Line #109 Creator/GONZO


1	[[quoteright:188:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/gonzo_company_7551.PNG]]
2
3	Or ''"How to run a successful company into the ground."''
4
5	[[http://www.gonzo.co.jp/ GONZO]] was established on February 11, 1992, when producer Shouji Murahama left Creator/StudioGainax to found his own studio along with animators Mahiro Maeda and Shinji Higuchi, and screenwriter Hiroshi Yamaguchi. The name likely refers to 'GonzoJournalism' (as opposed to [[Series/TheMuppetShow the Muppet]]), in which a subjective point of view is used to convey a message.
6
7	GONZO is known for its progressive style, using detailed backgrounds, [[OffModel uneven animation]] and [[TwoDVisualsThreeDEffects large amounts of CG]], as well as a preference for adventure stories. Although their plots and pacing can suffer due to an emphasis on {{Rule of Cool}}, their characters often compensate for this. They often have difficulty ending a series, and their adaptations of existing manga are somewhat infamous.
8
9	Their unrestrained flamboyance eventually took its toll, as a string of unpopular/unsuccessful adaptations forced them to [[http://www.sankakucomplex.com/2009/02/13/gonzo-set-to-fire-75-of-employees/ sack 75% of their staff]]. Already in such dire financial straits, [[http://www.sankakucomplex.com/2009/11/27/gonzo-stripped-of-strike-witches-season-2/ their death as a company seemed all but assured by late 2009, having lost the rights to produce the second season]] of ''Manga/StrikeWitches'' to Creator/{{AIC}}. This caused many of GONZO's Studio No. 5 staff members, led by producer Tomonori Shibata, to found Creator/StudioGokumi. At the same time, they sold off their CGI division (Digimation) to editing company Q-Tec, who renamed it {{Creator/Graphinica}}.
10
11	However, since then, they have recovered to a state where they can make new anime, and is wisely not producing more than one series per season (which may have contributed to their financial troubles). Among the series that were created after the restructuring: ''Anime/NyanpireTheAnimation'', the SequelSeries ''Anime/LastExileFamTheSilverWing'', ''Anime/BladeAndSoul'', ''Anime/BayonettaBloodyFate'', ''Literature/DogAndScissors'', ''Manga/ATownWhereYouLive'', ''Manga/SeiyusLife'', and ''VisualNovel/AokanaFourRhythmAcrossTheBlue'', among others.
12
13	Gonzo owns GK Entertainment, a South Korean animation studio which has worked on most of Gonzo's shows.
14
15	Compare with Creator/DRMovie, Creator/ToonCity, Creator/RoughDraftStudios, Creator/ProductionIG and [[Creator/DigitalEMation Digital eMation]] for their CGI blending. Don't confuse with [[Franchise/TheMuppets Gonzo the Great]]. Or with [[Literature/FearAndLoathingInLasVegas Raoul Duke's Samoan attorney]].
16	----
17
18	!!Works include:
19	[[AC:Main studio]]
20	[[index]]
21	* ''Manga/SevenSeeds''
22	* ''Anime/EighteenIf''
23	* ''Anime/AfroSamurai'' [[note]]Noted as probably the most expensive anime produced per episode, costing over ''a million dollars each''.[[/note]]
24	* ''Anime/AkibasTrip''
25	* ''VisualNovel/AokanaFourRhythmAcrossTheBlue''
26	* ''Manga/{{Basilisk}}''
27	* ''Anime/BayonettaBloodyFate''
28	* ''Manga/BlackCat''
29	* ''Anime/BladeAndSoul''
30	* ''Anime/{{Blassreiter}}''
31	* ''VideoGame/BlazBlue'' (Cutscenes only)
32	* ''Manga/BlueDrop'' (CGI, series with Creator/AsahiProduction and [=BeSTACK=])
33	* ''Anime/BlueSubmarineNo6''
34	* ''Manga/{{Bokurano}}''
35	* ''Literature/BraveStory'' (Movie)
36	* The music video for Music/LinkinPark's ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ezSGqbuo0g Breaking The Habit]]''
37	* ''Anime/BurstAngel''
38	* ''Anime/ChronoCrusade''
39	* ''Manga/DesertPunk''
40	* ''Literature/DogAndScissors''
41	* ''Anime/DragonautTheResonance''
42	* ''Anime/FinalFantasyUnlimited''
43	* The music video for Music/DreamTheater's ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRBP1rpE5y8 Forsaken]]''
44	* ''Literature/FullMetalPanic'' (First anime only; ''Fumoffu'' and ''The Second Raid'' were done by Creator/KyotoAnimation and ''Invisible Victory'' was done by Creator/{{Xebec}})
45	* ''Anime/GadGuard''
46	* ''Anime/{{Gankutsuou}}''
47	* ''Manga/{{Gantz}}''
48	* ''VideoGame/GateKeepers''
49	* ''WesternAnimation/GIJoeSigma6'' (Animation only; with Creator/MookDLE)
50	* ''Anime/GlassFleet''
51	* ''Anime/{{Gravion}}''
52	* ''Anime/{{Hellsing}}'' (2001 anime series)
53	* ''Anime/KaleidoStar''
54	* ''Anime/KiddyGrade''
55	* ''Anime/LastExile''
56	** ''Anime/LastExileFamTheSilverWing''
57	* ''Anime/LeviathanTheLastDefense''
58	* ''Manga/LinebarrelsOfIron'' (Anime only)
59	* ''[[VideoGame/LunarTheSilverStar Lunar: Silver Star Story]]'' (Certain cutscenes)
60	* ''Anime/{{Macross 7}}'' (Opening[=/=]Ending; ''Dynamite'' [=OVAs=])
61	* ''Manga/{{Magikano}}'' (with Creator/TokyoKids)
62	* ''Melty Lancer'' (Anime and ''The 3rd Planet'', the latter with Creator/StudioZaendou)
63	* ''Manga/MyBrideIsAMermaid'' (with AIC)
64	* ''Anime/NyanpireTheAnimation''
65	* ''Anime/OriginSpiritsOfThePast''
66	* ''Anime/{{Ozuma}}'' (with [=LandQ=] Studios)
67	* ''VideoGame/PhantasyStarZero'' (Cutscenes Only)
68	* ''Anime/PhantasyStarOnline2EpisodeOracle''
69	* ''Manga/PumpkinScissors'' (with Creator/{{AIC}})
70	* ''VideoGame/RadiantSilvergun'' (Cutscenes Only)
71	* ''Manga/RealBoutHighSchool''
72	* ''Anime/RedGarden''
73	* ''Anime/RomeoXJuliet''
74	* ''Manga/RosarioPlusVampire''
75	* ''Manga/{{Saikano}}''
76	* ''Manga/SaintSeiyaSaintiaSho'' (for Creator/ToeiAnimation)
77	* ''Manga/{{Saki}}'' (episodes 1-14 only; episodes 15-25 by Picture Magic)
78	* ''Anime/SamuraiSeven'' [[note]]One of the first anime series to be developed for high-definition.[[/note]]
79	* ''Manga/SeiyusLife''
80	* ''Literature/ShangriLa''
81	* ''VideoGame/SilhouetteMirage'' (cutscenes)
82	* ''VideoGame/SkyGunner'' (cutscenes)
83	* ''Anime/SoltyRei'' (with AIC)
84	* ''Manga/SpecialA''
85	* ''Anime/SpeedGrapher'' (with Creator/ToeiAnimation's Philippines unit)
86	* ''Manga/StrikeWitches'' (season 1 only; replaced by Creator/{{AIC}}, and later Creator/SilverLink and Creator/DavidProduction)
87	* ''[[VideoGame/StreetFighterIV Super Street Fighter IV]]'' (cutscenes)
88	* ''Anime/TheTowerOfDruaga''
89	* ''Manga/ATownWhereYouLive''
90	* ''Anime/TransformersCybertron'' (Co-production with Creator/SunwooEntertainment)
91	* ''Literature/TrinityBlood''
92	* ''Manga/UchuuSenkanTiramisu''
93	* ''Anime/{{Vandread}}''
94	* ''Literature/WelcomeToTheNHK''
95	* ''Anime/{{Witchblade}}''
96	* ''VideoGame/ZoneOfTheEnders: The 2nd Runner'' (cutscenes)
97
98	[[AC:Sub-contracted]]
99	* ''Manga/Acca13TerritoryInspectionDept'' (Production Assistance; ep 6)
100	* ''Manga/{{Ajin}}'' (Backgrounds)
101	* ''Anime/{{Aikatsu}}'' (Production Assistance, four episodes)
102	* ''Literature/{{Another}}'' (In-Between Animation)
103	* ''Manga/AttackOnTitan'' (In-Between Animation, season 2)
104	* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanGothamKnight'' (Finish & In-Between Animation)
105	* ''Anime/TheBigO'' (Opening Animation)
106	* ''Manga/Brave10'' (Opening Key Animation)
107	* ''Anime/CodeGeass'' (In-Between Animation; 2nd Key Animation for ''R2'' season)
108	* ''Anime/CuteyHoneyUniverse'' (CGI)
109	* ''VisualNovel/{{Demonbane}}'' (3D Graphics; 3D Photography)
110	* ''Anime/DigimonAdventureTri'' (In-Between Animation)
111	* ''Anime/EdenOfTheEast'' (In-Between Animation)
112	* ''Anime/ExcelSaga'' (Production Cooperation on episodes 2, 7, and 12; as Digimation)
113	* ''Anime/FirstSquad'' (In-Between Animation)
114	* ''Anime/FreedomProject'' (CGI; Composite)
115	* ''Anime/GaroTheAnimation'' (In-Between Animation)
116	* ''Anime/GaReiZero'' (Animation Cooperation)
117	* ''Literature/{{Gosick}}'' (In-Between Animation)
118	* ''Anime/Gundam00AWakeningOfTheTrailblazer'' (In-Between Animation)
119	** ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamThe08thMSTeam'' (Story)
120	* ''Manga/JojosBizarreAdventure: [[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureDiamondIsUnbreakable Diamond is Unbreakable]]'' (In-Between Animation)
121	* ''Franchise/LittleWitchAcademia'' (In-Between Animation, series)
122	* ''Webcomic/MobPsycho100'' (In-Between Animation)
123	* ''Literature/NoRin'' (Production Cooperation; episode 6)
124	* ''Webcomic/OnePunchMan'' (In-Between Animation; OVA ending)
125	* ''[[Anime/SuperDimensionCenturyOrguss Orguss 02]]'' (Story Setting)
126	* ''Manga/OuranHighSchoolHostClub'' (In-Between Animation)
127	* ''Anime/RedLine'' (Composite Cooperation)
128	* ''Manga/SaintSeiyaTheLostCanvas'' (In-Between Animation)
129	* ''VisualNovel/ScaredRiderXechs'' (2nd Key & In-Between Animation; Production Assistance for episodes 3, 8 and 10)
130	* ''Anime/TheSkyCrawlers'' (In-Between Animation)
131	* ''VideoGame/SonicRidersZeroGravity'' (Cooperation)
132	* ''Suchie-Pai Adventure: Doki Doki Nightmare'' (In-Between Animation)
133	* ''Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann'' (In-Between Animation; Animation Assistance)
134	* ''WesternAnimation/TransformersRobotsInDisguise2015'' (2D Effects for Creator/PolygonPictures; 2 episodes)[[labelnote:List]]"The Champ", "Ghosts and Impostors"[[/labelnote]]
135	* ''Series/UltramanTheUltimateHero'' (Special Thanks)
136	* ''Anime/YourName'' (Production Cooperation)
137	* ''Manga/YoureUnderArrest'' (Animation Production for the VisualNovel)
138	[[/index]]
139	----
140	!!Tropes associated with GONZO:
141	* AdaptationalCurves: They tend to up the curves in whatever fanservice anime they do.
142	* AnimationBump: Despite the studio's reputation for OffModel moments, it has just as many higher quality moments. ''Afro Samurai'' is just one example.
143	** It's noted that many of their works have good animation in their first couple of episodes, before the OffModel kicks in.
144	* ButtMonkey: Of animation studios, rivaling that of Creator/StudioDeen at times. Though at least Studio Deen [[SpringtimeForHitler managed to make some finacial success however.]]
145	* FanService: ''Anime/BurstAngel'', ''Manga/RosarioPlusVampire'', ''Manga/StrikeWitches'' and others. They're mainly infamous for this.
146	* LimitedAnimation: The studio gained a bad reputation for animation shortcuts just as much as their CGI in the mid-late 2000s.
147	** The intros for ''Super Street Fighter IV''; the characters barely move, making it more like a motion comic than animation. The endings aren't much better.
148	* NoExportForYou: It was the case from 2017 to 2021. After Funimation began its expansion into Latin America, the GONZO series gradually became available in the countries where Funimation currently operates.
149	* StartMyOwn: Showji Murahama formed GONZO after he left Creator/StudioGainax in 1992.

Context Creator / GONZO