I have been researching Studio Graviton for a while, a small studio notable for its activities during the ‘80s, and I’ll articulate what I found in this post here. As for why this small studio is relevant, let’s say an individual with the name of Hideaki Anno was one of the founders, and it was there that he had his debut as a director. So it all starts with Anno back in 1984, just after finishing his work on “Macross: Do You Remember Love?”. To get an idea about the nature of Studio Graviton we need to understand Anno’s situation back then, as he was still a newling in the industry, not even sure if he was going to continue in this line of work or not. It’s well-known that Anno moved to Tokyo based on an invitation from Miyazaki to work on Nausicaa, after dropping from university, but he moved with only his backpack and barely any money. It was a hard time for him, moving from one place to another, sleeping in the studio when he could, and so on. People might think the harsh working conditions of the anime industry are something recent, yet, while admittingly getting a bit worse recently, it’s always been like that, especially for newcomers.A comic drawn by Anno detailing how he spent 1984. Translation here.While working on Do You Remember Love he met with one young animator called Shoichi Masuo. They and two other friends, Kouji Itou and Katsuhiko Nishijima, decided to establish their own studio and called it Graviton. Exact date for establishing the studio is around June of that year, and Anno worked on Megazone 23 there.I say studio because that is used to refer to Graviton, but let’s clarify the nature of this “studio” first. Studios in general are basically a place for creators to gather and work on the projects at hand, a place where they put their work material and tools and the like. The word “studio” might give off an impression of a place akin to a company or an organization of sorts, with representatives and management staff, yet this isn’t the case for most anime studios. The majority small studios exist mostly for the purpose of providing a place for creators to work in, with maybe one or two persons with management roles such as a producer to organize work and secure new contracts, but not always.Graviton may be a bit special, but most small studios, which is to say most anime studios, are closer to Graviton than they are to larger studios like Bones or Toei. Graviton was just a rented apartment for the studio members to stay in whenever they pleased, with expenses shared among them. They didn’t have to work together on the same project, and they didn’t have any specific responsibilities or obligations, they could come and go whenever they wanted, really. Anno for example kept switching places between Graviton and Gainax a few times during those years. Another more recent example is Takafumi Hori, who works from Trigger on other studios’ projects, and him having his desk at Trigger is due to his good friendship with other studio members.The benefits of having a shared working place like Graviton are obvious I believe, like sharing expenses or getting to work on other studio members’ projects if there is a vacancy, I’ll mention some examples on that in a moment. My examples are mainly related to Anno, because getting information on him and his career is much easier, but each one of the original studio members had a notable career of his own and is worth checking out.So starting with the projects Anno worked on while being at Graviton we have the first part of Megazone-23 where he did some scenes. I guess he worked on the infamous Pop Chaser 4 while being at Graviton too, and then went back to Gainax to work on Wings of Honneamise, and then went back and forth between the two studios juggling different projects till around 1988, when he took over as the director of Gunbuster. He didn’t come back to Graviton after that, probably because his financial situation became much more stable and just settled at Gainax.Among the things Anno worked on back then were ads, one of them was an ad for a music player from JVC, which he did at Gainax in 1987. The ad evidently has nothing to do with neither music nor electrical devices, which is what the company’s representatives said if I’m not mistaken, but it’s a good piece of animation. Another ad, the really interesting one, was a promotional video for a game on NES called “Mugen Senshi Valis”. This ad is by the way the first directorial (paid) work for Anno. He did it in the same year but this time at Graviton, and I’d have said by this point that the studio at which he worked was a mere difference in location no more, yet this ad was a rare collaboration between all of Studio Graviton members. Also, as a side note, Anno spent the money he got from this job on buying a cooler for the studio in place of the one that broke. The promotional video was promoted in magazines and posters with focus on two points: The first is being directed by Hideaki Anno, a genius animator who played a major role in DAICON and Wings of Honneamise. The second is having Katsuhiko Nishijima, the director of Project A-Ko, as a character designer and animation director. I think that the target audience for this promotional video was obvious. The production company behind this was Sunrise, and I think they were the ones who reached out to Anno in one way or another to direct this, who in turn invited his friends from Graviton, so as a result Graviton was credited with the animation. Director - Storyboard: Hideaki Anno Character Designer - Animation Director: Katsuhiko Nishijima Key Animation: Graviton Backgrounds: Atelier Musa Finishing: Studio Fantasia Production: Hideoki Tomoika(Sunrise)This is a great opportunity to talk about Nishijima, who was a key figure in the ‘80s. He wanted to become a mangaka at first, but wanting to make a living drove him to enter a university, which he left after his first year to join the anime industry. Applying for a place at Sunrise at first, after watching Gundam during his year at the university, he was referred to Studio Live because Sunrise didn’t accept new in-betweeners at the time. He passed the entry test there and had his first gig as an in-betweener on Cyborg 009 episode 27 I believe. His first key animation came shortly thereafter on episode 26 of Maeterlinck no Aoi Tori: Tyltyl Mytyl no Bōken Ryokō.He started attracting attention due to his scenes in Urusei Yatsura, being a big fan of the manga to begin with he personally asked Toyo Ashida(Studio Live’s president) to work on the TV anime. There he started developing his own style, and although a hint of Kanadism was there, his style was pretty distinct even early on, which led to his scenes standing out from the rest. Even when Studio Live stopped working on Urusei Yatsura, Nishijima moved to Deen where he continued working on it. It can be said that the long time he spent working on Urusei Yatsura culminated in his magnum opus, Project A-Ko, but that’s a whole discussion of its own for another time. Before Nishijima left Studio Live he participated in a dozen of their shows, such as Minky Momo and Dr. Slump Arale-chan, and even after leaving he kept ties with them and worked on things like the Kyoufu no Bio Ningen Saishuu Kyoushi OVA.There’re a lot of characteristics for his style. First there’s the way he draws bodies, as he was known for drawing girls with sexy bodies while keeping the faces simple and cute with large round eyes. No wonder such style was popular among otaku of the day, especially considering the “idol” status of Lum from Urusei Yatsura back then. His popularity only increased after Project A-Ko OVA, and the Valis PV came shortly after all of that.Nishijima’s designs are pretty beautiful if you ask me, and this PV is one of the few works where you’ll find his designs. Aside from that his scenes are a joy to watch. I think he was capable of adding a sense of dynamism to his scenes without unnecessary or excessive movement, which not a lot of young animators could do giving his style a hint of “maturity” so to speak, all the while without losing attractiveness. He achieves this through his good use of perspective, for example, or his unique impact frames, which are a favourite of mine.Some of his impact frames.If we take a look at his scene in the PV we see how both characters exchange position relative to the camera, as if the camera is rotating around them as they exchange blows. It reminds of his scene in Outlanders OVA, one of his best overall. Just like a lot of other young animators of that generation, however, he sadly didn’t put out any work worthy of note after the ‘80s, especially after switching his focus to directing and participating in less projects overall.As for people he works\worked regularly with there was Moriyama Yuuji, a friend of his since the ‘80s. I bet the person who introduced them to each other was Hideaki Anno, since Anno met Moriyama around the year 1984 while the latter was at Studio MIN, which is another small studio located not that far from Graviton. Again, the word “studio” isn’t to be taken at face value here, as MIN was akin to Graviton in being more or less an apartment for animators to work in, hinting at the fact that such studios weren’t all that rare.MIN was founded in 1982 and dissolved in the year 1991, yet it was full of prolific creators throughout its short lifespan. Other than the aforementioned Moriyama we have Hiroyuki Kitakubo, Hideki Tamura and Yoshiharu Fukushima as the studio’s founders, while Nobuteru Yuuki joined them later on. You’re free to look up any of those names, no short post is enough to cover the career of any single one of them, and this short post has already been dragged beyond its original intended length. As a side note though, I now notice that most of the people behind the infamous Cream Lemon Pop Chaser were either form MIN or from Graviton, and it’s an amazing realisation that a few very young creators in their small apartments created one of the most memorable and striking episodes of the whole ‘80s.Before I end this post I’ll add that the period in which Anno met Moriyama was when Moriyama was working on a manga by Mamoru Oshii (the acquaintance between them goes back to when Moriyama worked on Urusei Yatsura). The manga was named “In The End… “ (とどのつまり) and was published (or was to be published?) in a sub-magazine from Animage called Animage Comics (アニメージュコミックス). That caused Toshio Suzuki, who was still an editor at Animage, to visit MIN regularly and run into Anno, whom he probably knew due to his participation in Nausicaa 2 years prior.
Apr 7, 2020 • Subscribe
Cyborg 009, Dr. Slump, Girl from Phantasia, Gunbuster, Macross
More like this
Studio Bebow Documentary
Already have this uploaded on my YT channel, but here's a torrent link for archival purposes---just in case anything ever happens to the ...
Books: Studio Ghibli
By Jonathan Clements. Producer Toshio Suzuki was entertainingly underwhelmed when he was approached by agents for the pop stars Chage and Aska, who asked if Studio Ghibli would…
Studio Trigger’s Best Anime
12 Days of Aniblogging 2021, Day 2 Studio Trigger is a weird place. Proudly carrying the torch of Gainax, they focus on original projects with a flair for over-the-top…
STUDIO GHIBLI LIGHTNING ROUND
12 Days of Aniblogging 2022, Day 8 Work’s been way busier than expected and it’s cutting into my writing time. This is annoying because I still have an absolutely…
The Cat Returns, Whisper of the Heart, Grave of the Fireflies, Mononoke, My Neighbor Totoro
New on Yuri Studio!
Today I celebrate Pride Month, Yuri Day & the one year anniversary of By Your Side: The First 100 Years of Yuri Anime And Manga with a new…
Inside Academy Studio, 1978
One of the most significant differences between the making of Yamato Series 1 and Series 2 was public perception. In 1974/75, there was no anime journalism to speak…
Studio Bones Quarter Century Anniversary – Interview with Studio Bones president Masahiko Minami
An interview with Studio Bones president Masahiko Minami to celebrate the anime studio’s 25th anniversary.
The Anime of Studio GAINAX
All the way back in the first post, I mentioned that the blog would be interested in three key questions. Of these questions, the first was “What is…
OtakuGeneration (Show #418) Studio Rikka
Shownotes :: (show 418) :: (website) :: (podcast feed) :: (direct download) :: (direct iTunes link) With Faith, recorded live June 9th, 2013. This week we watched some animations…
Digimon Tamers, Gurren Lagann, Mysterious Girlfriend X, Rin-ne, Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac
Studio Ghibli Video Call Backgrounds
Ghibli Blog is the home for fans of Studio Ghibli, animation and the movies. We feature the latest news, reviews, essays and more.
The problems of studio MAPPA
Learn about and understand the issues surrounding MAPPA’s current production model
+17: Studio Ghibli's Chic Side
What we can learn from a trio of mod music videos.
Episode 176 – Sunrise Studio Elemeno
It’s a family affair on this episode of the podcast as we go over the Umibozu arc with episodes 40-42 of the Gintama anime. This episode was released…
Anime studio Gainax enters bankruptcy
Plus: Japan to boost anime and manga exports; Translators denounce AI manga translations; Voice actor magazine ends 20-year print run; and more
Animal Crossing Meets Studio Ghibli
Ghibli Blog is the home for fans of Studio Ghibli, animation and the movies. We feature the latest news, reviews, essays and more.
New Episode on Yuri Studio!
I saw a Twitter meme and decided to make a Yuri video! ^_^ In this episode I look at a few key tropes of Yuri and how the…
New Video on Yuri Studio!
We have a new video up on Yuri Studio! In this video I talk about Yuri anime that helped create Yuri fandom and, once it was created, brought…
Issue 14 - Studio Pierrot Man
This week we discuss Weekly Shounen Jump Issue 14, published on March 6th, 2023.This week's Manga Show and Tell is Pierrot Man by Honda Shingo and Takahashi Shinsuke.This…
Top 5 Studio Trigger Projects
Studio Trigger is an animation studio established in 2011. Since then the studio has produced several high quality anime.
DARLING in the FRANXX, Little Witch Academia, Little Witch Academia (TV), Promare
Yuri Studio Season 3 Premier!
Yuri Studio Season 3 premieres today at 2PM Eastern US time. We’ll be talking about one of Yuri’s most timeless tropes: The Girl Prince – Who is she,…
New Video on Yuri Studio!
Yuri Studio Season 3 Episode 4 Sports in Yuri Anime & Manga is live on YouTube! This video is in honor of the greatest Yuri sports anime to…
Jock Studio All Routes Compilation
Watch Uncensored on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/posts/jock-studio-demo-85918634 --Leo: https://www.patreon.com/posts/jock-studio-demo-85969066 --Zayne: https://www.patreon.com/posts/jock-studio-demo-85969212 --Derek: https://www.patreon.com/posts/jock-studio-demo-85969403 --Avan: *coming 8/1* --Bryce: *coming 8/6* Check Out Jock Studio! (Demo & Kickstarter): https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/blitsgames/jock-studio?ref=80rsfv In the first playthrough of the Demo of BLits Games'…
Studio Ghibli Full of Food
Ghibli Blog is the home for fans of Studio Ghibli, animation and the movies. We feature the latest news, reviews, essays and more.
Toshihiro Hirano and AIC studio
As I mentioned in the previous article about Graviton, the OVA boom was very much carried by small structures and the overlapping nets of connections made by their…
Leda: The Fantastic Adventure of Yohko, Macross, Megazone 23, Space Runaway Ideon, Urusei Yatsura
Popcorn Pulse 113: Cockless Studio
The requests keep coming and they don’t stop coming. We’ve got another two sent in via the po box. Films from Rooster Teeth reviewed in the order of…
My problems with Studio Ghibli
So I’m going to see When Marnie Was There this week, and in anticipation I thought I’d make 2 articles about my experiences As the title suggests I…
Studio Ghibli: An Industrial History
Concerned about the "mythologization" growing up around Ghibli British academic Rayna Denison offers several alternative perspectives on the acclaimed anime studio and spotlights its less-touted but still wildly…
The history of Studio Dove: Studio Sunrise’s hidden trump card – Nobuyoshi Nishimura Long Interview
If you've watched any Sunrise anime from the 1980s or 1990s, chances are you've encountered Nobuyoshi Nishimura’s work or become aware of his name.
Studio WIT’s New Dream Factory: Ibaraki Studio and The Girl From the Other Side
Unknown to most people, Studio WIT’s regional branch is already operative with the goals to train young artists, revitalize animation for children, and give a platform to independent…
What Ever Happened? (…To Studio Shaft.)
As a preface: this is by no means a rebuttal against the “Shaft is Dead” rhetoric getting thrown around recently. Is it lacking in nuance and not entirely…
Fifth Impact: What Is Studio GAINAX?
“In the Yonago dialect of Tottori, the word ‘Gaina’ means ‘big’. …Both Akai [Takami] and Yamaga [Hiroyuki] knew about this gaina word, and… they each inde…
Ghiblioteque Studio Ghibli Poll is Open
Ghibli Blog is the home for fans of Studio Ghibli, animation and the movies. We feature the latest news, reviews, essays and more.
+11: Reviving America's 'Worst Animation Studio'
Digging into the best of the Terrytoons renaissance.
Japanese Folklore in Studio Ghibli Animation
Traditional creatures, classic fairy tales and so much more inspire the iconic studio’s films. Here are seven examples of influences from Japanese culture and folklore.
Guessing Game (10) Studio Ghibli Edition
Okay, just like it says in the heading – let’s go with a Ghibli-themed guessing game: two of their most famous films here (and also my least fav…
What’s hidden in Studio La Cachette?
The post What’s hidden in Studio La Cachette? appeared first on Full Frontal.
Studio Ghibli at Its Most Stylish
Plus: global animation news and a gorgeous Chinese film.
The Best DBZ Animation Studio Ever?
Masunaga is a legend. This studio really does deserve the praise it gets. Edited by @TeeHallumsYT SUPPORT US ON PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/totallynotmark FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER: https://www.twitter.com/totallynotmark FOLLOW ME…
Anime Studio Challenge: 8bit's Rewrite (Review)
Funny story, I was actually planning on re-watching Rewrite, and then I didn’t have to thanks to this anime studio challenge. And.. that’s the story. So the studio…
How Studio Ghibli Inspires THIS Manga
Studio Ghibli is one of the most renowned animation studios that has inspired many works across different fields. One series in particular that was influenced by this studio…
Top 5 Studio 4°C Projects
On my lists of Top 5 Studio 4°C Projects I include Tweeny Witches, Spriggan, the Animatrix, Asura's Wrath, and Children of the Sea.
Ode to Anime Studios: Studio Colorido
This studio’s a fairly young one, but it’s been making some waves lately.
Promare: Studio Trigger Yelling – The Movie
I really wanted to name this Promare: Gainax Studio Trigger Yelling – The Movie but I was a bit too lazy to figure out how to add strike-through…
Yuri Studio Season 3 – Coming Soon!
Yuri Studio Season 3 is Coming Soon! Become an Okazu Patron or Fan, and I will answer *your* questions on Yuri Studio! Patreon: Pixiv…
Interview with Ada Palmer on Yuri Studio
This week we have a special episode of Yuri Studio! A few weeks ago, I did a short video with reading recommendations for fans of Revolutionary Girl Utena.…
New Yuricon 2023 Video on Yuri Studio
I am super excited to announce that Yuricon 2023 has resumed! We have a new video up on Yuri Studio. Today we have a really fascinating discussion about…
Studio Ponoc: The Ghibli Successor in Waiting
The supposed Ghibli successor just released a new animated short. But with years passing and only one theatrical film, just what is Studio Ponoc?
Secret Santa Review: The Portrait Studio (Shashinkan)
Welcome to Anime Secret Santa, a gift exchange — founded by our friends at Reverse Thieves and currently run by the AGC Podcast — where the gifts are…
Manhwa Review | Rent Boy by Studio Stellas
Anton Arnault has finally come of age. Unfortunately, his celebration isn’t all that fun. Since he is a child of mixed blood, most attendees (the upper crust) don’t…
On the current state of Studio Ordet
I guess it’s time for a new post on Studio Ordet since their first TV anime ‘Black Rock Shooter’ is currently airing. Let me say right from…
