Topcraft

Topcraft (トップクラフト, also written "Top Craft") was a Japanese anime studio established in 1971 by former Toei Animation producer Toru Hara. It was famous for doing animation for hand-drawn animation titles by Rankin/Bass and for the production of the Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind film. The studio went bankrupt and dissolved in June 15, 1986, allowing Hayao Miyazaki, Toshio Suzuki and Isao Takahata to buy the studio and change its name to Studio Ghibli. Many Topcraft animators later joined Ghibli or went to work for other anime studios, thus making this studio the birth studio and start of Studio Ghibli.

Anime

Production

• Barbapapa (1974-1975) (with KSS)
• The Wizard of Oz (1982) (with Toho)
• Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984)
• The Adventures of the Little Koala (1984-1985) (with Toho) (final produced anime before merging into Studio Ghibli)
• Dream-Star Button Nose (1985-1986) (with Sanrio) (final anime title, before merging into Studio Ghibli) Top Craft was the main animation studio for episodes 3, 7, 8, 10, 12, 13, 16, 17 and 19.

Co-productions

with Tatsunoko

• Adventures Of Korobokkle (1973-1974)
• Time Bokan (1975-1976)
• Paul's Miraculous Adventure (1976-1977)
• Ippatsu Kanta-kun (1977-1978)

with Eiken

• Onbu Obake (1972-1973)
• Jim Button (1974-1975)

Contributive works

• Mazinger Z (1972-1974) (Production Studio: Toei Animation) Top Craft was the main animation studio for episodes 55, 60, 64, 70, 76, 82, 84, 87 and 89.
• Gatchaman (1972-1974) (Production Studio: Tatsunoko)
• Maya the Bee (1975-1976) (Production Studio: Nippon Animation)
• Lupin III: Part II (1977-1980) (Production Studio: TMS Entertainment) Top Craft was the main animation studio for episodes 24, 29, 109, 114, 119, 122, 124 and 128.
• Jarinko Chie (1981-1983) (Production Studio: TMS Entertainment) (eps 42, 45, 49 and 51)
• Kojika Mongatari (1983-1985) (Production Studio: MK Company) (eps 11, 12, 14, 22, 23, 27, 29 and 32)
• Lensman (1984) (Production Studio: Madhouse Studios and MK Company) was one of the Animation Cooperations and Photography Studios.
• Macross: Do You Remember Love? (1984) (Production Studio: Artland, Studio Nue and Tatsunoko) Production Cooperation and also did the In-Between Animation, the Finishing/Cleaning-up and the Photography.
• Magical Fairy Persia (1984-1985) (Production Studio: Studio Pierrot) Key Animation
• Sherlock Hound (1984-1985) (Production Studio: TMS Entertainment) (ep 24 only)
• Galactic Patrol Lensman (1984-1985) (Production Studio: Madhouse Studios and Office Academy) was one of the Animation Cooperations.
• Saber Rider and the Star Sheriffs (1984-1985) (Production Studio: Studio Pierrot) (eps 27 and 29 only)

Non-anime

Cooperative

• The Dragon That Wasn't (Or Was He?) (1983) (with Rob Houwer Film) (Animation Cooperation by Top Craft and its final non-anime title, before merging into Studio Ghibli)

Animation

(with Rankin/Bass)

• The Jackson 5ive (1971-1972)
• The Osmonds (1972-1973)
• Festival of Family Classics (1972-1973)
  • 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1972)
  • Tom Sawyer (1972)
• Kid Power (1972-1974)
• The ABC Saturday Superstar Movie (1972-1973)
  • The Red Baron (1972)
  • Willie Mays and the Say-Hey Kid (1972)
  • That Girl in Wonderland (1973)
• Twas the Night Before Christmas (1974)
• The First Easter Rabbit (1976)
• Frosty's Winter Wonderland (1976)
• The Hobbit (1977)
• The Stingiest Man in Town (1978)
• The Return of the King (1980)
• The Flight of Dragons (1982)
• The Last Unicorn (1982)
• ThunderCats (1985)

(with other Studios)

• Doctor Snuggles (1979-1980) (with PolyScope Production and DePatie-Freleng)
• Easter Fever (1980) (with Nelvana)

External links

• Topcraft at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
• Top Craft at IMDB
• Topcraft / Studio Ghibli: The Complete Story