Production I.G

Production I.G
is a Japanese animation studio and production enterprise. Headquartered in Musashino, Tokyo Production I.G was founded on December 15, 1987, by producer Mitsuhisa Ishikawa and character designer Takayuki Goto as "I.G Tatsunoko", a branch studio of the animation giant Tatsunoko Production, changing its name to the current Production I.G in September 1993. The letters I and G derive from the names of the company founders. Since 2007, Production I.G is a subsidiary of the IG Port holding company. Ishikawa was president and CEO of the studio until August 2022 when that position was given to George Wada with Ishikawa remaining as chairman of the company.
Since its inception, Production I.G has been involved in the creation of theatrical films such as Patlabor 2, Ghost in the Shell (which would spawn a media franchise), Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade, animated sequences in Kill Bill Vol. 1, among other works. It has also worked on anime television series such as Blood+, Guilty Crown, Kuroko's Basketball, Psycho-Pass, Haikyu!! among others. The studio has been involved in the production of numerous original video animations (OVAs) and original net animations (ONAs). It is also known in the video game industry for developing intros, cut-scenes and artwork for games such as Bandai Namco's Tales series.
History
Founding and early history (1987–1993)
Production I.G was founded on December 15, 1987, by producer Mitsuhisa Ishikawa and character designer Takayuki Goto. Prior to the founding of Production I.G, Ishikawa worked for Tatsunoko Production and, in 1987, he was tasked to produce the series Zillion for which he gathered staff from Tatsunoko into a separate studio called the "Tatsunoko Production Branch" that would become Production I.G's "core team." After completing Zillion, Ishikawa, persuaded by the staff to continue working together, founded a studio to prevent the staff from dispersing naming it "I.G Tatsunoko Limited". The letters "I.G" in the name of the studio refer to Ishikawa and Goto's initials as Ishikawa explained in a lecture held at the University of Colorado, Boulder, on March 24, 2006:
It [The I.G in Production I.G] stands for two words: itsumo (always) and genki (happy); you should ask, is that true? In reality, it stands for Ishikawa, and my artist collaborator's name, Takayuki Goto, the initials of our last names. But, now that I am the sole president, we kept the name. But I am happy to say it means Itsumo Genki.
According to Ishikawa, using initials for the name of the studio was Goto's idea, while Ishikawa added "Tatsunoko" as he thought this could lead to more work for the studio. Ishikawa explained that the studio's primary goals were to "concentrate on projects led by lively young creators who would support the anime industry in the future" and creating anime feature films that would appeal to wider audiences rather than strictly to otaku. Takashi Nakamura, Koichi Mashimo, Hiroyuki Okiura, Kazuchika Kise, Mizuho Nishikubo and Mamoru Oshii helped out in production during the studio's beginnings as a subcontractor while Kyoto Animation Hideaki Hatta invested in the company.
As I.G Tatsunoko, the studio worked on numerous original video animations (OVAs) such as The Heroic Legend of Arslan and Please Save My Earth. In 1989, the studio helped produce the feature-length cinematic anime Patlabor: The Movie together with Studio Deen and, in 1993, the studio produced the sequel Patlabor 2: The Movie. During the final stages of the production of Patlabor 2, the company ended commercial relations with Tatsunoko Production, which was holding 20% of I.G Tatsunoko's stocks, and changed its name to the current "Production I.G" in September of 1993. Thus, the film Patlabor 2, released on August 1993, became the last product bearing the name "I.G Tatsunoko".
Expansion into television production and films, IG Port subsidiary (1994–2008)
After the studio's name change, Production I.G expanded its work into films and television series. In 1995, the studio produced the Ghost in the Shell film directed by Mamoru Oshii. The film would go on to spawn a media franchise that includes a sequel film released in 2005 and television series that ran from 2002 until 2005. During this time, Production I.G also produced the film Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade directed by Hiroyuki Okiura and produced the animated sequences in Quentin Tarantino Kill Bill Vol. 1. Production I.G produced the original television anime series Blood+ based on the their 2000 film Blood: The Last Vampire. Production I.G also started its collaboration with the group Clamp adapting their manga series: xxxHolic as a television series in 2006 and two Tsubasa Tokyo Revelations OVAs in 2007 and 2009.
Apart from production work, Production I.G also founded subsidiary studios during this time: studio Xebec in May 1995 and Bee Train, founded by Koichi Mashimo in early 1997, as a studio that could work on small productions and "nurture" the creative spirit of its staff members. In 2006, Bee Train became independent and Ishikawa stepped down as an executive in the company.
The studio also underwent structural changes. In April 1998, the company incorporated to become "Production I.G, Inc." and in September 2000 merged with "Ing", a company Production I.G established in June 1990. In 2006, Production I.G recorded revenues of ¥5,440,000,000 and had an operating income of ¥400,000,000 On July 4, 2007, the company announced a merger with Mag Garden, forming a new holding company called IG Port which became the parent company of Production I.G, Signal.MD and Xebec. Xebec remained part of IG Port until November 20, 2018, when it was sold to Sunrise and on January 12, 2018, Xebec's subsidiary, Xebeczwei, was given to Production I.G as a subsidiary renamed to IGzwei following the transfer.
Continued television work, founding of Wit Studio, leadership changes (2009–present)
After becoming an IG Port subsidiary, Production I.G continued its work on anime television series with original works and adaptations. In 2009, the studio produced its original series Eden of the East that was bookended with two theatrical films released in 2009 and 2010. In 2011, the studio produced the original series Guilty Crown directed by Tetsuro Araki. In 2012, the studio produced the Psycho-Pass television series.
Production I.G is closer to several divisions working under the same name (such as with Sunrise) than it is to being a single studio. These different studios are known as different "sections" in reference to the studio's Ghost in the Shell franchise. In 2011, Section 6 head George Wada and animation producer Tetsuya Nakatake approached Ishikawa with the intention of founding a new studio under Production I.G to allow for more creative freedoms and faster production processes than were available at I.G itself. On June 1, 2012, Wit Studio was founded, with the studio's first project being Attack on Titan, which I.G assisted in producing.
During this time, Production I.G produced a number of sports related anime series: Kuroko's Basketball, which ran for three seasons from 2012 until 2015, The Prince of Tennis II, which ran for a season in 2012, Haikyu!!, which ran for four seasons from 2014 until 2020 and Aoashi, which ran for a season in 2022.
On June 5, 2017, Production I.G launched an anime streaming app called Tate Anime (Vertical Anime). The anime that were streamed on the app were series of shorts that had 10 3-minute long episodes each. In May 2018, it was announced that Tate Anime would be replaced with a new app called Anime Beans. On December 18, 2018, Anime Beans was launched worldwide, excluding China, with 10 titles available with English subtitles. The app ended service on March 31, 2023.
On June 25, 2022, Production I.G announced that current executive vice-president George Wada was to become President and CEO of the studio, while current President and CEO Mitsuhisa Ishikawa would become Chairman. The changes took effect on August 30, 2022.
Works
Television series
OVAs
ONAs
Films
Live-action series
K-tai Investigator 7 (2008–2009)
Stay Tuned! (2019)
Dragons of Wonderhatch (2023, animated scenes)
Music videos
m-flo: Quantum Leap (2000)
Linda: Chains & Rings (2003)
Mylène Farmer: Peut-être toi (2006)
Maaya Sakamoto: Universe (2007)
Re:vale: NO DOUBT (2017)
Valorant: 二律背反 REFLECTIONS (2023)
Video games
Power Pros (1994)
Tales series (1995–2009)
Grandia (1997, CG support)
Ghost in the Shell (1997, animated sequences)
The Granstream Saga (1997, animated sequences)
Yarudora Series Vol. 1: Double Cast (1998, animated cutscenes)
Yarudora Series Vol. 2: Kisetsu o Dakishimete (1998, animated cutscenes)
Yarudora Series Vol. 3: Sampaguita (1998, animated cutscenes)
Yarudora Series Vol. 4: Yukiwari no Hana (1998, animated cutscenes)
Tekken 3 (1998, pre-rendered CGI cutscenes and animated cutscene)
Xenogears (1998, traditionally animated cutscenes and pre-rendered CGI cutscenes)
Sakura Wars 2: Thou Shalt Not Die (1998)
Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere (1999)
Love & Destroy (1999)
Psychometrer Eiji (1999)
Valkyrie Profile (1999, character design)
Wild Arms 2 (1999)
Summon Night (2000)
Sakura Wars 3: Is Paris Burning? (2001)
Sakura Wars 4: Fall in Love, Maidens (2002)
Silk to Cotton (2002, character design)
Surveillance Kanshisha (2002)
Sakura Wars V Episode 0 (2004)
Lethal Enforcers 3 (2004)
Popolocrois Monogatari II (2000, opening and animated cutscenes)
Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance (2005, CG animated cutscenes)
Namco × Capcom (2005)
Sonic Riders (2006, opening animation)
Children of Mana (2006, animated cutscenes)
Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria (2006)
Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn (2007, CG animated cutscenes)
Star Ocean: First Departure (2007)
Star Ocean: Second Evolution (2008)
Wario Land: Shake It! (2008, cutscenes and character animation)
Sands of Destruction (2008)
The Sky Crawlers: Innocent Aces (2008, CG animated cutscenes)
Infinite Space (2009, short promotional film produced with studio Gonzo)
Valkyria Chronicles III (2011, opening animation)
Kid Icarus: Uprising (2012, Thanatos rising shorts)
BlazBlue: Central Fiction (2016, opening animation)
Persona 5 (2016, animated cutscenes, with Domerica)
Persona 5 Royal (2019, animated cutscenes, with Domerica)
Another Eden (2020, opening animation)
Notes
References
External links
Production I.G
IG Port
Japanese animation studios
Animation studios in Tokyo
Video production companies
Mass media companies established in 1987
Mass media companies of Japan
Mass media companies based in Tokyo
Japanese companies established in 1987
1987 establishments in Japan