Ask John: What Are America’s Favorite Anime Studios?

Question:
In one of your previous columns, you mentioned how Production I.G. was a fan-favorite studio. Just what does the term “fan-favorite” mean, and what would you say are the favorite studios of North American fans?

Answer:
The meaning of the phrase “fan favorite” seems obvious, but since a clarification was requested, it’s easy to oblige. In this particular context, the adjective “fan favorite” describes Japanese animation studios that are particularly known and respected by the American fan community. There are reportedly over a hundred anime production companies in Japan. Some of them, such as Aslead, Hibari, Actas, Feel, and Picture Magic, are studios unfamiliar to typical American fans, although their work may not be so unknown. There are studio names that American fans recognize, like Studio Fantasia, Studio Deen, Studio Pierrot, J.C. Staff, Xebec, and Studio A.P.P.P. But these studios are not ones that American fans instinctively associate with particular anime titles or immediately assume are top tier production houses. Then there are high profile, well known studios that American anime fans are thoroughly familiar with, like Toei, Sunrise, Gonzo, and Ghibli. For anime fans, these production company names are as familiar as titles like “Evangelion,” and “Cowboy Bebop.” They are commonplace knowledge that many anime fans assume need no introduction. Among these strata of anime production houses are select studios that American fans have special respect for; studios whose works anime fans consistently love, or studios that American fans associate with consistently enjoyable and high quality work.

Within the past two or three years Kyoto Animation has risen to the top of heap of the favorite studios of America’s hardcore fan community. With the exception of the Munto OVA series, which many American anime fans entirely overlook, every title that “KyoAni” has produced has become a cult hit. And American fans now presume that any animation created by KyoAni will exhibit exceptional animation and design quality. Titles including Full Metal Panic: The Second Raid, the Air TV series, the second Kanon TV series, The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi, and the current Lucky Star are programs that the American fan community absolutely adores. In fact, there’s so much adoration for Kyoto Animation and its work that merely suggesting that the studio’s output may fall short of absolute brilliance is often interpreted as spiteful, jealous antagonism rather than objective criticism.

Kyoto Animation has supplanted Gonzo as the American fan community’s favorite studio, but Gonzo is undoubtedly still very popular with American fans. One need only consider the fact that practically every major anime title Gonzo has ever produced has been licensed for American release. Recent, brisk American sales of Afro Samurai suggest that Americans are definitely still very interested in Gonzo’s work.

Production IG may be called a fan favorite studio on the strength of its Ghost in the Shell animation, and its consistency in producing high quality and ground breaking animation. Fans love the Ghost in the Shell and Chevalier anime. And American fans have great respect for Production IG’s work on titles like Kill Bill, Dead Leaves, and French vocalist Mylene Farmer’s music video “Peut-etre toi” that push the envelope of expectations and exposure for mainstream anime.

The creation of Evangelion alone would be enough to permanently secure Gainax’s position as one of America’s favorite anime creators. Adding titles like Wings of Honneamise, Gunbuster, FLCL, and Gurren Lagann only enhances Gainax’s status as one of the Japanese production companies most beloved by American fans.

Bones is the quiet and subtle member of America’s fan favorite circle of studios. Titles including Wolf’s Rain, Rahxephon, Fullmetal Alchemist, Ouran High School Host Club, the Cowboy Bebop movie, Scrapped Princess, and Kurau ~ Phantom Memory have propelled Bones into the realm of comfortable reliability. Despite works like Jyu-Oh-Sei, Kenran Butosai, and Ayakashi Ayashi that haven’t been particularly well received by American fans, the popularity of much of Bones’ catalog has made the studio a reliable standard that American fans trust to produce interesting and respect worthy anime.

Madhouse’s catalog is tremendously vast and varied. I’m still amazed that the same studio that produced intensely violent, erotic, and atmospheric sci-fi and horror anime like Supernatural Beast City, Jubei Ninpucho, and Vampire Hunter D also produced sweet and charming series like Card Captor Sakura, Chobits, and Galaxy Angel. While Madhouse is consistently associated with respectable production quality, it’s Madhouse’s work on dark, intense, and adult oriented works that have made the studio a commonplace name in America’s fan community. Works like Vampire Hunter D, Gunnm, Jubei Ninpucho, X, Perfect Blue, Death Note, Monster, Trigun, and Black Lagoon have made Madhouse a definite American fan community favorite.

Finally, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Studio Ghibli. Ghibli is a unique addition to this list because the studio is undeniably an American audience favorite, but isn’t one that’s often thought of as a fan favorite. Everyone loves and respects Studio Ghibli films – especially those directed by Hayao Miyazaki – but the integrity and popularity of Ghibli films is taken for granted. Respect for Ghibli films seems to be so instinctively assumed that American fans don’t even consciously think of Ghibli when considering which production studios are most beloved. Ghibli seems to be taken as such an automatic, pre-determined choice that it doesn’t even come up for discussion or debate.

There are many, many anime production houses in Japan. And many of them are studios that the American fan community is familiar with on a name recognition basis. Among those studios, there are some which are highly respected within small circles of the American fan community. But I think it’s Kyoto Animation, Gonzo, Gainax, Bones, Production IG, Madhouse, and Ghibli that rank as the most widely respected and followed production houses of the whole American hardcore anime fan community.