Tatsunoko's current English logo | |
Tatsunoko's current Japanese logo | |
Native name | 株式会社タツノコプロ |
---|---|
Romanized name | Kabushiki-gaisha Tatsunoko Puro |
Formerly | Tatsunoko Productions Co, Ltd. (1962–2013) |
Type | Kabushiki gaisha |
Founded | October 19, 1962[1] |
Founder | Tatsuo Yoshida Kenji Yoshida Ippei Kuri |
Headquarters | Musashino, Tokyo, Japan |
Key people | Yuzo Kuwahara (President and CEO) |
Products | Anime |
Owner | Nippon TV (54.3%) Tomy (20.0%) Horipro (13.5%) Production I.G (11.2%) |
Number of employees | 70[2] (2022) |
Divisions | I.G Tatsunoko (1987–1993) |
Website | tatsunoko |
Tatsunoko Production Co., Ltd. (株式会社タツノコプロ, Kabushiki gaisha Tatsunoko Puro)[a] and often shortened to Tatsunoko Pro (タツノコプロ, Tatsunoko Puro), is a Japanese animation company. The studio's name has a double meaning in Japanese: "Tatsu's child" (Tatsu is a nickname for Tatsuo) and "sea dragon", the inspiration for its seahorse logo.[3][4] Tatsunoko's headquarters are in Musashino, Tokyo.[1]
The studio was founded in October 1962 by mangaka and anime pioneer Tatsuo Yoshida and his brothers Kenji and Toyoharu (better known by his pen name "Ippei Kuri").[3]
The studio's first production was the 1965 TV series Space Ace.[citation needed] Since then many figures in the anime industry have worked with Tatsunoko, including Mizuho Nishikubo, Hiroshi Sasagawa, Koichi Mashimo, Katsuhisa Yamada, Hideaki Anno (Tatsunoko provided animation work on the Neon Genesis Evangelion TV series), and Kazuo Yamazaki.[citation needed] Sasagawa is notable for bringing his fondness for comedy animation to the forefront in Tatsunoko series such as the Time Bokan (1975) franchise.[5] The company later licensed Macross to Harmony Gold, who then produced Robotech.[citation needed]
Takara acquired Tatsunoko on June 3, 2005 after purchasing an 88 percent stake and made the company a subsidiary.[6] Production I.G was established in 1987 as I.G. Tatsunoko, a branch for the production of Zillion led by Mitsuhisa Ishikawa.[7][8][9]
In 2009, Tatsunoko announced that it would collaborate with Marvel Comics on a joint television project and other ventures.[10] IG Port announced on June 2, 2010 that its subsidiary, Production I.G, had purchased an 11.2 percent stake in Tatsunoko. Production I.G president Mitsuhisa Ishikawa became a part-time director of the studio.[11]
Talent agency Horipro announced on February 23, 2013 that it had acquired a 13.5 percent stake in Tatsunoko.[12] At Anime Expo 2013, Sentai Filmworks announced a deal to license and release some of Tatsunoko's titles, including Gatchaman and Casshan.[13] Nippon TV announced on January 29, 2014 that it had purchased a 54.3 percent stake in Tatsunoko and adopted the company as its subsidiary.[14][15][16]
In 2017, two short films titled Pandora to Akubi were released. These were the first works produced under Tatsunoko's "Bakken Record" label, which was officially established in April 2019.[17]
Title | Series director | Broadcast network(s) | Year(s) | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Space Ace (Uchuu Ace) | Hiroshi Sasagawa | Fuji TV | May 8, 1965 – April 28, 1966 | Tatsunoko's first ever animated TV serial; adapted from the original manga by Tatsuo Yoshida that was serialized in Shueisha's Shonen Book magazine |
Mach GoGoGo (Speed Racer) (original) | Hiroshi Sasagawa | Fuji TV | April 2, 1967 – March 31, 1968 | Tatsunoko's first animated TV serial to be produced in color; adapted from the original manga by Tatsuo Yoshida that was serialized in Shueisha's Shonen Book magazine |
Oraa Guzura Dado (original) | Hiroshi Sasagawa | Fuji TV | October 7, 1967 – September 25, 1968 | |
Dokachin the Primitive Boy (or simply, "Dokachin") | Seitarō Hara, Hiroshi Sasagawa | Fuji TV | October 2, 1968 – March 26, 1969 | |
Kurenai Sanshiro | Ippei Kuri | Fuji TV | April 2-September 24, 1969 | Adapted from two manga serials by Tatsuo Yoshida that were serialized in Shueisha's Shonen Book from 1961 to 1962, and Shogakukan's Weekly Shonen Sunday and Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump from 1968 to 1969 |
Hakushon Daimaō | Hiroshi Sasagawa | Fuji TV | October 5, 1969 – September 27, 1970 | Adapted into Bob in a Bottle by Saban Entertainment in 1992 |
Title | Series director | Broadcast network(s) | Year(s) | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Honeybee Hutch (Mitsubachi Monogatari Minashigo Hacchiand La Abeja Hutch) | Ippei Kuri | Fuji TV | April 7, 1970 – September 8, 1971 | |
Inakappe Taishō | Hiroshi Sasagawa | Fuji TV | October 4, 1970 – September 24, 1972 | Adapted from the manga by Noboru Kawasaki, which was serialized in Shogakukan's Gakkushu Zasshi educational magazines for Japanese schoolchildren |
Kabatotto | Hiroshi Sasagawa | Fuji TV | January 1, 1971 – September 30, 1972 | |
Animentari Ketsudan | Ippei Kuri | Nippon TV | April 3-September 25, 1971 | Dramatic adaptation of the Japanese Empire's role in the Second World War |
Mokku of the Oak Tree | Seitaro Hara | Fuji TV | January 4, 1972 – January 1, 1973 | Adaptation of Italian novelist Carlo Collodi's 1881 novel, The Adventures of Pinocchio |
Science Ninja Team Gatchaman | Hisayuki Toriumi | Fuji TV | October 1, 1972 – September 29, 1974 | Adapted for western audiences by Sandy Frank Entertainment into Battle of the Planets in 1978, by Sandy Frank and Turner Entertainment into G-Force: Guardians of Space in 1986, and by Saban Entertainment into Eagle Riders in 1996 |
Tamagon the Counselor | Hiroshi Sasagawa | Fuji TV | 1972–1973 | |
Kerokko Demetan | Hiroshi Sasagawa | Fuji TV | January 2-September 25, 1973 | Adapted for western audiences by Harmony Gold USA as an animated film The Brave Frog in 1985 |
Neo Human Casshan | Hiroshi Sasagawa | Fuji TV | October 2, 1973 – June 25, 1974 | A notable source of inspiration for Keiji Inafune who went on to be the artistic director for the Mega Man franchise for Capcom[citation needed] |
New Honeybee Hutch | Seitaro Hara | NET | April 4-September 27, 1974 | Sequel to 1970's Honeybee Hutch |
Hurricane Polymar | Hisayuki Toriumi | NET | October 4, 1974 – March 28, 1975 | |
Tentomushi no Uta | Hiroshi Sasagawa | Fuji TV | October 6, 1974 – September 26, 1976 | Adapted from Noboru Kawasaki's manga of the same name that was serialized in Shogakukan's Gakkushu Zasshi educational magazines from 1973 to 1975 |
Space Knight Tekkaman | Hiroshi Sasagawa, Hisayuki Toriumi | NET | July 2-December 24, 1975 | |
Time Bokan | Hiroshi Sasagawa | Fuji TV | October 4, 1975 – December 25, 1976 | First entry in Tatsunoko's Time Bokan Series |
Gowappa 5 Gōdam | Hisayuki Toriumi | ABC | April 4-December 29, 1976 | |
Paul's Miraculous Adventure | Hiroshi Sasagawa | Fuji TV | October 3, 1976 – September 11, 1977 | |
The Time Bokan Series: Yatterman | Hiroshi Sasagawa | Fuji TV | January 1, 1977 – January 27, 1979 | Second installment of the Time Bokan Series |
Ippatsu Kanta-kun | Hiroshi Sasagawa | Fuji TV | September 18, 1977 – September 24, 1978 | First of Tatsuo Yoshida's original works to be produced posthumously; he died of liver cancer on September 5, 1977, 13 days before the first episode aired |
Temple the Balloonist | Seitaro Hara | Fuji TV | October 1, 1977 – March 25, 1978 | Second and last of Tatsuo Yoshida's original works to be produced posthumously |
Tobidase! Machine Hiryuu | ??? | Tokyo Channel 12 | October 5, 1977 – March 29, 1978 | First and only one of Tatsunoko's original works to be co-produced with Toei Animation, one of their rivals within the anime industry |
Science Ninja Team Gatchaman II | Hisayuki Toriumi, Hiroshi Sasagawa | Fuji TV | October 1, 1978 – September 23, 1979 | Sequel to 1972's Science Ninja Team Gatchaman; adapted into Eagle Riders by Saban Entertainment in 1996; First of Tatsunoko's works to be produced by Kenji Yoshida |
The Time Bokan Series: Zenderman | Hiroshi Sasagawa | Fuji TV | February 3, 1979 – January 26, 1980 | Third installment of the Time Bokan Series |
Lupin the Thief: Enigma of the 813 | Hiroshi Sasagawa | Fuji TV | May 5, 1979 | Made-for-TV anime film; loosely adapted from Maurice Leblanc's 813 |
Science Ninja Team Gatchaman Fighter | Hisayuki Toriumi | Fuji TV | October 7, 1979 – August 31, 1980 | Direct sequel to 1978's Science Ninja Team Gatchaman II; final installment in the Gatchaman franchise until 1994 OVA |
Gordian the Warrior | Masamune Ochiai, Kunihiko Okazaki | Tokyo Channel 12 | October 7, 1979 – February 27, 1981 | |
Ashinaga Ojisan | ??? | Fuji TV | October 10, 1979 | TV special; adapted from Jean Webster's 1912 novel, Daddy-Long-Legs |
Title | Series director | Broadcast network(s) | Year(s) | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Cheerful Dwarves of the Forest: Belfy and Lillibit | Masayuki Hayashi | Tokyo 12 Broadcasting | January 7-July 7, 1980 | Adapted by Saban Entertainment into The Littl' Bits, which ran on the Nick Jr. Channel from 1991 to 1995 |
The Time Bokan Series: Time Patrol Team Otasukeman | Hiroshi Sasagawa | Fuji TV | February 2, 1980 – January 31, 1981 | Fourth installment of the Time Bokan Series |
Dashing Warrior Muteking | Seitaro Hara | Fuji TV | September 7, 1980 – September 27, 1981 | |
The Great Navy War: 20,000 Miles of Love | Ippei Kuri | Nippon TV | January 3, 1981 | Made-for-TV anime film; loosely adapted from Jules Verne's Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, Adapted into English by Harmony Gold as simply Undersea Encounter |
The Time Bokan Series: Yattodetaman | Hiroshi Sasagawa | Fuji TV | February 7, 1981 – February 6, 1982 | Fifth installment of the Time Bokan Series |
Golden Warrior Gold Lightan | Kōichi Mashimo | Tokyo 12 Broadcasting | March 1, 1981 – February 18, 1982 | |
Dash Kappei | Masayuki Hayashi, Seitaro Hara | Fuji TV | October 4, 1981 – December 26, 1982 | Adapted from the manga by Noboru Rokuda, which was serialized in Shogakukan's Weekly Shonen Sunday manga magazine from November 1979 to November 1982 |
The Time Bokan Series: Gyakuten! Ippatsuman | Hiroshi Sasagawa | Fuji TV | February 13, 1982 – March 26, 1983 | Sixth installment of the Time Bokan Series |
Mirai Keisatsu Urashiman | Kōichi Mashimo | Fuji TV | January 9-December 24, 1983 | Adapted from the manga by Hirohisa Soda and Noboru Akashi, which was serialized in Akita Shoten's Weekly Shonen Champion manga magazines |
The Time Bokan Series: Itadakiman | Hiroshi Sasagawa | Fuji TV | April 9-September 24, 1983 | Seventh and final installment of the Time Bokan Series; returned briefly in 1993 as an OVA titled Royal Revival; resumed in 2000 with Kaito Kiramekiman |
Genesis Climber MOSPEADA | Katsuhisa Yamada | Fuji TV | October 2, 1983 – March 23, 1984 | Adapted by Harmony Gold USA as Robotech: The New Generation in 1985, co-production with Artmic |
Starzan S | Hidehito Ueda | Fuji TV | January 7-August 25, 1984 | Adapted from an original concept by Hiroshi Sasagawa |
Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross | Yasuo Hasegawa | MBS | April 15-September 30, 1984 | Adapted by Harmony Gold USA into Robotech: The Masters in 1985 |
Yoroshiku Mechadoc | Hidehito Ueda | Fuji TV | September 1, 1984 – March 30, 1985 | Adapted from the manga of the same name by Ryuji Tsugihara, which was serialized in Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump manga magazine from November 1982 to March 1985 |
Fire of Alpen Rose: Judy and Randy | Hidehito Ueda | Fuji TV | April 6-October 5, 1985 | Adapted from the manga, Alpen Rose, by Michiyo Akaishi, which was serialized in Shogakukan's Ciao manga magazine for female readers from April 1983 to May 1986 |
Showa Era Idiot Story Book: Most Refined | Hidehito Ueda | TV Asahi | October 7, 1985 – March 24, 1986 | Adapted from the manga of the same name by Yuu Azuki, which was serialized in Shueisha's Margaret manga magazine for female readers from 1985 to 1987 |
Shonen Jump Special: Kochira Katsushika-ku Kameari Kōen-mae Hashutsujo | Hiroshi Sasagawa | Anime Film; Shown at 1985 Shonen Jump Film Festival | November 23, 1985 | Adapted from the manga of the same name by Osamu Akimoto, which was serialized in Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump manga magazine from October 1976 to September 2016; presented as a double feature with Shonen Jump Special: Kimagure Orange Road, which was animated by Studio Pierrot |
The Legend of Hikari | Tomomi Mochizuki | ABC | May 3-September 20, 1986 | Adapted from the manga of the same name by Izumi Aso, which was serialized in Shueisha's Ribon manga magazine for female readers from 1985 to December 1988 |
Doteraman | Shinya Sadamitsu | NTV | October 14, 1986 – February 24, 1987 | Tatsunoko's first TV anime to be broadcast on NTV in 15 years since Animentary Ketsudan |
Red Photon Zillion | Mizuho Nishikubo | NTV | April 12-December 13, 1987 | After the production of the anime, Tatsunoko Production and Mitsuhisa Ishikawa, the producer of Zillion, established IG Tatsunoko (which later became Production I.G) to obstruct the dispersing of the excellent staffs of Tatsunoko branch which had done actual production. Therefore, Zillion is considered to be Production I.G's first work. Also co-produced by Sega, which had a fine relationship with Tatsunoko until they purchased rival studio TMS in 1992. |
Oraa Guzura Dado | Hiroshi Sasagawa | TV Tokyo | October 12, 1987 – September 20, 1988 | Color remake of the 1967 series |
Legend of Heavenly Sphere Shurato | Mizuho Nishikubo | TV Tokyo | April 6, 1989 – January 18, 1990 | Adapted from the manga of the same name by Hiroshi Kawamoto, which was serialized in Shonen Gahosha's Shonen King manga magazine from February to September 1988 |
Konchū Monogatari: Minashigo Hutch | Iku Suzuki | NTV | July 21, 1989 – August 31, 1990 | Modern remake of the 1970 anime Honeybee Hutch |
Title | Series director | Broadcast network(s) | Year(s) | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Kyatto Ninden Teyandee | Kunitoshi Okajima | TV Tokyo | February 1, 1990 – February 12, 1991 | Adapted into English by Saban Entertainment as Samurai Pizza Cats in 1991; a Sequel series known as Kyatto Keisatsu Beranmee (or Crime Stoppin' Cats) was planned, but was mysteriously cancelled for unknown reasons[citation needed] |
The Great Adventure of Robin Hood | Kōichi Mashimo | NHK | July 29, 1990 – October 28, 1992 | Adapted from the English folktale Robin Hood; also Tatsunoko's first anime to be broadcast on the government-owned NHK network[original research?] |
Shurato: Dark Genesis | Yoshihisa Matsumoto | OVA | August 1991 – March 1992 | Sequel to Legend of Heavenly Sphere Shurato |
Space Knight Tekkaman Blade | Hiroshi Negishi | TV Tokyo | February 18, 1992 – February 2, 1993 | 1992 reboot of 1975's Space Knight Tekkaman, adapted by Saban Entertainment and Media Blasters into English as Teknoman |
The Irresponsible Captain Tylor | Kōichi Mashimo | TV Tokyo | January 25-July 19, 1993 | Adapted from the light novel series of the same name by Hitoshi Yoshioka, which was serialized in Fujimi Shobo's Fujimi Fantasia Bunko magazines from January 1989 to January 1996 |
Casshan: Robot Hunter | Hiroyuki Fukushima, Masashi Abe, Takashi Watanabe | OVA | August 21, 1993 - February 21, 1994 | 1993 remake of 1973's Neo-Human Casshan; co-produced by Artmic and Gainax |
Time Bokan: Royal Revival (1993–1994) | Hiroshi Sasagawa, Akiyuki Shinbo | OVA | November 26, 1993 – January 1, 1994 | Direct-to-video installment of Time Bokan Series |
The Legend of Snow White (NHK) (1994–1995) | Tsuneo Ninomiya | NHK | April 6, 1994 – March 29, 1995 | Adaptation of the German fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm; adapted into several languages by Mondo Media |
Tekkaman Blade II | Hideki Tonokatsu | OVA | July 21, 1994 – April 21, 1995 | Sequel to 1992's Tekkaman Blade |
Gatchaman | Akihiko Nishiyama | OVA | October 1, 1994 – April 1, 1995 | 1994 reboot of 1972's Science Ninja Team Gatchaman; co-produced by Artmic |
Dokkan! Robotendon | Hiroshi Sasagawa | TV Tokyo | October 5, 1995 – March 28, 1996 | |
Cinderella Monogatari | Hiroshi Sasagawa | NHK | April 4-October 3, 1996 | Adapted from the fairy tale by Charles Perrault |
Hurricane Polymar: Holy Blood | Akiyuki Shinbo | OVA | September 21, 1996 – February 21, 1997 | 1996 reboot of 1974's Hurricane Polymar; co-produced by J.C. Staff |
Mach GoGoGo | Hiroshi Sasagawa | TV Tokyo | January 9-September 25, 1997 | 1997 reboot of 1967's Mach GoGoGo; adapted into English by DiC Entertainment as Speed Racer X in 2002 |
Generator Gawl | Seiji Mizushima | TV Tokyo | October 6-December 22, 1998 | |
Seikimatsu Densetsu: Wonderful Tatsunoko Land | Hiroshi Sasagawa | TBS | December 31, 1999 | TV special |
Title | Series director | Broadcast network(s) | Year(s) | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Tatsunoko Fight | Electronics Application (Eleca) | PSX | October 5, 2000 | Video game featuring an exclusive character, Denkou Senka Volter |
Time Bokan 2000: Kaitou Kiramekiman | Hidehito Ueda | TV Tokyo | April 5, 2000 – September 27, 2000 | |
The SoulTaker | Akiyuki Shinbo | WOWOW | April 4, 2001 – July 4, 2001 | |
Yobarete Tobidete Akubi-chan | Hiroshi Sagasawa | TV Tokyo | 2001-12-11 to 2002-03-26 | Spin-off of The Genie Family |
Nurse Witch Komugi | Yasuhiro Takemoto & Yoshitomo Yonetani | OVA | 2002-08-23 to 2004-04-02 | Co-production with Kyoto Animation; spin-off of The SoulTaker |
Karas | Keiichi Sato | OVA | March 25, 2005 – August 3, 2007 | Tatsunoko's 40th anniversary work; combined into a two-part film in the west by Manga Entertainment |
Akubi Girl | Hiroshi Sagasawa | TV Tokyo | 2006 | Remake to Yobarete Tobidete Akubi-chan |
Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles | Tommy Yune, Dong-Wook Lee & Yeun-Sook Seo | Movie | January 5, 2007 | co-production with Harmony Gold USA |
Yatterman | Hiroshi Sagasawa | YTV | January 14, 2008 – September 27, 2009 | Remake of 1977 Series |
Casshern Sins | Shigeyasu Yamauchi | MBS | October 1, 2008 – March 15, 2009 | Re-imaging of the 1973 series; Animation production by Madhouse |
Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Cross Generation of Heroes | Fighting | Wii | December 11, 2008 | Video game; Tatsunoko also animated Cross Generation's opening and anime cutscenes. |