"All of that, at once."
Gainax Co., Ltd. is a Japanese anime studio founded in 1984 by Hideaki Anno, Yoshiyuki Sadamoto, Hiroyuki Yamaga, Takami Akai, Toshio Okada, Yasuhiro Takeda and Shinji Higuchi. It is best known for producing works such as Gunbuster, Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water, Neon Genesis Evangelion, FLCL and Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann. Their work provides the origin for terms such as Gainaxing and the Gainax Ending.
Gainax is known for their impressive visuals, gripping storylines, and confusing (but no less engaging) plot points. On a less flattering note, they also had a tendency to run out of money before finishing some of their longer projects, with the last episodes of Gainax series often being lower in quality and taking a lot of creative shortcuts. The most famous example of this are the last two episodes of Evangelion, which mostly consisted of reused clips from previous episodes with different dialogue due to the show's main sponsor leaving the project out of frustration with the production. Thankfully, they seemed to have learned their lesson about production planning and budgeting by the mid-2000s.
A crowd picture◊ for some of the many characters created by Gainax over its lifetime is available.note
While Gainax has collaborated with a good number of other anime studios on the majority of its projects for years, it shared its closest business relationship with Production I.G, who did quite a lot of work on End of Evangelion and FLCL.
However, Gainax is not what it used to be. During the latter half of the 2000s, the studio began to lose some of its longstanding and most noteworthy talent. In 2006, Anno would depart to form Studio Khara and take the Evangelion IP with him. A few years later in 2011, fellow alumnus Hiroyuki Imaishi would follow suit and establish Studio TRIGGER. Then there's the situation with Gaina (note the lack of an "X"), previously known as Fukushima Gainax: despite being founded by the company in 2015, it soon became a legally-distinct entity that was later bought out in 2018; a sale which included the rights to Gainax properties such as Gunbuster and Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honnêamise sequel Uru in Blue. Toss in a number of troubling financial and legal issues, and the end result is an anime studio that was all but dead by the end of the 2010s, now operating out of an apartment. Perhaps most damning, Anno would publicly express severe disappointment towards the conduct of his old employers in an open letter published in 2020, saying the studio had taken several large loans from Studio Khara in the first half of the 2010s, but so far have failed to pay any of them back, and even all but outright stating that he strongly suspected that all that was left of the company was little more than an embezzlement scheme. But whatever may befall Gainax in the 2020s, be it a decisive death or surprise comeback, at least the "Daicon Spirit" lives on through their aforementioned descendant studios.
Studio Gainax has created the following:
Daicon Film-era: The period during which the founders were producing hobbyist films for showcasing at fan conventions.
- Daicon III & IV: Two introductory animated short films for III (1981) and IV (1983), both iterations of a major Science Fiction convention in Japan. These were their first creations, before they had really formed the studio. Due to the truly staggering amounts of shout-outs to both anime and American science fiction in both, plus the latter using Electric Light Orchestra's song "Twilight" and featuring the protagonist in a Playboy Bunny costume (which is copyrighted by Playboy in the US), any release above and beyond 8mm copies sold at the convention and an unauthorized LaserDisc version based on said 8mm copies have been vetoed by pretty much every license holder.
- Aikoku Sentai Dai-Nippon, a parody of the Super Sentai series. The first of several tokusatsu parodies made by them in the '80s. At this point, they weren't called Gainax yet, but Daicon Film.
- Kaiketsu Noutenki, a parody of Kaiketsu Zubat, made in 1982.
- Return of Ultraman, a parody of the Ultra Series show of the same name, featuring Hideaki Anno as Ultraman!
- Yamata no Orochi no Gyakushu (The Revenge of Yamata no Orochi), a Direct to Video kaiju flick made when Gainax was still Daicon Film, featuring ancient astronauts and a giant cybernetic Yamata no Orochi. Special effects by Shinji Higuchi.
Era One: Loosely defined as the period from the studio's official establishment in the mid-80s to the financial troubles of the 90s.
- Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honnêamise (theatrical film; 1987)note
- Appleseed (OVA; 1988)note
- GunBuster (OVA; 1988-89)note
- Sakyo Komatsu's Animation Theater (TV series; 1989-90)note
- Beat Shot!! (OVA; 1989)note
- Circuit no Ohkami II: Modena no Tsurugi (OVA; 1990)
- Blazing Transfer Student (OVA; 1990)
- Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water (TV series; 1990-91)note
- Nadia: The Movie (theatrical film; 1991)
- Princess Maker series (video game franchise; 1991-2007)
- Götzendiener (video game; 1994)note
- Otaku no Video (OVA; 1991)
- Route 20 - Galactic Airport: An unfinished movie based on a manga of the same name. Originally set for 1993, the only thing ever released was a three minute trailer.
Era Two: The period from the mid-90s to the late 2000s, marked by the studio's high commercial and critical success.
- Neon Genesis Evangelion (TV series; 1995-96)note
- Koume-chan ga Iku! (TV series; 1999)note
- His and Her Circumstances (TV series; 1998-99)note
- Oruchuban Ebichu (TV series; 1999)note
- FLCL (OVA; 2000)note
- Mahoromatic (TV series; 2001-03, 2009)note
- Anime Tenchō (OVA; 2002)note
- Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi (TV series; 2002)note
- Petite Princess Yucie (TV series; 2002-03)note
- DieBuster (OVA; 2004-06)note
- Melody of Oblivion (TV series; 2004)note
- This Ugly Yet Beautiful World (TV series; 2004)note
- Re: Cutie Honey (OVA; 2004)note
- He Is My Master (TV series; 2005)note
- Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann (TV series; 2007)
- Corpse Princess (TV series; 2008)note
- Hanamaru Kindergarten (TV series; 2010)
- Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt (TV series; 2010)
Era Three: The current era, categorized as following the talent exodus of 2011 and plagued with financial and legal trouble.
- Wish Upon the Pleiades (ONA; 2011)note
- Wish Upon the Pleiades (TV series; 2015)
- The Mystic Archives of Dantalian (TV series; 2011)
- Medaka Box (TV series; 2012)
- Stella Women’s Academy, High School Division Class C³ (TV series; 2013)
- Mahou Shoujo Taisen (TV series; 2014)
- Jinryoku Senkan!? Shiokaze Sawakaze (ONA; 2017-18)note
- .hack (Franchise Collaboration)
- 801 T.T.S. Airbats (assistant animation)
- Afro Samurai: Resurrection (2nd Key Animation)
- Agent Aika (In-Between Animation)
- Ah! My Goddess: The Movie (In-Between Animation)
- AKIRA (Animation Cooperation)
- Alisia Dragoon (Art and Story)
- All-Purpose Cultural Cat Girl Nuku Nuku (Animation, OVA)
- Angel Beats! (2nd Key Animation)
- The Animatrix (In-Between Animation for Studio 4°C's Second Renaissance and Beyond)
- Arpeggio of Blue Steel (In-Between Animation; Digital Paint)
- Avenger (In-Between Animation)
- Bastard!! (1988) (In-Between Animation)
- The Big O (In-Between Animation)
- Black Cat (In-Between Animation)
- Black God (In-Between Animation)
- Black Lagoon (Key Animation for Second Barrage)
- Bladeof The Immortal (In-Between Animation)
- Blood: The Last Vampire (2nd Key & In-Between Animation)
- Blood+ (In-Between Animation)
- Broken Blade (In-Between Animation)
- Buso Renkin (Key Animation)
- The Case Files of Yakushiji Ryoko (In-Between Animation, Animation Assistance)
- Casshan: Robot Hunter (In-Between Animation)
- Code:Breaker (2nd Key Animation)
- Code Geass (2nd Key Animation, R2 season)
- Cromartie High School (In-Between Animation)
- Dead Leaves (In-Between Animation)
- Dirty Pair: Project Eden (In-Between Cooperation)
- Dragon Crisis! (In-Between Animation)
- Eden of the East (2nd Key & In-Between Animation)
- Eureka Seven (2nd Key & In-Between Animation)
- Eureka Seven AO (In-Between Animation)
- Eyeshield 21 (Animation)
- Fairy Tail (In-Between Animation)
- Gantz (In-Between Animation)
- Genesis of Aquarion (In-Between Animation)
- Ghost Hound (In-Between Animation)
- Ghost Stories (In-Between Animation)
- Giant Robo (Key Animation, through Hideaki Anno and Mahiro Maeda)
- Gintama (2nd Key & In-Between Animation)
- Girls und Panzer (Photography)
- Green Lantern: First Flight (Production Assistance; Key & Assistant Animation. With Studio Jungle Gym, Anime Spot & Mizo Planning, uncredited)
- Guilty Crown (2nd Key Animation; Photography Cooperation)
- GUN×SWORD (In-Between Animation)
- Gunsmith Cats (Opening Animation for the OVA, through Mahiro Maeda)
- Haruka Nogizaka's Secret: Purezza (2nd Key Animation)
- Heroman (In-Between Animation)
- Highschool of the Dead (In-Between Animation)
- House of Five Leaves (In-Between Animation)
- IGPX: Immortal Grand Prix (In-Between Animation)
- Initial D (In-Between Animation, Fourth Stage)
- Ixion Saga DT (2nd Key & In-Between Animation)
- Jeanne d'Arc (In-Between Animation Support)
- Jormungand (In-Between Animation)
- Kuroko's Basketball (In-Between Animation)
- Last Exile: Fam, the Silver Wing (In-Between Animation)
- A Letter to Momo (In-Between Animation)
- Library War (2nd Key Animation)
- Little Busters! (2nd Key Animation)
- Lupin III Elusiveness Of The Fog (In-Between Animation)
- Madox-01 (Key Animation)
- Major (Key & In-Between Animation)
- Michiko & Hatchin (In-Between Animation; Production Cooperation for episode 8)
- Mobile Fighter G Gundam (Key Animation)
- Mobile Suit Gundam 00 (In-Between Animation)
- Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack (Mechanical Design)
- Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn (In-Between Animation)
- Mobile Suit Victory Gundam (Key & In-Between Animation)
- Musashi Samurai Legend (animation and movie production)
- Mutafukaz (In-Between Animation)
- Naruto (In-Between Animation)
- Negima!? (second season) (2nd Key & In-Between Animation)
- Nodame Cantabile (2nd Key Animation)
- Noein (2nd Key Animation)
- Ouran High School Host Club (2nd Key Animation)
- Outbreak Company (In-Between Animation)
- PandoraHearts (In-Between Animation)
- Persona 5 (In-Between Animation)
- Pokémon Movies
- Pokémon 2000 (Digital Animation Assistance)
- Pokémon 3 (In-Between Animation)
- Pokémon Heroes (Animation Assistance)
- Pokémon: Destiny Deoxys (In-Between Animation)
- Pokémon: Giratina and the Sky Warrior (Animation Assistance)
- Prism Ark (Production Cooperation)
- Professor Layton vs. Ace Attorney (Gameplay Animation Support)
- Project A-Ko (In-Between Animation)
- RahXephon (In-Between Animation)
- Real Drive (In-Between Animation)
- Ranma ½ (Animation Assistance, OVAs)
- Red Line (2nd Key Animation Cooperation)
- Restol, The Special Rescue Squad (Distribution)
- Robot Carnival (Production Cooperation)
- R.O.D the TV (In-Between Animation)
- Rurouni Kenshin (In-Between Animation)
- Sakura Wars:
- Sakura Wars 2: Thou Shalt Not Die (In-Between Animation)
- Sakura Wars: The Movie (In-Between Animation)
- Sakura Wars 4: Fall in Love, Maidens (In-Between Animation)
- Sailor Moon S (Uncredited Key Animation for episode 92) [[note]]Hideaki Anno also animated the transformation sequences for the Outer Senshi.
- Shakugan no Shana (Key & 2nd Key Animation)
- Silver Spoon (In-Between Animation)
- Sky Girls (2nd Key Animation)
- Slayers Great (Production Assistance)
- SoltyRei (Photography)
- Sora no Manimani (In-Between Animation)
- Space Brothers (2nd Key Animation)
- Special A (In-Between Animation)
- Spirited Away (Supporting Animation)
- Spriggan (1998) (In-Between Animation)
- Steins;Gate (In-Between Animation Cooperation)
- Strike Witches (2nd Key Animation)
- Summer Wars (Special Thanks)
- Super Dimension Century Orguss 02 (In-Between Animation)
- Tales of Symphonia (Animation Support)
- Tales of Vesperia: The First Strike (In-Between Animation)
- Tekkonkinkreet (In-Between Animation)
- ThunderCats (1985) (Opening Animation, though Masayuki Yamaguchi)
- Tokkô (Composite)
- Toradora! (2nd Key Animation)
- Trinity Blood (Animation)
- Tweeny Witches: The Adventures (In-Between Animation)
- Twin Princess of Wonder Planet (In-Between Animation)
- Un-Go (In-Between Animation)
- Urusei Yatsura: The Final Chapter (Production Assistance)
- Valkyria Chronicles (In-Between Animation)
- Valvrave the Liberator (2nd Key & In-Between Animation)
- Wagnaria!! (2nd Key & In-Between Animation; Production Assistance)
- Wolf's Rain (In-Between Animation)
- The World God Only Knows (Disclaimer Illustration Cooperation)
- XxxHolic (In-Between Animation)
- You're Under Arrest! (Animation Assistance for the OVA, In-Between Animation for the second season and Key Animation for Full Throttle)
- Zetman (In-Between Animation)
- Zoku Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei (In-Between Animation; Production Assistance)
Studio Gainax and their works provide examples of:
- Author Appeal: In relation to Japan Takes Over the World, no studio (besides Tokyo Movie Shinsha and Studio Ghibli) has ever done it with more boldness.
- Animation Bump: Most (if not all) of their series exhibit this.
- Art Evolution: Compare the style and design of Gainax's works before FLCL, between that and 2011, and after 2011, and you'll notice huge differences between each other.
- Ass-Kicking Pose: The Badass Arm-Fold. Technically only used in two series and a continuation, it's done memorably enough to be known as the Gainax Pose in Japan.
- Decon-Recon Switch: A meta example: they made GunBuster in the 1980s, Neon Genesis Evangelion in the 1990s, and Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann in the 2000s. The first two series even had the same director.
- Development Hell
- The live-action Evangelion film they, ADV Films, and WETA wanted to make throughout the 2000s.
- Uru in Blue, a planned sequel to Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honnêamise, which supposedly started initial pre-production back in 1988. So far the only output from this project seems to be a brief scenario draft and a couple of (admittedly spectacular) artbooks by Yoshiyuki Sadamoto. By the time it will (supposedly) release, Gainax wouldn't even be a part of the project, with the film now being produced by Studio Gaina.
- Fanservice: As far back as Diacon IV in 1984, fanservice has practically been a staple of their output and you'll be hard-pressed to find an anime from them that doesn't have some degree of fanservice. They are the trope codifier and trope namer for Gainaxing for a reason.
- In Name Only: In a sense, many feel that Gainax has become this since 2011. Studio TRIGGER is generally considered to be the Spiritual Successor to what Gainax was.
- Limited Animation: Due to extreme budget shortages, Evangelion and Kare Kano had to make do with reused footage, static shots, and many other ways to cut corners. The effect the use of limited animation had on the last two episodes of Eva was a watershed moment in anime and is still one of the most notable things about the show even after the end of the Rebuild movies.
- Playing Against Type: Out of all the Japanese animation studios available to adapt the Hanamaru Kindergarten manga into a TV show, the choice of Gainax comes as something of a surprise. Then again, does Gainax even have a type? Even considering their most popular creations, it's very hard to find an overarching theme. Blurring the line between Deconstruction and Reconstruction, somewhat thoughtful explorations of human nature, and tons and tons of big breasted women running, really tons of sexual humor in general. The fact that Gainax would adapt Hanamaru Kindergarten is itself Gainaxian. The overarching theme of Gainax is Nothing makes sense.
- Postmodernism: A staple of nearly all of their works.
- Promoted Fanboy: The studio was founded by a bunch of young anime fans.
- Role-Ending Misdemeanor: Three staff members fell victim to this trope over the course of two decades:
- The accounting fraud charges stemming from the success of Neon Genesis Evangelion became this trope to Takeshi Sawamura's career as president of Gainax. Not long after Evangelion saved Gainax from bankruptcy, it was discovered that the studio kept 1.56 billion yen in profits, which allowed the company to avoid paying 560 million yen in corporate taxes. Sawamura was eventually arrested and convicted in 1999 along with tax accountant Yoshikatsu Iwasaki. He resigned from Gainax the following year and longtime co-founder Hiroyuki Yamaga took his spot as the company's third president.
- Co-founder Takami Akai left his position during the airing of Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann in 2007. This occurred because during the show's run in Japan, one of the episodes received heavy criticism from fans over at 2ch due to guest director Osamu Kobayashi's different artstyle for the episode, and during a discussion on said episode made very negative comments towards the viewers and critcs. Once this was revealed to the public, he resigned. While he still does work in the industry, he has little involvement in major productions, likely as a result of this.
- A far more fatal case related to Gainax management occured in late 2019, when it came out that representative director Tomohiro Maki had been arrested after it was outed he was a serial sexual harasser of underage girls. The incident would lead to Hideaki Anno's production company Studio Khara publicly distancing themselves from Gainax, leaving what was one of the most famous studios in the industry practically dead in the water. Even Anno, no stranger to controversy himself, was publicly disappointed that the studio's current management ranks allowed the situation to happen in the first place.
- Shout-Out: To the brim, being a studio of Promoted Fanboys, hence why some of their works are also filled with self-references.
- Trash of the Titans: According to Yasuhiro Takeda's memoir, "Gainax House", where most of the animators boarded in the 80s, was like this:Make no mistake, Gainax House was a den of rabid bachelors. Nobody cleaned or even straightened up — ever. We received a visit from Hiroe Suga (who for a time was staying at a boarding house in Tokyo and working as an author), she was literally sickened by the smell. The color drained from her face and she beat a very hasty retreat. Ultimately, we elected to move out of Gainax House. When the landlord came by to give the place a once-over and release us from our contract, he was stricken speechless. Almost immediately after we vacated, the house was demolished."