Tsuchida Production

Tsuchida Production was a Japanese anime production company established in 1976 by Osamu Tsuchida after he left Studio Yuni. Tsuchida had previously been associated with Hōsō Dōga Seisaku, and the new company operated within Japan’s contract-oriented television animation industry. Its work included animation, production support, finishing animation, and other subcontracted services used in the creation of anime programs. The company participated in a broad range of television projects during the late 1970s and first half of the 1980s. Early work included Dokaben and Yakyūkyō no Uta, both produced under contract from Nippon Animation, followed by projects connected with Sunrise and other animation companies. Its credits covered sports, comedy, children’s adventure, historical education, and robot or action-oriented programming. This breadth reflected the role of many Japanese animation studios of the period, which frequently combined their own production activities with contracted work for larger producers and broadcasters. Tsuchida Production became particularly well known through its involvement with Captain Tsubasa, the influential soccer anime that began in 1983. The series helped raise the company’s profile and became its most prominent association in popular culture. The studio also worked on titles including Sasuga no Sarutobi, Manga Nihonshi, Ashita Tenki ni Naare, High School! Kimengumi, and several shorter or special projects. Some productions were undertaken in partnership with or under contract from companies such as Nippon Animation, Sunrise, Shin-Ei Animation, and other industry participants. The company’s growth coincided with a difficult period for Japanese animation businesses. During the economic downturn of the mid-1980s, Tsuchida Production was unable to reimburse investors and toy manufacturers with which it had business relationships. It entered bankruptcy in July 1986 and ceased operating as an independent production company. The collapse occurred while some of its projects were still in progress. High School! Kimengumi, for example, was initially handled by Tsuchida Production through episode 7; subsequent episodes were transferred to Gallop and later production was associated with Studio Comet. A number of former employees continued working elsewhere in the animation industry. Some became associated with or helped establish later studios, including Studio Comet and Studio Fantasia, while others went to companies such as Gallop. Tsuchida Production therefore occupies a notable place in the history of Japan’s television-animation production network: it was a short-lived studio whose subcontracting model and prominent credits connected it to several important anime works, even though the company itself no longer exists.

Osamu Tsuchida founded Tsuchida Production in 1976 after leaving Studio Yuni. The company developed as a Japanese contract animation business, supplying animation, production, finishing, and related services for television and other anime projects. Rather than functioning solely as a producer of wholly owned original properties, it worked within a network in which animation companies frequently subcontracted portions of a series to specialist studios. Its early credits included Dokaben and Yakyūkyō no Uta, produced under contract from Nippon Animation. The studio later worked on Kagaku Bōkentai Tansā 5 for Sunrise and on a succession of television series and specials that demonstrated its versatility across sports, comedy, children’s entertainment, action, and educational material. Projects during this period included Ojamanga Yamada-kun, Manga Kotowaza Jiten, Ganbare Gonbe, Game Center Arashi, Rainbowman, Sasuga no Sarutobi, and Manga Nihonshi. The company’s best-known association was Captain Tsubasa, which began in 1983 and ran through 1986. The popularity of the soccer series made Tsuchida Production more visible within the anime industry and gave it a significant credit in the history of sports anime. The studio continued to work on additional programs, including Kuroi Ame ni Utarete, Ashita Tenki ni Naare, Rampoo, Chūhai Lemon Love30S, Bakuhatsu Miracle Nekketsu Genki! Isami, and High School! Kimengumi. Despite this activity, Tsuchida Production was vulnerable to the financial pressures affecting Japanese businesses in the mid-1980s. According to the company’s historical account, it became unable to reimburse investors and several toy manufacturers connected with its work. It collapsed into bankruptcy in July 1986. The failure interrupted ongoing production arrangements and led to the transfer of work on High School! Kimengumi: Tsuchida handled the series through episode 7, after which Gallop took over later episodes, with Studio Comet involved in subsequent production. The company’s former employees continued to influence the anime-production ecosystem after its closure. Kōji Beppu went on to Gallop, while Tomohisa Iizuka founded Studio Fantasia. Other former employees listed in connection with the company include Hajime Watanabe, Hideki Okamoto, Hiroshi Ogawa, Yoshitaka Koyama, and Shin Misawa. Some employees also went on to form Studio Comet. Tsuchida Production’s legacy consequently rests less on a continuing corporate identity than on its production credits and the careers that developed from its staff network.

• 1986

  The company enters bankruptcy

  [1]Tsuchida Productionen.wikipedia.org

  Tsuchida Production collapses into bankruptcy in July after failing to reimburse investors and toy manufacturers.

• 1983

  Captain Tsubasa begins

  [1]Tsuchida Productionen.wikipedia.org

  Tsuchida Production becomes widely known through its involvement in the television anime Captain Tsubasa.

• 1976

  Tsuchida Production is founded

  [1]Tsuchida Productionen.wikipedia.org

  Osamu Tsuchida establishes the company after leaving Studio Yuni, with a focus on anime production, animation support, finishing, and related contract work.

A contract-oriented Japanese television anime studio known for production support and for its prominent involvement in Captain Tsubasa during the 1980s.

• Television anime · 1983

  Captain Tsubasa

  A soccer-themed television anime that became Tsuchida Production’s best-known project. The series began in 1983 and ran through 1986, helping establish the company’s public profile during the peak of its activity.

• Television anime · 1976

  Dokaben

  A sports-oriented television anime produced from 1976 to 1979 with Tsuchida Production working under contract from Nippon Animation.

• Television anime · 1982

  Sasuga no Sarutobi

  A television anime produced from 1982 to 1984 and included among the company’s substantial early-1980s production credits.

• Television anime · 1985

  High School! Kimengumi

  A comedy television anime on which Tsuchida Production worked through episode 7. Following the company’s bankruptcy, later production responsibilities moved to Gallop and subsequently Studio Comet.

• Television anime · 1977

  Yakyūkyō no Uta

  A baseball-related television anime produced from 1977 to 1979 under contract from Nippon Animation.

• Educational television anime · 1982

  Manga Nihonshi

  A historical and educational animated project produced from 1982 to 1984 as part of Tsuchida Production’s varied television output.

• 1986

  Bankruptcy and unpaid reimbursements

  Tsuchida Production entered bankruptcy in July 1986 after it could not reimburse investors and various toy manufacturers with which it was working. The failure resulted in the transfer of some ongoing animation work to other studios.

  Source

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• 1986

  Ongoing production is transferred after bankruptcyOther

  Background

  The company’s bankruptcy made it unable to continue handling all of its contracted animation work.

  Action taken

  High School! Kimengumi moved to Gallop after episode 7, with later production associated with Studio Comet.

  Aftermath

  Tsuchida Production ceased operating as an independent animation studio, while portions of its staff and production network continued at other companies.

  Source

1. 1Tsuchida Productionen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Tsuchida Production - Anime News Network Encyclopediaanimenewsnetwork.com