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Madhouse

Native name	株式会社マッドハウス
Type	Kabushiki gaisha
Industry	Animation studio and production enterprise
Founded	October 17, 1972; 45 years ago (1972-10-17)
Founders	Masao Maruyama, Osamu Dezaki, Rintaro, Yoshiaki Kawajiri
Headquarters	Honchō, Nakano, Tokyo
Key people	Masahiro Takahashi (Representative Director and President)
Owner	Nippon TV (95%) Dentsu VAP Sony Pictures Entertainment Japan Hakuhodo DY Media Partners Wowow Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation
Number of employees	70 (including contractors)
Parent	Nippon TV (since 2011)
Subsidiaries	Madbox Co., Ltd.
Website	madhouse.co.jp

Madhouse Inc. (Japanese: 株式会社マッドハウス, Hepburn: Kabushiki-gaisha Maddohausu, stylized as MADHOUSE) is a Japanese animation studio founded in 1972 by ex–Mushi Pro animators, including Masao Maruyama, Osamu Dezaki, Rintaro and Yoshiaki Kawajiri.

Madhouse has created and helped to produce many well-known shows, OVAs and films, starting with TV anime series Ace o Nerae! (produced by Tokyo Movie) in 1973, and including Wicked City, Ninja Scroll, Perfect Blue, Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust, Trigun, Di Gi Charat, Black Lagoon, Death Note, Paprika, Wolf Children and the first season of One-Punch Man. Unlike other studios founded at this time such as AIC and J.C.Staff, their strength was and is primarily in TV shows and theatrical features. Expanding from the initial Mushi Pro staff, Madhouse recruited such important directors as Morio Asaka, Masayuki Kojima, and Satoshi Kon during the 1990s. Their staff roster expanded in the 2000s to include Mamoru Hosoda, Takeshi Koike, and Mitsuo Iso, as well as many younger television directors. The studio was also responsible for the first Beyblade anime series as well as the Dragon Drive anime and the 2011 anime adaptation of Hunter × Hunter.

The studio often collaborates with known manga artists, including Naoki Urasawa and Clamp. Madhouse produced adaptations of Urasawa's YAWARA!, Master Keaton and Monster, with Masayuki Kojima helming the later two. The company has animated a number of CLAMP's titles, including Tokyo Babylon, two versions of X (a theatrical movie and a TV series), Cardcaptor Sakura, Chobits and CLAMP in Wonderland.

History[edit]

In February 2004, Madhouse became a subsidiary of Index Corporation.^[1]

On February 8, 2011, Nippon Television became Madhouse's primary stockholder (replacing Index Corporation), via a third-party allocation of new shares.^[2] 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%.^[3][4]

In January 2012, Madhouse announced their acquisition of the animation rights to the Peanuts comic strip.^[5]

In March 2014, NTV bought all the shares belonging to Index Corporation, increasing its stake in Madhouse to 95%.^[1]

Business[edit]

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 Korean animation studio DR Movie.^[6]

Madhouse has a subsidiary, Madbox Co., Ltd., that mainly focuses on computer graphics.^[7]

Television series[edit]

Pre-2000s[edit]

• 
  Nobody's Boy: Remi (1977–1978)


• 
  Treasure Island (1978–1979)


• 
  Galactic Patrol Lensman (1984–1985)


• 
  Cyber City Oedo 808 (1990-1991)


• 
  Yawara! (1989–1992)


• 
  DNA² (1994)


• 
  Azuki-chan (1995–1998)


• 
  Trigun (1998)


• 
  Cardcaptor Sakura (1998–2000)


• 
  Master Keaton (1998–2000)


• 
  Bomberman B-Daman Bakugaiden (1998–1999)


• 
  Super Doll Licca-chan (1998–1999)


• 
  Pet Shop of Horrors (1999)


• 
  Jubei-chan: The Secret of the Lovely Eyepatch (1999)


• 
  Di Gi Charat (1999–2001)


• 
  Reign: The Conqueror (1999)


• 
  Magic User's Club (1999)


• 
  Bomberman B-Daman Bakugaiden V (1999–2000)

2000–2005[edit]

• 
  Boogiepop Phantom (2000)


• 
  Carried by the Wind: Tsukikage Ran (2000)


• 
  Hidamari no Ki (2000)


• 
  Sakura Wars (2000)


• 
  Hajime no Ippo: The Fighting! (2000–2002)


• 
  Beyblade (2001)


• 
  Galaxy Angel (2001–2004)


• 
  Shingu: Secret of the Stellar Wars (2001)


• 
  Chance Pop Session (2001)


• 
  Magical Meow Meow Taruto (2001)


• 
  X (2001–2002)


• 
  Aquarian Age: Sign for Evolution (2002)


• 
  Chobits (2002)


• 
  Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi (2002)


• 
  Pita-Ten (2002)


• 
  Dragon Drive (2002–2003)


• 
  Hanada Shōnen Shi (2002–2003)


• 
  Panyo Panyo Di Gi Charat (2002)


• 
  Rizelmine (2002)


• 
  Mirage of Blaze (2002)


• 
  Ninja Scroll: The Series (2003)


• 
  Texhnolyze (2003)


• 
  Gungrave (2003–2004)


• 
  Gunslinger Girl (2003–2004)


• 
  Uninhabited Planet Survive! (2003–2004)


• 
  Di Gi Charat Nyo! (2003–2004)


• 
  Gokusen (2004)


• 
  Jubei-chan: The Counter Attack of Siberia Yagyu (2004)


• 
  Paranoia Agent (2004)


• 
  Tenjho Tenge (2004)


• 
  Monster (2004–2005)


• 
  BECK: Mongolian Chop Squad (2004–2005)


• 
  Sweet Valerian (2004)


• 
  Strawberry 100% (2005)


• 
  Akagi (2005–2006)


• 
  Paradise Kiss (2005)


• 
  Oku-sama wa Joshi Kōsei (2005)

2006–2010[edit]

• 
  Kiba (2006–2007)


• 
  Strawberry Panic! (2006)


• 
  NANA (2006–2007)


• 
  The Story of Saiunkoku (2006–2008)


• 
  Black Lagoon (2006)


• 
  Yume Tsukai (2006)


• 
  Otogi-Jūshi Akazukin (2006–2007)


• 
  Kemonozume (2006)


• 
  A Spirit of the Sun (2006)


• 
  Death Note (2006–2007)


• 
  Tokyo Tribe 2 (2006–2007)


• 
  Claymore (2007)


• 
  Oh! Edo Rocket (2007)


• 
  Princess Resurrection (2007)


• 
  Dennō Coil (2007)


• 
  Devil May Cry (2007)


• 
  Shigurui (2007)


• 
  Gyakkyō Burai Kaiji (2007–2008)


• 
  Neuro: Supernatural Detective (2007–2008)


• 
  Mokke (2007–2008)


• 
  MapleStory (2007–2008)


• 
  Ani*Kuri15 (animated sequence) (2007–2008)


• 
  Chi's Sweet Home (2008–2009)


• 
  Allison & Lillia (2008)


• 
  Kamen no Maid Guy (2008)


• 
  Top Secret ~The Revelation~ (2008)


• 
  Kaiba (2008)


• 
  Ultraviolet: Code 044 (2008)


• 
  Casshern Sins (2008–2009)


• 
  Kurozuka (2008)


• 
  Mōryō no Hako (2008)


• 
  One Outs (2008–2009)


• 
  Stitch! (2008–2010)


• 
  Chaos;Head (2008)


• 
  Hajime no Ippo: New Challenger (2009)


• 
  Rideback (2009)


• 
  Sōten Kōro (2009)


• 
  Needless (2009)


• 
  Kobato (2009–2010)


• 
  Aoi Bungaku (2009)

2010s–present[edit]

• 
  Rainbow: Nisha Rokubō no Shichinin (2010)


• 
  The Tatami Galaxy (2010)


• 
  Highschool of the Dead (2010)


• 
  Marvel Anime (2010–2011)


• 
  Gyakkyō Burai Kaiji: Hakairoku-hen (2011)


• 
  Hunter × Hunter (2011–2014)


• 
  Chihayafuru (2011–present)


• 
  The Ambition of Oda Nobuna (2012)


• 
  Btooom! (2012)


• 
  Photo Kano (2013)


• 
  Sunday Without God (2013)


• 
  Hajime no Ippo: Rising (2013–2014)


• 
  Ace of Diamond (2013–2016)


• 
  Magical Warfare (2014)


• 
  The Irregular at Magic High School (2014)


• 
  No Game No Life (2014)


• 
  Hanayamata (2014)


• 
  Parasyte -the maxim- (2014–2015)


• 
  Death Parade (2015)


• 
  My Love Story!! (2015)


• 
  Overlord (2015–2018)


• 
  One-Punch Man (2015)


• 
  Prince of Stride: Alternative (2016)


• 
  Alderamin on the Sky (2016)


• 
  All Out!! (2016–2017)


• 
  ACCA: 13-Territory Inspection Dept. (2017)


• 
  A Place Further than the Universe (2018)


• 
  Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card (2018)


• 
  Waka Okami wa Shōgakusei! (2018)


• 
  Mr. Tonegawa: Middle Management Blues (2018)


• 
  1-nichi Gaishutsuroku Hanchō (2018)


• 
  Boogiepop and Others (2019)


• 
  Shōmetsu Toshi (2019)

Films[edit]

Madhouse's early theatrical work included assistance on the Barefoot Gen films, and Lensman, an anime movie based on the space opera series by pulp science fiction author E.E. "Doc" Smith.

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, director Yoshiaki Kawajiri produced a string of action films including Wicked City, Demon City Shinjuku, and Ninja Scroll.

In the late 1990s, the studio aimed at a younger female audience with Morio Asaka's two Cardcaptor Sakura films, based on the popular television series.

In the early 2000s, an ambitious collaboration with Tezuka Productions resulted in Metropolis, directed by Rintaro and adapted from the manga by Osamu Tezuka. Earlier collaborations with Tezuka productions included two feature-length films made for Sanrio starring Tezuka's unicorn character Unico.

Director Satoshi Kon produced all four of his films with the studio: Perfect Blue, Millennium Actress, Tokyo Godfathers, and Paprika, as well as his TV series Paranoia Agent. Kon was also making his fifth film the Dreaming Machine with Madhouse, although it was left incomplete at his death in 2010.

In 2003, Madhouse produced Nasu: Summer in Andalusia, which was adapted from the seinen manga Nasu by Iou Kuroda and directed by Studio Ghibli veteran Kitarō Kōsaka. Nasu was the first Japanese animated film ever selected for screening at the renowned Cannes Film Festival.^[8] Kōsaka followed up his film with an OVA sequel in 2007.

In 2006, director Mamoru Hosoda began his career with the studio by directing The Girl Who Leapt Through Time.

Recent productions included Masayuki Kojima's theatrical debut Forest of Piano (2007), Hosoda's acclaimed Summer Wars (2009), Sunao Katabuchi's Mai Mai Miracle (2009), the company's first CG animated film, Yona Yona Penguin (2009), Takeshi Koike's feature film debut Redline (2009), a theatrical version of the Trigun series, Trigun: Badlands Rumble (2010), and The Tibetan Dog, a co-production with China (2011).

The first film in the Hunter × Hunter franchise, Hunter × Hunter: Phantom Rouge premiered on January 12, 2013.

Madhouse co-produced Wolf Children (2012) with Mamoru Hosoda's Studio Chizu.

Collectively, Madhouse films have won a total of two Japan Academy Prizes, four Grand Prizes in the Animation Division at Japan Media Arts Festival, two Gertie Awards, six Mainichi Film Awards (three Ōfuji Noburō Awards, and three Animation Grand Awards), two Tokyo Anime Awards for Animation of the Year, and five Animation Kobe Feature Film Awards.

1980s[edit]

• 
  The Fantastic Adventures of Unico (1981)


• 
  Natsu e no Tobira (1981)


• 
  Haguregumo (1982)


• 
  Harmagedon (1983)


• 
  Unico in the Island of Magic (1983)


• 
  Barefoot Gen (1983)


• 
  Lensman (1984)


• 
  The Dagger of Kamui (1985)


• 
  Barefoot Gen 2 (1986)


• 
  Phoenix: Ho-ō (1986)


• 
  Toki no Tabibito: Time Stranger (1986)


• 
  Wicked City (1987)


• 
  Neo Tokyo (1987)


• 
  Twilight of the Cockroaches (1987)


• 
  Legend of the Galactic Heroes: My Conquest is the Sea of Stars (1988)

1990s[edit]

• 
  A Wind Named Amnesia (1990)


• 
  Urusei Yatsura: Always, My Darling (1991)


• 
  Ninja Scroll (1993)


• 
  Anne no Nikki (1995)


• 
  Memories (segment Stink Bomb) (1995)


• 
  Yawara! Special - Zutto Kimi no Koto ga (1996)


• 
  X (1996)


• 
  Perfect Blue (1997)


• 
  Clover (1999)


• 
  Cardcaptor Sakura: The Movie (1999)

2000s[edit]

• 
  Cardcaptor Sakura Movie 2: The Sealed Card (2000)


• 
  Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust (2000)


• 
  Metropolis (2001)


• 
  Millennium Actress (2001)


• 
  Di Gi Charat - A Trip to the Planet (2001)


• 
  WXIII: Patlabor the Movie 3 (2002)


• 
  Hajime no Ippo: Champion Road (2003)


• 
  Nasu: Summer in Andalusia (2003)


• 
  Tokyo Godfathers (2003)


• 
  The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (2006)


• 
  Paprika (2006)


• 
  Cinnamon the Movie (2007)


• 
  Highlander: The Search for Vengeance (2007)


• 
  Forest of Piano (2007)


• 
  Hells (2008)


• 
  Summer Wars (2009)


• 
  Mai Mai Miracle (2009)


• 
  Redline (2009)


• 
  Yona Yona Penguin (2009)

2010s[edit]

• 
  Trigun: Badlands Rumble (2010)


• 
  The Tibetan Dog (2011)


• 
  The Princess and the Pilot (2011)


• 
  Wolf Children (2012)


• 
  Hunter × Hunter: Phantom Rouge (2013)


• 
  Death Billiards (2013)


• 
  Hunter × Hunter: The Last Mission (2013)


• 
  No Game, No Life Zero (2017)


• 
  Kimi no Koe wo Todoketai (2017)

Collaborations[edit]

Madhouse designed the characters for Hudson Soft's game Virus (the first installment of the Virus Buster Serge franchise).^[9] Madhouse worked with Square Enix on the OVA Last Order: Final Fantasy VII as well as Capcom for the mini series of Devil May Cry: The Animated Series.

They collaborated with Studio Ghibli by contributing animation to Hayao Miyazaki's My Neighbor Totoro (1988), Spirited Away (2001), and Howl's Moving Castle (2004), as well as Tomomi Mochizuki's I Can Hear the Sea (1993) and Goro Miyazaki's Tales from Earthsea (2006).

Madhouse collaborated with professional rapper Snoop Dogg in the 2006 horror-comedy movie Hood of Horror, in which they assisted in the animated sections of the movie.^[10]

Madhouse also collaborated with Disney for the anime Stitch! for its first and second arcs (equal to 56 episodes total), between 2008 and 2010. They also animated the intro cutscene to PlayStation video game Wild Arms and the opening movie to PlayStation Vita video game Persona 4 Golden (Persona 4: The Golden in Japan).

They worked with Marvel Entertainment to create adaptations of Blade, Iron Man, Wolverine and X-Men.^[11]

2010 also saw the publication of Devil, a manga intended specifically for the American market; the property is a collaboration with Dark Horse Comics, and is written and drawn by Torajiro Kishi.^[12]

Madhouse also participated in animating the Wakfu TV special Ogrest, la légende in collaboration with Ankama Japan.^[13]

References[edit]

External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Madhouse (company).

• 
  Official website (in Japanese)
  


• 
  Madhouse at Anime News Network's encyclopedia