Tatsunoko Production


Tatsunoko Production Company, previously known as and often shortened to Tatsunoko Pro, is a Japanese animation company. The studio's name has a double meaning in Japanese: "Tatsu's child" and "sea dragon", the inspiration for its seahorse logo. Tatsunoko's headquarters are in Musashino, Tokyo.

History

The studio was founded in October 1962 by anime pioneer Tatsuo Yoshida and his brothers Kenji and Toyoharu.
The studio's first production was the 1965 TV series Space Ace. Since then many figures in the anime industry have worked with Tatsunoko, including Mizuho Nishikubo, Hiroshi Sasagawa, Koichi Mashimo, Katsuhisa Yamada, Hideaki Anno, and Kazuo Yamazaki. Sasagawa is notable for bringing his fondness for comedy animation to the forefront in Tatsunoko series such as the Time Bokan franchise. The company later licensed Macross to Harmony Gold, who then produced Robotech.
Takara acquired Tatsunoko on June 3, 2005 after purchasing an 88 percent stake and made the company a subsidiary. Production I.G was established in 1987 as I.G. Tatsunoko, a branch for the production of Zillion led by Mitsuhisa Ishikawa.
In 2009, Tatsunoko announced that it would collaborate with Marvel Comics on a joint television project and other ventures. 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.
Talent agency Horipro announced on February 23, 2013 that it had acquired a 13.5 percent stake in Tatsunoko. At Anime Expo 2013, Sentai Filmworks announced a deal to license and release some of Tatsunoko's titles, including Gatchaman and Casshan. 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.

Main productions

1960s

TitleSeries directorBroadcast networkYearNotes
Space Ace Hiroshi SasagawaFuji TVMay 8, 1965 – April 28, 1966Tatsunoko'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 Hiroshi SasagawaFuji TVApril 2, 1967 – March 31, 1968Tatsunoko'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 Hiroshi SasagawaFuji TVOctober 7, 1967 – September 25, 1968
Dokachin the Primitive Boy Seitarō Hara, Hiroshi SasagawaFuji TVOctober 2, 1968 – March 26, 1969
Kurenai SanshiroIppei KuriFuji TVApril 2-September 24, 1969Adapted 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 DaimaōHiroshi SasagawaFuji TVOctober 5, 1969 – September 27, 1970Adapted into Bob in a Bottle by Saban Entertainment in 1992

1970s

TitleSeries directorBroadcast networkYearNotes
Honeybee Hutch Ippei KuriFuji TVApril 7, 1970 – September 8, 1971
Inakappe TaishōHiroshi SasagawaFuji TVOctober 4, 1970 – September 24, 1972Adapted from the manga by Noboru Kawasaki, which was serialized in Shogakukan's Gakkushu Zasshi educational magazines for Japanese schoolchildren
KabatottoHiroshi SasagawaFuji TVJanuary 1, 1971 – September 30, 1972
Animentari KetsudanIppei KuriNippon TVApril 3-September 25, 1971Dramatic adaptation of the Japanese Empire's role in the Second World War
'Seitaro HaraFuji TVJanuary 4, 1972 – January 1, 1973Adaptation of Italian novelist Carlo Collodi's 1881 novel, The Adventures of Pinocchio
Science Ninja Team GatchamanHisayuki ToriumiFuji TVOctober 1, 1972 – September 29, 1974Adapted for western audiences by Sandy Frank Entertainment into Battle of the Planets in 1978, by Sandy Frank and Turner Entertainment into ' in 1986, and by Saban Entertainment into Eagle Riders in 1996
Tamagon the CounselorHiroshi SasagawaFuji TV1972–1973
Kerokko DemetanHiroshi SasagawaFuji TVJanuary 2-September 25, 1973Adapted for western audiences by Harmony Gold USA as an animated film The Brave Frog in 1985
Neo Human CasshanHiroshi SasagawaFuji TVOctober 2, 1973 – June 25, 1974A notable source of inspiration for Keiji Inafune who went on to be the artistic director for the Mega Man franchise for Capcom
New Honeybee HutchSeitaro HaraNETApril 4-September 27, 1974Sequel to 1970's Honeybee Hutch
Hurricane PolymarHisayuki ToriumiNETOctober 4, 1974 – March 28, 1975
Tentomushi no UtaHiroshi SasagawaFuji TVOctober 6, 1974 – September 26, 1976Adapted from Noboru Kawasaki's manga of the same name that was serialized in Shogakukan's Gakkushu Zasshi educational magazines from 1973 to 1975
Hiroshi Sasagawa, Hisayuki ToriumiNETJuly 2-December 24, 1975
Time BokanHiroshi SasagawaFuji TVOctober 4, 1975 – December 25, 1976First entry in Tatsunoko's Time Bokan Series
Gowapper 5 GodamHisayuki ToriumiABCApril 4-December 29, 1976
Paul's Miraculous AdventureHiroshi SasagawaFuji TVOctober 3, 1976 – September 11, 1977
The Time Bokan Series: YattermanHiroshi SasagawaFuji TVJanuary 1, 1977 – January 27, 1979Second installment of the Time Bokan Series
Ippatsu Kanta-kunHiroshi SasagawaFuji TVSeptember 18, 1977 – September 24, 1978First 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 BalloonistSeitaro HaraFuji TVOctober 1, 1977 – March 25, 1978Second and last of Tatsuo Yoshida's original works to be produced posthumously
Tobidase! Machine Hiryuu???Tokyo Channel 12October 5, 1977 – March 29, 1978First 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 IIHisayuki Toriumi, Hiroshi SasagawaFuji TVOctober 1, 1978 – September 23, 1979Sequel 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: ZendermanHiroshi SasagawaFuji TVFebruary 3, 1979 – January 26, 1980Third installment of the Time Bokan Series
Science Ninja Team Gatchaman FighterHisayuki ToriumiFuji TVOctober 7, 1979 – August 31, 1980Direct sequel to 1978's Science Ninja Team Gatchaman II; final installment in the Gatchaman franchise until 1994 OVA
Gordian the WarriorMasamune Ochiai, Kunihiko OkazakiTokyo Channel 12October 7, 1979 – February 27, 1981
Ashinaga Ojisan???Fuji TVOctober 10, 1979TV Special; adapted from Jean Webster's 1912 novel, Daddy-Long-Legs

1980s

1990s

2000s

2010s