Japanese animation studio
Madhouse, Inc. [ a] is a Japaneseanimation studio founded in 1972 by ex–Mushi Pro staff, includingMasao Maruyama ,Osamu Dezaki , andYoshiaki Kawajiri .
Madhouse has created and helped produce many well-known shows,OVAs and films, starting with TVanime seriesAce o Nerae! (produced byTokyo Movie Shinsha ) in 1973, and includingWicked City ,Ninja Scroll ,Perfect Blue ,Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust ,Trigun ,Di Gi Charat ,Black Lagoon ,Death Note ,Paprika ,Wolf Children ,Parasyte: The Maxim , the first season ofOne-Punch Man , the second adaptation ofHunter × Hunter ,Overlord , andFrieren: Beyond Journey's End . Unlike other studios founded at this time such asAIC andJ.C.Staff , their strength was and is primarily in TV shows and theatrical features. Expanding from the initial Mushi Pro staff, Madhouse recruited important directors such asMorio Asaka ,Masayuki Kojima , andSatoshi Kon during the 1990s. Their staff roster expanded in the 2000s to includeMamoru Hosoda ,Takeshi Koike , andMitsuo Iso , as well as many younger television directors.
The studio often collaborates with knownmanga artists , includingNaoki Urasawa andClamp . Madhouse produced adaptations of Urasawa'sYawara! ,Master Keaton , andMonster , with Masayuki Kojima helming the latter two. The company has animated a number of CLAMP's titles, includingTokyo Babylon , two versions ofX (a theatrical movie and a TV series),Cardcaptor Sakura and its sequelClear Card , andChobits . In the 2000s and 2010s, Madhouse and its subsidiaries, Madbox Co., Ltd and South Korea-basedDR Movie , animated for various companies, includingImagi Animation Studios ,Warner Bros. Animation ,Marvel Animation ,Studio Ghibli ,TMS Entertainment ,Production I.G ,Sunrise ,Pierrot ,DNA Productions ,Hanna-Barbera ,Film Roman ,Nickelodeon Animation Studios ,Capcom , andHBO , among others.
Madhouse was established in 1972 by ex–Mushi Production animators, includingMasao Maruyama ,Osamu Dezaki , andYoshiaki Kawajiri , with funding from Yutaka Fujioka, the founder ofTokyo Movie , and co-produced its earliest series with Tokyo Movie. In February 2004, Madhouse became a subsidiary ofIndex Corporation .[ 3] On February 8, 2011,Nippon TV became Madhouse's primary stockholder (replacing Index Corporation), via a third-party allocation of new shares.[ 4] NTV bought 128,667 new shares (each ¥7,772) issued by Madhouse for ¥999,999,924 total (about $12.4 million), raising its stake in the company from 10.4% to 84.5%. Index Corporation's stake in Madhouse fell from 60.91% to 10.54%.[ 5] [ 6] In January 2012, Madhouse announced their acquisition of the animation rights to thePeanuts comic strip.[ 7] In March 2014, NTV bought all the shares belonging to Index Corporation, increasing its stake in Madhouse to 95%.[ 3]
Representative staff [ edit ] Sanae Tashiro (Seventh president and CEO, 2021–) Yuuzou Kuwahara (Board member, 2024–) Toshiya Gotou (Board member, 2024–) Hidetoshi Tomonari (Auditor, 2024–) Yasuo Oda (First president and CEO, 1972–1980) Masao Maruyama (Second president and CEO, 1980–2000; COO, 2000–2011)Jungoo Murata (Third president and CEO, 2000–2009) Masami Ochiai (Fourth president and CEO, 2010–2011) Hiroyuki Okada (Fifth president and CEO, 2011–2015) Masahiro Takahashi (Sixth president and CEO, 2015–2020; also chairman of the board) Akira Shinohara (Managing director, ?–2024) Tsuneo Takayama (Board member) Kako Kuwahara (Board member, ?–2024) Hitoshi Nishioka (Board member, ?–2024) The studio employs approximately 70 employees, with employment levels varying depending on the number of productions currently underway. Additionally, the company has invested in the animation studioDR Movie .[ 8] Madhouse has a subsidiary, Madbox Co., Ltd., that mainly focuses oncomputer graphics .[ 9]
Television specials [ edit ] Natsufuku no Shōjo-tachi (August 7, 1988)Hiroshima ni Ichiban Densha ga Hashitta (August 6, 1993)Yawara! Special - Zutto Kimi no Koto ga (July 19, 1996)Di Gi Charat - Summer Special 2000 (August 22, 2000 – August 23, 2000)Di Gi Charat - Christmas Special (December 16, 2000)Di Gi Charat - Ohanami Special (April 6, 2001)Di Gi Charat - Natsuyasumi Special (August 2, 2001 – August 3, 2001)Di Gi Charat - Tsuyu Special (August 25, 2001)Hajime no Ippo - Champion Road (June 25, 2003)A Spirit of the Sun (September 17 – 18, 2006)Ani*Kuri 15 (May 7 – December 10, 2007, animated two of the fifteen segments, "Sancha (The Aromatic Tea) Blues" and "Good Morning", respectively)Death Note: Relight - Visions of a God (August 31, 2007)Death Note: Relight 2 - L's Successors (August 22, 2008)Megumi to Taiyō: Kajū Gummi Tweet Love Story (May 11, 2011)Megumi to Taiyō II: Kajū Gummi Tweet Mystery (February 24, 2012, co-animated with MAPPA)Megumi to Taiyō III: Kajū Gummi Tweet Fantasy (June 12, 2012, co-animated with MAPPA)Madhouse's early theatrical work included assistance on theBarefoot Gen films, andLensman , an anime movie based on thespace opera series by pulp science fiction authorE.E. "Doc" Smith .
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, directorYoshiaki Kawajiri produced a string of action films includingWicked City ,Demon City Shinjuku , andNinja Scroll .
In the late 1990s, the studio aimed at a younger female audience with Morio Asaka's twoCardcaptor Sakura films, based on the popular television series.
In the early 2000s, an ambitious collaboration withTezuka Productions resulted inMetropolis , directed byRintaro and adapted from the manga byOsamu Tezuka . Earlier collaborations with Tezuka productions included two feature-length films made forSanrio starring Tezuka's unicorn characterUnico .
DirectorSatoshi Kon produced all four of his films with the studio:Perfect Blue ,Millennium Actress ,Tokyo Godfathers , andPaprika , as well as his TV seriesParanoia Agent . Kon was also making his fifth film theDreaming Machine with Madhouse, although it was left incomplete at his death in 2010.
In 2003, Madhouse producedNasu: Summer in Andalusia , which was adapted from theseinen mangaNasu byIou Kuroda and directed byStudio Ghibli veteranKitarō Kōsaka .Nasu was the first Japanese animated film ever selected for screening at theCannes Film Festival .[ 12] Kōsaka followed up his film with an OVA sequel in 2007.
In 2006, directorMamoru Hosoda began his career with the studio by directingThe Girl Who Leapt Through Time .
Recent productions includedMasayuki Kojima 's theatrical debutForest of Piano (2007), Hosoda's acclaimedSummer Wars (2009), Sunao Katabuchi'sMai Mai Miracle (2009), the company's first CG animated film,Yona Yona Penguin (2009),Takeshi Koike 's feature film debutRedline (2009), a theatrical version of theTrigun series,Trigun: Badlands Rumble (2010), andThe Tibetan Dog , a co-production with China (2011).
The first film in theHunter × Hunter franchise,Hunter × Hunter: Phantom Rouge premiered on January 12, 2013.
After producing and animating Mamoru Hosoda'sThe Girl Who Leapt Through Time andSummer Wars , Madhouse co-producedWolf Children (2012) with Hosoda's newly-foundedStudio Chizu .
Collectively, Madhouse films have won a total of twoJapan Academy Prizes , four Grand Prizes in the Animation Division atJapan Media Arts Festival , twoGertie Awards , sixMainichi Film Awards (three Ōfuji Noburō Awards, and three Animation Grand Awards), twoTokyo Anime Awards for Animation of the Year, and fiveAnimation Kobe Feature Film Awards.
The Fantastic Adventures of Unico (March 14, 1981)Natsu e no Tobira (March 20, 1981) (co-produced by Toei Animation)Haguregumo (April 24, 1982) (co-produced by Toei Animation)Harmagedon (March 12, 1983)Unico in the Island of Magic (July 16, 1983)Barefoot Gen (July 21, 1983)Lensman: Secret of the Lens (July 7, 1984)The Dagger of Kamui (March 9, 1985)Barefoot Gen 2 (June 14, 1986)Phoenix: Karma Chapter (December 20, 1986)Toki no Tabibito: Time Stranger (December 20, 1986)Hoero! Bun Bun (April 4, 1987)Wicked City (April 25, 1987)Neo Tokyo (September 25, 1987)Twilight of the Cockroaches (November 21, 1987)Legend of the Galactic Heroes: My Conquest is the Sea of Stars (February 6, 1988) (co-produced byArtland )A Wind Named Amnesia (December 22, 1990)Urusei Yatsura: Always, My Darling (August 18, 1991)Yawara! Soreyuke Koshinuke Kids!! (August 1, 1992)Ninja Scroll (June 5, 1993)Rail of the Star (July 10, 1993)Kattobase! Dreamers ―Carp Tanjō Monogatari― (January 22, 1994)Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie (August 6, 1994, co-animated withGroup TAC )Anne no Nikki (August 19, 1995)Memories (segmentStink Bomb ) (December 23, 1995)X (August 3, 1996)Black Jack: The Movie (November 30, 1996)Perfect Blue (August 5, 1997)Clover (August 21, 1999)Cardcaptor Sakura: The Movie (August 21, 1999)Cardcaptor Sakura Movie 2: The Sealed Card (July 15, 2000)Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust (April 21, 2001)Metropolis (May 26, 2001)Millennium Actress (July 28, 2001)Di Gi Charat - A Trip to the Planet (December 22, 2001)WXIII: Patlabor the Movie 3 (March 30, 2002)Hajime no Ippo: Champion Road (April 18, 2003)Tokyo Godfathers (November 8, 2003)Nasu: Summer in Andalusia (December 21, 2003)The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (July 15, 2006)Paprika (November 25, 2006)Bleach: Memories of Nobody (December 16, 2006, co-animated withToho Company andPierrot )Highlander: The Search for Vengeance (June 5, 2007)Forest of Piano (July 21, 2007)Cinnamon the Movie (December 22, 2007)Bleach: The DiamondDust Rebellion (December 22, 2007, co-animated withToho Company andPierrot )Hells (October 18, 2008)Summer Wars (August 1, 2009)Redline (August 21, 2009)Mai Mai Miracle (November 21, 2009)Yona Yona Penguin (December 23, 2009)Trigun: Badlands Rumble (April 24, 2010)The Tibetan Dog (July 15, 2011)The Princess and the Pilot (October 1, 2011, co-animated withTMS Entertainment )Wolf Children (July 21, 2012, co-produced withStudio Chizu )Hunter × Hunter: Phantom Rouge (January 12, 2013)Death Billiards (March 2, 2013)Hunter × Hunter: The Last Mission (December 27, 2013)No Game, No Life Zero (July 15, 2017)Kimi no Koe wo Todoketai (August 25, 2017)Okko's Inn Movie (June 11, 2018, co-produced withDLE )(These also include some outsourced productions)
Madhouse designed the characters forHudson Soft 's gameVirus (the first installment of theVirus Buster Serge franchise).[ 15] Madhouse worked withSquare Enix on the OVALast Order: Final Fantasy VII as well asCapcom forDevil May Cry: The Animated Series ,Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie , andStreet Fighter: The Animated Series .
They collaborated withStudio Ghibli by contributing key animation assistance toHayao Miyazaki 's films includingMy Neighbor Totoro (1988),Spirited Away (2001),Howl's Moving Castle (2004), andThe Secret World of Arrietty (2010), as well asTomomi Mochizuki 's filmsI Can Hear the Sea (1993) andGoro Miyazaki 'sTales from Earthsea (2006).
Madhouse also collaborated withDisney for the animeStitch! for its first and second arcs (equal to 56 episodes total), between 2008 and 2010. They also animated the intro cutscene toPlayStation video gameWild Arms and the opening movie toPlayStation Vita video gamePersona 4 Golden (Persona 4: The Golden in Japan), along with opening to the PSP remake ofPersona 2: Eternal Punishment .
Madhouse collaborated with professional rapperSnoop Dogg in the 2006 horror-comedy anthology movieHood of Horror , in which they assisted in the animated sections of the movie.[ 16] They also worked withthe Wachowskis and other famed Japanese animators and studios to createThe Animatrix , an animated anthology adaptation of theMatrix franchise; Madhouse particularly worked on its short films "Program" and "World Record."[ 17]
In 2010 to 2014, Madhouse collaborated withMarvel Entertainment andSony Pictures to create adaptations ofBlade ,Iron Man ,Wolverine ,X-Men ,Black Widow , andPunisher ,[ 18] [ 19] and then in 2017, collaborated again with Marvel Entertainment,Disney+ , andWalt Disney Japan to create an adaptation of theAvengers .[ 20] [ 21] [ 22] Conversely, they worked with Marvel's rival company,DC Entertainment ,Warner Premiere , andWarner Brothers to createan anthology adaptation ofBatman .[ 23] Madhouse had also worked with Warner Brothers and Sony on separate occasions to create series adaptations ofUltraviolet [ 24] [ 25] [ 26] andSupernatural .[ 27] [ 28] Furthermore, Madhouse worked withImagi Animation Studios and Davis-Panzer Productions to create an adaptation ofHighlander as an animated film.[ 29] [ 30] Additionally, they were commissioned byTop Cow Productions , an imprint of Image Comics, to provide an anime adaptation ofAphrodite IX . However, the project was suddenly canceled without any explanation.[ 31] [ 32] [ 33]
2010 also saw the publication ofDevil , a manga intended specifically for the American market; the property is a collaboration withDark Horse Comics , and is written and drawn by Torajiro Kishi.[ 34]
Madhouse also participated in animating theWakfu TV specialOgrest, la légende in collaboration withAnkama Japan .[ 35]
Foreign production history [ edit ] In addition to Madhouse creating anime of Western media, they were also responsible for making a few notable American cartoons, particularly through collaborations with Western companies such asHanna-Barbera ,Film Roman , andHBO .
The Jetsons (ジェットソンズ) (September 16, 1985 – November 12, 1987) (co-animated withHanna-Barbera withToei Animation ; Season 3 only; uncredited)Popples (ポップル) (September 13, 1986 – July 18, 1987) (co-production withKK C&D Asia , Korumi, Junio andShaft )The Pirates of Dark Water (ダークウォーターの海賊) (February 25, 1991 – May 23, 1993) (co-animated withHanna-Barbera withFil-Cartoons ,Wang Film Productions , Tama Production, Big Star, Kennedy Cartoons, andMr. Big Cartoons )The Adventures of T-Rex (T-レックス) (September 14 – November 24, 1992) (co-animated with C&D (Créativité et Développement),Gunther-Wahl Productions , andKitty Films )The Tick (ダニ) (September 10, 1994 – November 24, 1996) (co-production withSunbow Productions ,Graz Entertainment ,AKOM , andFox Children's Productions )Street Fighter (ストリートファイター) (October 21, 1995 – May 14, 1997) (co-production with InVision Entertainment,Graz Entertainment , USA Studios andSunrise )Wing Commander Academy (ウイング・コマンダー・アカデミー) (September 21 – December 21, 1996) (co-animated withUniversal Animation Studios )Todd McFarlane's Spawn (トッド・マクファーレンのスポーン) (May 16, 1997 – May 28, 1999) (co-animated with HBO Animation,Todd McFarlane Entertainment , withMook Animation ,DR Movie , andKoko Enterprises Ltd. )X-Men: Evolution (X-メン:進化論) (November 4, 2000 – October 25, 2003) (co-animated withFilm Roman ,Marvel Studios , withMook Animation ,DR Movie , and WHITE LINE)Constant Payne (コンスタントペイン) (May 22, 2001) (co-production withNickelodeon Animation Studios ,Nicktoons , and Pacifica Sound Group)Megas XLR (メガXLR) (August 23, 2002 – January 15, 2005) (co-animated withCartoon Cartoons andCartoon Network Studios ; LowBrow pilot only)Hellboy Animated (ヘルボーイアニメ化) (October 28, 2006 – March 10, 2007) (co-animated withFilm Roman ,Revolution Studios , andStarz Distribution )Hood of Horror (恐怖のフード) (November 4, 2006) (co-production withSocial Capital Films , BloodWorks, andSnoopadelic Films ; animated prologue and sequences only)Hulk Vs. Wolverine (ハルク対ウルヴァリン) (January 27, 2009) (co-animated withMarvel Animation and MOI Animation)Hulk Vs. Thor (ハルク対トール) (January 27, 2009) (co-animated withMarvel Animation and MOI Animation)Planet Hulk (プラネットハルク) (February 2, 2010) (co-animated withMarvel Animation and MOI Animation)The Boondocks (ブーンドックス) (November 6, 2005 – June 23, 2014) (co-animated withDong Woo Animation , MOI Animation, JM Animation,Studio Mir , and Lotto Animation; uncredited)Wakfu (ワクフ) (October 30, 2008 – present) (co-animated withAnkama ,France Télévisions , Frakas Productions, andPictanovo )Transformers 40th Anniversary Special Movie (トランスフォーマー40周年スペシャルムービー) (September 12, 2024) (co-production withTakara Tomy ,Hasbro ,Production I.G. ,Studio Trigger ,Studio Colorido ,Studio Kai and Production +h)[ 36] Triangle Staff , an animation studio founded in 1987 by multiple former Madhouse animators.Nomad , animation studio founded in 2003 by another former Madhouse producer Tatsuya Ono.MAPPA , an animation studio founded in 2011 by former Madhouse producerMasao Maruyama .Studio VOLN , an animation studio founded in 2014 by former Madhouse producer Keiji Mita.CLAP, an animation studio founded in 2016 by former Madhouse producer Ryoichiro Matsuo after working freelance. Nut , an animation studio founded in 2017 by former Madhouse producer Takuya Tsunoki.^ "madhouse.co.jp" .www.madhouse.co.jp . RetrievedDecember 6, 2024 .^ "madhouse.co.jp" .www.madhouse.co.jp . RetrievedDecember 6, 2024 .^a b 沿革 (in Japanese). Madhouse Inc. Archived fromthe original on April 11, 2014. RetrievedApril 14, 2014 .^ "NTV to Make Madhouse Anime Studio Its Subsidiary" .Anime News Network . February 8, 2011. RetrievedApril 12, 2013 .^ Schilling, Mark (February 8, 2011)."Japan's NTV to take over Madhouse" .Variety .Archived from the original on September 18, 2012. RetrievedMay 23, 2012 . ^ 子会社の第三者割当による新株式発行に伴う子会社の異動に関するお知らせ (PDF) (in Japanese). Index Corp. February 8, 2011. Archived fromthe original (PDF) on March 4, 2011. RetrievedApril 24, 2013 .^ "Animation production for Peanuts begins!" . Madhouse Inc. Archived fromthe original on February 1, 2014. RetrievedJanuary 31, 2014 .^ "DR Movie History" .DR Movie . Archived fromthe original on February 20, 2009. RetrievedJuly 5, 2012 .^ 採用に関するご案内 - マッドボックス (in Japanese). Madhouse Inc. July 30, 2013. Archived fromthe original on December 20, 2013. RetrievedAugust 7, 2013 .^ Cayanan, Joanna (August 22, 2025)."Awajima Hyakkei Anime's Teaser Unveils Staff at Madhouse, 2026 TV Debut" .Anime News Network . RetrievedAugust 22, 2025 . ^ Mateo, Alex; Hodgkins, Crystalyn (August 22, 2025)."Shinobu Kaitani's Liar Game Manga Gets TV Anime in 2026 at Madhouse" .Anime News Network . RetrievedAugust 22, 2025 . ^ Tom Mes (June 10, 2003)."Midnight Eye interview: Kitaro Kosaka" .Midnight Eye . RetrievedJuly 5, 2007 . ^ " 'Overlord: Sei Oukoku-hen' Movie Reveals Additional Cast, Trailer, Fall 2024 Premiere" .MyAnimeList.net . RetrievedOctober 13, 2025 .^ Romano, Sal (April 22, 2022)."Echoes of Mana launches April 27, animated trailer" .Gematsu . RetrievedSeptember 20, 2022 . ^ "TGS 1997 Spring".Electronic Gaming Monthly . No. 95.Ziff Davis . June 1997. p. 59. ^ Anderson, John (June 30, 2006)."Review: 'Snoop Dogg's Hood of Horror' " .Variety .Archived from the original on April 9, 2016. RetrievedSeptember 22, 2017 . ^ "List Of Madhouse Projects Made In 2003" . Madhouse. January 1, 2003. RetrievedJuly 8, 2007 .^ "Marvel Anime Heads to G4" .marvel.com . July 29, 2010. RetrievedJanuary 6, 2011 .^ Vejvoda, Jim (January 22, 2014)."Black Widow and The Punisher Team For Animated Feature Film" .IGN . RetrievedJanuary 24, 2014 . ^ "Marvel creates a new Japanese original TV anime "Marvel Future Avengers" produced! Broadcast this summer" .Animate Times (in Japanese). animateLAB Corporation. February 27, 2017. RetrievedJune 23, 2018 .^ Dinh, Christine (February 25, 2020)." 'Marvel's Future Avengers' on Disney+ | Meet Our Heroes" .Marvel.com . RetrievedJuly 13, 2023 . ^ Valdez, Nick (February 28, 2020)."Marvel Future Avengers Anime is Now Streaming on Disney+" .ComicBook.com . RetrievedJuly 13, 2023 . ^ "Japanese Anime Studios Confirmed for Batman Video" . Anime News Network. December 8, 2007. RetrievedJanuary 2, 2011 .^ "Ultraviolet Anime Announced" . Animekon. RetrievedMarch 18, 2008 .^ "Madhouse Creates New Animation From Sony's Ultraviolet" . Madhouse. July 1, 2008. RetrievedJuly 8, 2008 .^ ANIMAX『ウルトラヴァイオレット コード044』アフレコレポート .animeanime.jp (in Japanese). May 29, 2008. RetrievedSeptember 22, 2021 .^ "Supernatural The Animation Project Launched in Japan" .Anime News Network . June 9, 2010.Archived from the original on June 13, 2010. RetrievedJune 10, 2010 .^ "Madhouse Makes Anime For Warners Supernatural TV Show" .Anime News Network . June 10, 2010.Archived from the original on September 6, 2011. RetrievedJune 10, 2010 .^ Sci-Fi Channel.http://www.scifi.com/sfw/anime/sfw15995.html Archived 2007-06-21 at theWayback Machine ^ " 'Highlander' series entering toon territory" . Variety. RetrievedDecember 26, 2023 .^ "[Animation] Aphrodite IX chez Madhouse - News | Catsuka" .^ "Aphrodite IX Trailer" . October 4, 2023.^ "Aphrodite IX Anime Trailer Available – AnimeNation Anime News Blog" .^ "Devil #1 :: Profile :: Dark Horse Comics" . Darkhorse.com. February 17, 2010. RetrievedMay 25, 2013 .^ "Ogrest says: Ogrest wants his new friends to come play!" .kickstarter.com . Ankama. January 24, 2014.Archived from the original on January 26, 2014. RetrievedJanuary 26, 2014 .^ "Transformers 40th Anniversary Special Video by Studio Trigger, Full Reveal!" .TFW2005 (Transformer World 2005) . September 12, 2024. RetrievedSeptember 29, 2024 .
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1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s
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