside animation team)
- Cutie HoneyCutie Honey (film)is a 2004 Japanese tokusatsu film adaptation, produced by Gainax, of the 1970s manga and anime series Cutie Honey.The film stars popular Japanese model Eriko Sato as the hyperactive Honey. Directed by Hideaki Anno, the film loosely retells the classic story of Cutie Honey's battle to defend...
(2004) (opening animation) - GunbusterGunbusterGunbuster, known in Japan as is a six episode anime OVA series created by Gainax in 1988. It was the directorial debut of Hideaki Anno, best known as the director of Neon Genesis Evangelion. The title is a combination of the titles of classic tennis anime Aim for the Ace!, whose plot inspired...
vs. DiebusterDiebusterDiebuster, known in Japan as is a six episode anime Original Video Animation series created by Gainax in 2004.The first episode was aired on October 3, 2004, while the final episode was released on August 14, 2005. A movie, officially titled retells and recaps the end of the first Gunbuster OVA...
(2006) - Rebuild of EvangelionRebuild of EvangelionRebuild of Evangelion, known in Japan as , is a Japanese animated film series and a remake of the original Neon Genesis Evangelion series. It is being produced by Studio Khara and KlockWorx in partnership with Gainax...
(four-part movie series) (2007–2013) (Co-franchise owners with Anno's Studio Khara; not involved in animation production) - Gekijōban Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann (two-part movie series) (2008–2009)
- Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honneamise
- OVAs and ONAs
- Top o Nerae! GunbusterGunbusterGunbuster, known in Japan as is a six episode anime OVA series created by Gainax in 1988. It was the directorial debut of Hideaki Anno, best known as the director of Neon Genesis Evangelion. The title is a combination of the titles of classic tennis anime Aim for the Ace!, whose plot inspired...
(1988) ("Aim for the Top! Gunbuster") - Beat Shot (1989)
- Circuit no Ohkami 2 Modena no Tsurugi (1990)
- Blazing Transfer StudentBlazing Transfer Studentis a manga written and illustrated by Kazuhiko Shimamoto. It was serialized in the Shogakukan manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Sunday from 1983 to 1985. Honō no Tenkōsei was adapted into a two-episode original video animation anime series in 1991 by Gainax...
(1991) - Money WarsMoney Warswas an OVA produced by Gainax and was released on September 21, 1991. It is a story about a battlefield in the stock market....
(1991) - Otaku no VideoOtaku no Videois a 1991 comedy anime spoofing the life and culture of otaku, individuals with obsessive interests in media, particularly anime and manga, as well as the history of Gainax, its creators. It is noted for its mix of conventional documentary film styles , with a more traditional anime storytelling...
(1991) - Casshan: Robot Hunter (1993) (final battle sequence)
- FLCLFLCLis an original video animation series written by Yōji Enokido, directed by Kazuya Tsurumaki and produced by the FLCL Production Committee, which included Gainax, Production I.G, and Starchild Records....
(2000) - Anime Tenchou (2002)
- Re: Cutie HoneyRe: Cutie Honeyis a three-episode OVA series based on the 2004 tokusatsu film Cutie Honey, both being adaptations of the 1970s manga written and illustrated by Go Nagai. The series was co-produced with Gainax and Toei Animation, directed by Hideaki Anno, and shown on the Animax satellite television network in...
(2004) (co-produced by Toei AnimationToei AnimationToei Animation Co., Ltd. is a Japanese animation studio owned by Toei Co., Ltd. The studio was founded in 1948 as Japan Animated Films . In 1956, Toei purchased the studio and it was reincorporated under its current name...
) - DiebusterDiebusterDiebuster, known in Japan as is a six episode anime Original Video Animation series created by Gainax in 2004.The first episode was aired on October 3, 2004, while the final episode was released on August 14, 2005. A movie, officially titled retells and recaps the end of the first Gunbuster OVA...
(2004) (Top o Nerae 2! or "Aim for the Top 2!") - Wish Upon the PleiadesWish Upon the PleiadesWish Upon the Pleiades, also known under the Japanese title , is an original net animation series developed jointly by Gainax and Japanese automaker Subaru...
(2011)
- Top o Nerae! Gunbuster
Gainax has also produced a number of computer games, including a strip mahjong
Mahjong
Mahjong, sometimes spelled Mah Jongg, is a game that originated in China, commonly played by four players...
game featuring Evangelion characters, and its most famous games, the Princess Maker
Princess Maker
is a series of Japanese life simulation bishōjo games by the computer game and anime production company Gainax. The first Princess Maker, while popular enough to be translated into Chinese, was never released in the United States. Princess Maker 2 was translated by for a North American release,...
series, which was later adapted as Puchi Puri Yūshi
Petite Princess Yucie
is an anime series, which was produced by Gainax, aired from 2002 to 2003, and ran for 26 episodes. Six volumes of videos were released on DVD by ADV Films in the United States. As of Sep. 1, 2009, the series is now licensed by ADV's successor, AEsir Holdings; with distribution from Section23 Films...
.
Collaborations
Gainax has also teamed with other groups to create various works; they have worked on a 1987 promotional video for the song "Marionette" by BoøwyBoøwy
Boøwy was a Japanese rock group consisting of Kyosuke Himuro , Tomoyasu Hotei , Tsunematsu Matsui and Makoto Takahashi . They were a rock band that reached legendary status in Japan during the 1980s...
, and collaborated with a Japanese fashion doll
Fashion doll
Fashion dolls are dolls primarily designed to be dressed to reflect fashion trends. They are manufactured both as toys for children to play with and as collectibles for adult collectors. The dolls are usually modeled after teen girls or adult women, though child, male, and even some non-human...
company to create Momoko
Momoko Doll
is a 1/6 scale Japanese fashion doll, roughly similar in size to Robert Tonner's Tiny Kitty Collier.Momoko was created in 2001 as a side project by a Japanese software company called Petworks. In 2004, Petworks handed the line over to doll-making firm Sekiguchi...
-based "Gainax Girls" fashion dolls in 2006. Gainix also collaborated with Game Arts
Game Arts
is a Japanese video game software developer located in Tokyo, Japan. Originally established in 1985 as a computer software company, they have since expanded their enterprise to produce for a number of game console and handheld systems...
in 1992 resulting the video game Alisia Dragoon
Alisia Dragoon
Alisia Dragoon is a 1992 platform game for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis console. It was developed by Game Arts, who also published the game in Japan. Aiding the software developer was animation studio Gainax, who was responsible for the game's art and story. The player controls Alisia, a young...
.
Daicon Tokusatsu fan films
As Daicon Films, Gainax was also notable for making a series of tokusatsuTokusatsu
is a Japanese term that applies to any live-action film or television drama that usually features superheroes and makes considerable use of special effects ....
fan film
Fan film
A fan film is a film or video inspired by a film, television program, comic book or a similar source, created by fans rather than by the source's copyright holders or creators. Fan filmmakers have traditionally been amateurs, but some of the more notable films have actually been produced by...
shorts in the 1980s, usually parodies of monster movies and superhero shows, which have gotten lots of favorable media coverage. These productions included: (1982): A parody of the popular Super Sentai
Super Sentai
The is the name given to the long-running Japanese superhero team genre of shows produced by Toei Co., Ltd., Toei Agency and Bandai, and aired by TV Asahi...
shows, which is also a satire of the Russo-Japanese War
Russo-Japanese War
The Russo-Japanese War was "the first great war of the 20th century." It grew out of rival imperial ambitions of the Russian Empire and Japanese Empire over Manchuria and Korea...
. The title team is based on Japanese culture (of course), and consists of Takeshi Jinpuu (AiKamikaze
Kamikaze
The were suicide attacks by military aviators from the Empire of Japan against Allied naval vessels in the closing stages of the Pacific campaign of World War II, designed to destroy as many warships as possible....
, red uniform), Danji Kiribara (AiHarakiri, blue uniform), Nikuo Shirataki (AiSukiyaki
Sukiyaki
Sukiyaki is a Japanese dish in the nabemono style.It consists of meat which is slowly cooked or simmered at the table, alongside vegetables and other ingredients, in a shallow iron pot in a mixture of soy sauce, sugar, and mirin...
, green uniform), Yuki Maiko (AiGeisha
Geisha
, Geiko or Geigi are traditional, female Japanese entertainers whose skills include performing various Japanese arts such as classical music and dance.-Terms:...
, pink uniform) and Ageru Koromo (AiTenpura, yellow uniform). The villains, the evil Red Bear Empire, led by "Death Kremlin
Kremlin
A kremlin , same root as in kremen is a major fortified central complex found in historic Russian cities. This word is often used to refer to the best-known one, the Moscow Kremlin, or metonymically to the government that is based there...
", are Russians. In this "episode", Red Bear confronts our heroes with the giant shark monster, Minsk
Minsk
- Ecological situation :The ecological situation is monitored by Republican Center of Radioactive and Environmental Control .During 2003–2008 the overall weight of contaminants increased from 186,000 to 247,400 tons. The change of gas as industrial fuel to mazut for financial reasons has worsened...
Mask, while attempting to brainwash the children of Japan by swapping out the pages of their textbooks with red paper. Shinji Higuchi
Shinji Higuchi
is a storyboard artist and is one of the top special effects wizards in Japan, best known for his work on the Heisei Gamera Trilogy. He works on both anime and tokusatsu projects.-Biography:...
worked on the special effects. The opening theme is the same as the opening theme to the Super Sentai series Taiyo Sentai Sun Vulcan, albeit with alternative lyrics while the ending theme is almost exactly the same as an insert song from the anime series, Uchuu Senshi Baldios
Baldios
is a Japanese super robot mecha anime series from 1980.-Production:The original TV anime series was produced by Ashi Productions, with its full length feature film produced by Toei Animation in 1981...
, but once again with alternative lyrics. (1982): A parody of Shotaro Ishinomori
Shotaro Ishinomori
was a Japanese manga artist who became an influential figure in manga, anime, and tokusatsu, creating several immensely popular long-running series such as Cyborg 009 and Himitsu Sentai Goranger, what would go on to become part of the Super Sentai series, and the Kamen Rider Series...
's Kaiketsu Zubat
Kaiketsu Zubat
, translated into English as Swift Hero Zubat, Extraordinary Zubat or Vigilante Zubat, is a tokusatsu superhero series that aired in 1977. Created by Shotaro Ishinomori, this 32-episode series , harkens back to tokusatsu superhero shows of the 1950s, but with a late-70s twist...
; the name of the hero's alter-ego (Ken Hayakawa) is the same, but the hero wears a sillier costume! Daicon/Gainax producer Yasuhiro Takeda
Yasuhiro Takeda
is a Japanese anime director and founding member of Gainax; for most of his career, he was General Manager. He is also a two-time chair of the Nihon SF Taikai...
played Ken Hayakawa. It spawned three sequels: "Kaiketsu Noutenki 2" in which he faces off against a mechanical clone of himself, Mecha Noutenki; "Noutenki in USA" where the hero walks around in San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, seeing the sights whilst in costume; and a supposed role-playing video. (1983): A same-title parody of Return of Ultraman
Return of Ultraman
is a tokusatsu SF/kaiju/superhero TV series, and is the 4th Ultra Series.Eiji Tsuburaya had originally intended for the Ultra Series to end with the 1967 series Ultra Seven , but Ultraman proved to be too popular a character to keep down...
, with some impressive special effects, even for a low budget. The usual Ultraman
Ultraman
is Japanese television series that first aired in 1966. Ultraman, the first and best-known of the "Ultra-Crusaders," made his debut in the tokusatsu SF/kaiju/superhero TV series, , a follow-up to the television series Ultra Q...
derring-do ensues, only replace New Ultraman/Ultraman Jack with a giant Hideaki Anno
Hideaki Anno
is a Japanese animation and film director. Anno is best known for his work on the popular anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion. His style has come to be defined by the touches of postmodernism that he injects into his work, as well as the thorough portrayal of characters' thoughts and emotions,...
in a vinyl Ultraman trick-or-treat outfit and glasses! Anno directed while Takami Akai
Takami Akai
is an illustrator, game creator, character designer and animator born on November 21, 1961 in Yonago, Tottori Prefecture, Japan. He was a board member of Gainax, and runs his own company titled NineLives. His wife is Kimiko Higuchi...
directed the special effects. (1985): Daicon's epic 72-minute sendup of daikaiju
Kaiju
is a Japanese word that means "strange beast," but often translated in English as "monster". Specifically, it is used to refer to a genre of tokusatsu entertainment....
(giant monster) movies, with special effects by Shinji Higuchi
Shinji Higuchi
is a storyboard artist and is one of the top special effects wizards in Japan, best known for his work on the Heisei Gamera Trilogy. He works on both anime and tokusatsu projects.-Biography:...
. This was the most heavily promoted of their short films.
See also
- Neon Genesis Evangelion franchiseNeon Genesis Evangelion franchiseThe franchise is an umbrella of Japanese media properties generally owned by the anime studio Gainax. It has grossed over 150 billion yen since 1995. The central works of the franchise feature an apocalyptic mecha action story which revolves around the efforts by the paramilitary organization...
Further reading
- Hernandez, Lea. "The Curse of Urusei Yatsura", interview by PULP magazine, vol. 5, no. 8 (August 2001): 24–29. ISSN 1096-0228.
- Howell, Shon. "The Fabulous Dog and Pony Show: An Interview with Shon Howell". By Ben Dunn. Mangazine, vol. 2, no. 23 (May 1993): 11–18. Shon Howell was the second vice president of Gainax in charge of United States operations (General Products) after Lea Hernandez (the first) quit.
- Howell, Shon. "The Fabulous Dog and Pony Show". Mangazine, vol. 2, nos. 24 (June 1993), 25 (July 1993), 27 (September 1993), 30 (December 1993), 31 (January 1994), 32 (February 1994). A column further detailing Shon Howell's experiences with Gainax.
- Leonard, Andrew. "Heads Up, Mickey". WiredWired (magazine)Wired is a full-color monthly American magazine and on-line periodical, published since January 1993, that reports on how new and developing technology affects culture, the economy, and politics...
, issue 3.04, April 1995. An article on anime, focusing on the history of Gainax.
External links
GAINAX NET — Gainax's official Web site-
- Gainax's Official Daicon Films Website — Info on their classic tokusatsu & anime shorts (DVDs available there).