Topcraft

Topcraft (トップクラフト, also written "Top Craft") was a Japanese anime studio established in 1972 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, 1985, 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)i>
• 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)

Co-production and cooperative 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.
• Boken Korobokkuru (1973-1974) (Production Studio: Eiken and Tatsunoko) Co-Production.
• Time Bokan (1975-1976) (Production Studio: Tatsunko) Top Craft was the main animation studio for episodes 3, 8, 22, 24, 28, 31, 34, 37 and 42, also co-product the series.
• Paul no Miracle Daisakusen (1976-1977) (Production Studio: Tatsunko) Animation Cooperation
• 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.
• The Wizard of Oz (1982) (Production Studio: Toho) Animation Cooperation
• 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.
• Galactic Patrol Lensman (1984-1985) (Production Studio: Madhouse Studios and Office Academy) was one of the Animation Cooperations.
• Yume no Button Nose (1985-1986) (Production Studio: 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.

Contributive Animation works

• Onbu Obake (1972-1973) (Production Studio: Eiken)
• Gatchaman (1972-1974) (Production Studio: Tatsunoko)
• Jim Button (1974-1975) (Production Studio: Eiken)
• Maya the Bee (1975-1976) (Production Studio: Nippon Animation)
• Ippatsu Kanta-kun (1977-1978) (Production Studio: Tatsunko)
• 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)
• Magical Fairy Persia (1984-1985) (Production Studio: Studio Pierrot)
• Sherlock Hound (1984-1985) (Production Studio: TMS Entertainment) (ep 24 only)
• 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 (1971-1973)
• 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)
  • Red Barron (1972)
  • Wille Mays and the Hey-Say 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)

(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