Ask John: What Are the Most Under Appreciated Anime Studios?

Question:
What is the next best anime production house to the ever so popular ones (Madhouse, Ghibli, and etc.)?

Answer:
Many of the anime production studios that consistently produce outstanding works are the most popular ones. After all, production companies like Gonzo, Kyoto Animation, Madhouse, Production IG, Studio Ghibli, and so on didn’t become household names because they consistently release unimpressive or poor quality anime. But there are a few Japanese production houses which may not have or recieve quite the amount of attention or respect that they deserve. There are three in particular that I’d like to discuss.

Studio 4°C is probably the best known “unknown” anime production studio. Numerous articles have been written about the studio, and virtually every hardcore fan is familiar with the name “Studio 4°C.” Yet despite constant acclaim, 4°C is still not nearly as well known among American anime fans as the higher profile studios are. Studio 4°C is a studio that specializes in producing creative and inspired animation. Much, but not all, of Studio 4°C’s work is esoteric and “art house” animation. But 4°C has worked on mainstream, high profile titles like The Animatrix, Steamboy, and Spriggan. But it’s 4°C’s unusual, visionary, and artistic anime like Mind Game, Eternal Family, Comedy, Noiseman, Mahou Shoujo Tai Arusu, Tekkon Kinkreet, and Genius Party that make 4°C so revolutionary. Attempting to describe 4°C’s unique brand of anime in a brief paragraph is unjust, and nearly impossible. One must actually watch some of 4°C’s anime to fully appreciate its texture, imagination, and sense of wonder. 4°C anime is often not especially philosophical or intellectual. The focus is often on creating amusing, thrilling, or striking imagery and settings that sweep viewers away rather than force them to analyze and interpret. That lack of intellectual and philosophical depth, in combination with the unconventional design of 4°C’s typical work, may explain why average American viewers don’t acknowledge the studio as much as other, more conventional studios. For fans of the art of Japanese animation, not limited to fans of conventional mainstream commercial anime, Studio 4°C is the anime world’s overlooked gem.

Shaft may be my personal favorite under appreciated anime production studio. Although Shaft was established in the early 1990s, the company didn’t begin routinely creating its own animation until the early 2000s. Shaft spent most of its first decade assisting on anime productions including Utena, Mahou Tsukai Tai, Excel Saga, Boogiepop Phantom, and NieA_7. Within the past four years, Shaft has animated beautiful series including Popotan, Tsukuyomi ~ Moon Phase, Paniponi Dash, Negima!?, Hidamari Sketch, the second Kino no Tabi movie, and Sayonara Zetsubou-sensei. The majority of the small number of productions that Shaft has animated itself have been unique, attractive, and highly creative stylistic works. Popotan is often criticized by American fans for sexual pandering, but even its critics admit that the show has more emotional and dramatic depth than expected. Tsukuyomi, Paniponi Dash, the Negima!? TV series and OVAs, and Sayonara Zetsubou-sensei exhibit a staggering amount of creative effort, visual style, and “service” for the most hardcore of hardcore otaku. Hidamari Sketch and Kino no Tabi have distinctive and unique visual design. In the realm of physical, technical animation, Shaft may be one of the most hard working and creative studios in the business. There are few other studios that match the stylized and personalized anime productions that Shaft creates on a regular basis.

Many anime fans have heard of J.C.Staff, but I have the impression that the company’s name recognition doesn’t reflect its respect. Since its first work in 1987, J.C.Staff has produced an almost staggering amount of anime, some of which has been less than impressive, like Garzey’s Wing, Gowkaizer, Daphne in the Brilliant Blue, Gunparade March, and Ikkitousen. But J.C.Staff has also produced exceptional anime including the Yamamoto Yohko OVAs and TV series, the Utena TV series and movie, the Nekojiru-so OVA, the Azumanga Daioh movie and TV series, Mahou Tsukai ni Taisetsu na Koto ~ Someday’s Dreamers, Boukyaku no Senritsu ~ Melody of Oblivion, and the Honey & Clover anime. J.C.Staff is also responsible for tremendously popular anime including Slayers, Ai Yori Aoshi, Zero no Tsukaima, Excel Saga, and R.O.D. the TV. Unlike 4°C or Shaft, which excel in producing unusual and esoteric anime, J.C.Staff consistently produces excellent quality mainstream and popular anime. And the company’s track record of high quality and successful work to disappointments or failures is quite favorable. In fact, considering the number of popular and excellent productions that J.C.Staff has animated, I’m at a loss to explain why the studio isn’t more respected and honored among anime fans than it is.