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1[[quoteright:320:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/gainax.png]]
2
3%% This is how the quote formatting is suppose to look: One indent, then dialog, then two indents, then the source. Don't mess with it.
4->''"''['''Gainaxy'?'']'' I never know what people mean when they say that. [[Anime/{{Gunbuster}} It started out to mean]] [[{{Gainaxing}} big, bouncy breasts]], then became [[Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion existentialist angst]], then became [[Anime/{{FLCL}} hyper-kinetic psycho-sexual slapstick]]. What's it mean now?"\
5"[[Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann All of that, at once]]."''
6-->-- '''[[http://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?t=350079#post7705763 Forum thread]]'''
7
8[[http://www.gainax.co.jp/ Gainax Co., Ltd.]] is a Japanese {{anime}} studio founded in 1984 by Creator/HideakiAnno, Yoshiyuki Sadamoto, Hiroyuki Yamaga, Takami Akai, Toshio Okada, Yasuhiro Takeda and Shinji Higuchi. It is best known for producing works such as ''Anime/{{Gunbuster}}'', ''Anime/NadiaTheSecretOfBlueWater'', ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'', ''Anime/{{FLCL}}'' and ''Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann''. Their work provides the origin for terms such as {{Gainaxing}} and the GainaxEnding.
9
10Gainax 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 [[OffModel 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 [[StockFootage 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.
11
12[[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/kerai/1098691714073.jpg A crowd picture]] for some of the many characters created by Gainax over its lifetime is available.[[note]]Made by Production I.G[[/note]]
13
14While 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 Creator/ProductionIG, who did quite a lot of work on ''[[Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion End of Evangelion]]'' and ''Anime/{{FLCL}}''.
15
16However, 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 Creator/StudioKhara and take the ''Evangelion'' IP with him. A few years later in 2011, fellow alumnus Creator/HiroyukiImaishi would follow suit and establish Creator/StudioTrigger. Then there's the situation with Creator/{{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 ''Anime/{{Gunbuster}}'' and ''Anime/RoyalSpaceForceTheWingsOfHonneamise'' 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.
17----
18!!Studio Gainax has created the following:
19[[folder:Original Productions]]
20!!!'''Daicon Film-era''': The period during which the founders were producing hobbyist films for showcasing at fan conventions.
21[[index]]
22* ''Anime/DaiconIIIAndIV'': 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 [[ShoutOut shout-outs]] to both anime and American science fiction in both, plus the latter using Music/ElectricLightOrchestra's song "Twilight" and featuring the protagonist in a PlayboyBunny costume (which is copyrighted by Magazine/{{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 [[ScrewedByTheLawyers vetoed by pretty much every license holder.]]
23* ''Film/AikokuSentaiDaiNippon'', a parody of the ''Franchise/SuperSentai'' series. The first of several [[{{Toku}} tokusatsu]] parodies made by them in the '80s. At this point, they weren't called Gainax yet, but Daicon Film.
24[[/index]]
25* ''Kaiketsu Noutenki'', a parody of ''Series/KaiketsuZubat'', made in 1982.
26* ''Series/ReturnOfUltraman'', a parody of the ''Franchise/UltraSeries'' show of the same name, featuring Creator/HideakiAnno as Ultraman!
27* ''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 Creator/ShinjiHiguchi.[[invoked]]
28
29!!!'''Era One''': Loosely defined as the period from the studio's official establishment in the mid-80s to the financial troubles of the 90s.
30[[index]]
31* ''Anime/RoyalSpaceForceTheWingsOfHonneamise'' (theatrical film; 1987)[[note]]Gainax's first feature film.[[/note]]
32* ''{{Manga/Appleseed}}'' ({{OVA}}; 1988)[[note]]Produced in cooperation with Creator/{{AIC}}.[[/note]]
33* ''Anime/GunBuster'' (OVA; 1988-89)[[note]]aka ''Aim for the Top!''; produced in cooperation with Creator/StudioFantasia.[[/note]]
34* ''Sakyo Komatsu's Animation Theater'' (TV series; 1989-90)[[note]]Produced in cooperation with AIC.[[/note]]
35* ''Beat Shot!!'' (OVA; 1989)[[note]]One-shot based on a manga of the same name; produced in cooperation with AIC.[[/note]]
36* ''Circuit no Ohkami II: Modena no Tsurugi'' (OVA; 1990)
37* ''Manga/BlazingTransferStudent'' (OVA; 1990)
38* ''Anime/NadiaTheSecretOfBlueWater'' (TV series; 1990-91)[[note]]Animation co-produced with Creator/GroupTAC and Korean studio Creator/SeiYoung.[[/note]]
39** ''Nadia: The Movie'' (theatrical film; 1991)
40* ''VideoGame/PrincessMaker'' series ([[CreatorsOddball video game franchise]]; 1991-2007)
41** ''VideoGame/PrincessMaker1''
42** ''VideoGame/PrincessMaker2''
43** ''VideoGame/PrincessMaker3''
44** ''VideoGame/PrincessMaker4''
45** ''VideoGame/PrincessMaker5''
46* ''VideoGame/{{Gotzendiener}}'' (video game; 1994)[[note]]Based on a novel of the same name.[[/note]]
47* ''Anime/OtakuNoVideo'' (OVA; 1991)
48* ''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.
49
50!!!'''Era Two''': The period from the mid-90s to the late 2000s, marked by the studio's high commercial and critical success.
51* ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'' (TV series; 1995-96)[[note]]Co-production with Production I.G and Creator/TatsunokoProduction.[[/note]]
52* ''Koume-chan ga Iku!'' (TV series; 1999)[[note]]Produced in cooperation with Group TAC.[[/note]]
53* ''Manga/HisAndHerCircumstances'' (TV series; 1998-99)[[note]]co-production with Creator/JCStaff.[[/note]]
54* ''Anime/OruchubanEbichu'' (TV series; 1999)[[note]]Co-production with Group TAC.[[/note]]
55* ''Anime/{{FLCL}}'' (OVA; 2000)[[note]]Co-produced by Production I.G., who would buy the full rights in 2015 and produce ''Anime/FLCLProgressiveAndAlternative''.[[/note]]
56* ''Manga/{{Mahoromatic}}'' (TV series; 2001-03, 2009)[[note]]Produced in cooperation with Creator/StudioShaft.[[/note]]
57* ''Anime Tenchō'' (OVA; 2002)[[note]]A promotional video for Animate.[[/note]]
58* ''Anime/MagicalShoppingArcadeAbenobashi'' (TV series; 2002)[[note]]Produced with Creator/{{Madhouse}}.[[/note]]
59* ''Anime/PetitePrincessYucie'' (TV series; 2002-03)[[note]][[TheAnimeOfTheGame A loose adaptation]] of the aforementioned ''Princess Maker'' series; produced in cooperation with AIC.[[/note]]
60* ''Anime/DieBuster'' (OVA; 2004-06)[[note]]aka ''Aim for the Top! 2'' or ''Gunbuster 2''[[/note]]
61* ''Anime/MelodyOfOblivion'' (TV series; 2004)[[note]]Produced in cooperation with J.C. Staff.[[/note]]
62* ''Anime/ThisUglyYetBeautifulWorld'' (TV series; 2004)[[note]]Produced in cooperation with Shaft.[[/note]]
63* ''Anime/ReCutieHoney'' (OVA; 2004)[[note]]Produced in association with Creator/ToeiAnimation.[[/note]]
64* ''Manga/HeIsMyMaster'' (TV series; 2005)[[note]]Produced in cooperation with Shaft.[[/note]]
65* ''Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann'' (TV series; 2007)
66* ''Manga/CorpsePrincess'' (TV series; 2008)[[note]]Co-production with Feel.[[/note]]
67* ''Manga/HanamaruKindergarten'' (TV series; 2010)
68* ''Anime/PantyAndStockingWithGarterbelt'' (TV series; 2010)
69
70!!!'''Era Three''': The current era, categorized as following [[Creator/StudioTrigger the talent exodus of 2011]] and plagued with financial and legal trouble.
71* ''Anime/WishUponThePleiades'' (ONA; 2011)[[note]]Collaboration with Subaru (yes, the car manufacturer).[[/note]]
72** ''Wish Upon the Pleiades'' (TV series; 2015)
73* ''Literature/TheMysticArchivesOfDantalian'' (TV series; 2011)
74* ''Manga/MedakaBox'' (TV series; 2012)
75* ''Manga/StellaWomensAcademyHighSchoolDivisionClassC3'' (TV series; 2013)
76* ''Anime/MahouShoujoTaisen'' (TV series; 2014)
77* ''Jinryoku Senkan!? Shiokaze Sawakaze'' (ONA; 2017-18)[[note]]Produced in cooperation with Creator/AnimeR; worked on first two episodes only.
78[[/index]]
79[[/folder]]
80
81[[folder:Production Assistance]]
82* ''Franchise/DotHack'' (Franchise Collaboration)
83* ''Manga/EightOhOneTTSAirbats'' (assistant animation)
84* ''Anime/AfroSamurai: Resurrection'' (2nd Key Animation)
85* ''Anime/AgentAika'' (In-Between Animation)
86* ''Manga/AhMyGoddess: The Movie'' (In-Between Animation)
87* ''Manga/{{Akira}}'' (Animation Cooperation)
88* ''VideoGame/AlisiaDragoon'' (Art and Story)
89* ''Anime/AllPurposeCulturalCatGirlNukuNuku'' (Animation, OVA)
90* ''Anime/AngelBeats'' (2nd Key Animation)
91* ''Anime/TheAnimatrix'' (In-Between Animation for Creator/Studio4C's ''Second Renaissance'' and ''Beyond'')
92* ''Manga/ArpeggioOfBlueSteel'' (In-Between Animation; Digital Paint)
93* ''Anime/{{Avenger}}'' (In-Between Animation)
94* ''Manga/Bastard1988'' (In-Between Animation)
95* ''Anime/TheBigO'' (In-Between Animation)
96* ''Manga/BlackCat'' (In-Between Animation)
97* ''Manga/BlackGod'' (In-Between Animation)
98* ''Manga/BlackLagoon'' (Key Animation for ''Second Barrage'')
99* ''Manga/BladeofTheImmortal'' (In-Between Animation)
100* ''Anime/BloodTheLastVampire'' (2nd Key & In-Between Animation)
101** ''Anime/BloodPlus'' (In-Between Animation)
102* ''Broken Blade'' (In-Between Animation)
103* ''Manga/BusoRenkin'' (Key Animation)
104* ''Literature/TheCaseFilesOfYakushijiRyoko'' (In-Between Animation, Animation Assistance)
105* ''Anime/CasshanRobotHunter'' (In-Between Animation)
106* ''Manga/CodeBreaker'' (2nd Key Animation)
107* ''Anime/CodeGeass'' (2nd Key Animation, ''R2'' season)
108* ''Manga/CromartieHighSchool'' (In-Between Animation)
109* ''Anime/DeadLeaves'' (In-Between Animation)
110* ''Literature/DirtyPair: Project Eden'' (In-Between Cooperation)
111* ''Literature/DragonCrisis'' (In-Between Animation)
112* ''Anime/EdenOfTheEast'' (2nd Key & In-Between Animation)
113* ''Anime/EurekaSeven'' (2nd Key & In-Between Animation)
114** ''Anime/EurekaSevenAO'' (In-Between Animation)
115* ''Manga/{{Eyeshield 21}}'' (Animation)
116* ''Manga/FairyTail'' (In-Between Animation)
117* ''Manga/{{Gantz}}'' (In-Between Animation)
118* ''Anime/GenesisOfAquarion'' (In-Between Animation)
119* ''Anime/GhostHound'' (In-Between Animation)
120* ''Anime/GhostStories'' (In-Between Animation)
121* ''Anime/GiantRobo'' (Key Animation, through Hideaki Anno and Mahiro Maeda)
122* ''Manga/{{Gintama}}'' (2nd Key & In-Between Animation)
123* ''Anime/GirlsUndPanzer'' (Photography)
124* ''[[WesternAnimation/GreenLanternFirstFlight Green Lantern: First Flight]]'' (Production Assistance; Key & Assistant Animation. With Creator/StudioJungleGym, Creator/AnimeSpot & Creator/MizoPlanning, uncredited)
125* ''Anime/GuiltyCrown'' (2nd Key Animation; Photography Cooperation)
126* ''Anime/GunXSword'' (In-Between Animation)
127* ''Manga/GunsmithCats'' (Opening Animation for the OVA, through Mahiro Maeda)
128* ''Literature/HarukaNogizakasSecret: Purezza'' (2nd Key Animation)
129* ''Manga/{{Heroman}}'' (In-Between Animation)
130* ''Manga/HighschoolOfTheDead'' (In-Between Animation)
131* ''Manga/HouseOfFiveLeaves'' (In-Between Animation)
132* ''Anime/IGPXImmortalGrandPrix'' (In-Between Animation)
133* ''Manga/InitialD'' (In-Between Animation, ''Fourth Stage'')
134* ''Anime/IxionSagaDT'' (2nd Key & In-Between Animation)
135* ''VideoGame/JeanneDArc'' (In-Between Animation Support)
136* ''Manga/{{Jormungand}}'' (In-Between Animation)
137* ''Manga/KurokosBasketball'' (In-Between Animation)
138* ''Anime/LastExileFamTheSilverWing'' (In-Between Animation)
139* ''Anime/ALetterToMomo'' (In-Between Animation)
140* ''Literature/LibraryWar'' (2nd Key Animation)
141* ''VisualNovel/LittleBusters'' (2nd Key Animation)
142* ''Lupin III Elusiveness Of The Fog'' (In-Between Animation)
143* ''Madox-01'' (Key Animation)
144* ''Manga/{{Major}}'' (Key & In-Between Animation)
145* ''Anime/MichikoAndHatchin'' (In-Between Animation; Production Cooperation for episode 8)
146* ''Anime/MobileFighterGGundam'' (Key Animation)
147** ''Anime/MobileSuitGundam00'' (In-Between Animation)
148** ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamCharsCounterattack'' (Mechanical Design)
149** ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamUnicorn'' (In-Between Animation)
150** ''Anime/MobileSuitVictoryGundam'' (Key & In-Between Animation)
151* ''VideoGame/MusashiSamuraiLegend'' (animation and movie production)
152* ''WesternAnimation/{{Mutafukaz}}'' (In-Between Animation)
153* ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'' (In-Between Animation)
154* ''Anime/NegimaSecondSeason'' (2nd Key & In-Between Animation)
155* ''Manga/NodameCantabile'' (2nd Key Animation)
156* ''Anime/{{Noein}}'' (2nd Key Animation)
157* ''Manga/OuranHighSchoolHostClub'' (2nd Key Animation)
158* ''Literature/OutbreakCompany'' (In-Between Animation)
159* ''Manga/PandoraHearts'' (In-Between Animation)
160* ''VideoGame/Persona5'' (In-Between Animation)
161* ''Anime/{{Pokemon}} Movies''
162** ''Anime/{{Pokemon 2000}}'' (Digital Animation Assistance)
163** ''Anime/{{Pokemon 3}}'' (In-Between Animation)
164** ''Anime/PokemonHeroes'' (Animation Assistance)
165** ''Anime/PokemonDestinyDeoxys'' (In-Between Animation)
166** ''Anime/PokemonGiratinaAndTheSkyWarrior'' (Animation Assistance)
167* ''VideoGame/PrismArk'' (Production Cooperation)
168* ''VideoGame/ProfessorLaytonVsAceAttorney'' (Gameplay Animation Support)
169* ''Anime/ProjectAKo'' (In-Between Animation)
170* ''Anime/RahXephon'' (In-Between Animation)
171* ''Anime/RealDrive'' (In-Between Animation)
172* ''Manga/RanmaOneHalf'' (Animation Assistance, [=OVAs=])
173* ''Anime/RedLine'' (2nd Key Animation Cooperation)
174* ''Restol, The Special Rescue Squad'' (Distribution)
175* ''Anime/RobotCarnival'' (Production Cooperation)
176* ''Anime/RODTheTV'' (In-Between Animation)
177* ''Manga/RurouniKenshin'' (In-Between Animation)
178* ''VideoGame/SakuraWars'':
179** ''VideoGame/SakuraWars2ThouShaltNotDie'' (In-Between Animation)
180** ''Anime/SakuraWarsTheMovie'' (In-Between Animation)
181** ''VideoGame/SakuraWars4FallInLoveMaidens'' (In-Between Animation)
182* ''[[Anime/SailorMoon Sailor Moon S]]'' (Uncredited Key Animation for episode 92) [[note]]Hideaki Anno also animated the transformation sequences for the Outer Senshi.[[/note]]
183* ''Literature/ShakuganNoShana'' (Key & 2nd Key Animation)
184* ''Manga/SilverSpoon'' (In-Between Animation)
185* ''Anime/SkyGirls'' (2nd Key Animation)
186* ''Literature/{{Slayers}} Great'' (Production Assistance)
187* ''Anime/SoltyRei'' (Photography)
188* ''Manga/SoraNoManimani'' (In-Between Animation)
189* ''Manga/SpaceBrothers'' (2nd Key Animation)
190* ''Manga/SpecialA'' (In-Between Animation)
191* ''Anime/SpiritedAway'' (Supporting Animation)
192* ''Anime/Spriggan1998'' (In-Between Animation)
193* ''VisualNovel/SteinsGate'' (In-Between Animation Cooperation)
194* ''Anime/StrikeWitches'' (2nd Key Animation)
195* ''Anime/SummerWars'' (Special Thanks)
196* ''Anime/SuperDimensionCenturyOrguss 02'' (In-Between Animation)
197* ''VideoGame/TalesOfSymphonia'' (Animation Support)
198* ''VideoGame/TalesOfVesperia: The First Strike'' (In-Between Animation)
199* ''Manga/{{Tekkonkinkreet}}'' (In-Between Animation)
200* ''WesternAnimation/ThunderCats1985'' (Opening Animation, though Masayuki Yamaguchi)
201* ''Manga/{{Tokko}}'' (Composite)
202* ''Literature/{{Toradora}}'' (2nd Key Animation)
203* ''Literature/TrinityBlood'' (Animation)
204* ''Anime/TweenyWitchesTheAdventures'' (In-Between Animation)
205* ''Anime/TwinPrincessOfWonderPlanet'' (In-Between Animation)
206* ''Anime/UnGo'' (In-Between Animation)
207* ''Manga/UruseiYatsura: The Final Chapter'' (Production Assistance)
208* ''Anime/ValkyriaChronicles'' (In-Between Animation)
209* ''Anime/ValvraveTheLiberator'' (2nd Key & In-Between Animation)
210* ''Manga/{{Wagnaria}}'' (2nd Key & In-Between Animation; Production Assistance)
211* ''Anime/WolfsRain'' (In-Between Animation)
212* ''Manga/TheWorldGodOnlyKnows'' (Disclaimer Illustration Cooperation)
213* ''{{Manga/XxxHolic}}'' (In-Between Animation)
214* ''Manga/YoureUnderArrest'' (Animation Assistance for the OVA, In-Between Animation for the second season and Key Animation for ''Full Throttle'')
215* ''Manga/{{Zetman}}'' (In-Between Animation)
216* ''Zoku Manga/SayonaraZetsubouSensei'' (In-Between Animation; Production Assistance)
217[[/folder]]
218----
219!!Studio Gainax and their works provide examples of:
220
221* AuthorAppeal: In relation to JapanTakesOverTheWorld, no studio (besides [[Creator/TMSEntertainment Tokyo Movie Shinsha]] and Creator/StudioGhibli) has ever done it with more boldness.
222* AnimationBump: Most (if not all) of their series exhibit this.
223* ArtEvolution: Compare the style and design of Gainax's works before ''Anime/{{FLCL}}'', between that and 2011, and after 2011, and you'll notice huge differences between each other.
224* AsskickingPose: The BadassArmFold. Technically only used in [[Anime/GunBuster two]] [[Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann series]] and a [[Anime/DieBuster continuation]], it's done memorably enough to be known as the [[BadassArmfold Gainax Pose]] in Japan.
225* DeconReconSwitch: A meta example: they made ''Anime/GunBuster'' in the 1980s, ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'' in the 1990s, and ''Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann'' in the 2000s. The first two series even had the same director.
226* DevelopmentHell
227** The live-action ''Evangelion'' film they, Creator/ADVFilms, and Creator/{{WETA}} wanted to make [[https://www.liveabout.com/evangelion-live-action-film-never-happened-145331 throughout the 2000s]].
228** ''Uru in Blue'', a planned sequel to ''Anime/RoyalSpaceForceTheWingsOfHonneamise'', 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.
229* {{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 Main/{{Gainaxing}} for a reason.
230-->[[WebVideo/EvangelionAbridged "It's Gainax! Fanservice adds to our character development!"]]
231* InNameOnly: In a sense, many feel that Gainax has become this since 2011. Creator/StudioTrigger is generally considered to be the SpiritualSuccessor to what Gainax was.
232* LimitedAnimation: 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 ''[[Anime/RebuildOfEvangelion Rebuild]]'' movies.
233* PlayingAgainstType: Out of all the Japanese animation studios available to adapt the ''Manga/HanamaruKindergarten'' 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 [[Anime/PantyAndStockingWithGarterbelt their]] [[Anime/GunBuster most]] [[Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion popular]] [[Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann 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 ''Manga/HanamaruKindergarten'' is itself [[MindScrew Gainaxian]]. The overarching theme of Gainax is [[MindScrew Nothing]] [[GainaxEnding makes sense]].
234* {{Postmodernism}}: A staple of nearly all of their works.
235* PromotedFanboy: The studio was founded by a bunch of young anime fans.
236* RoleEndingMisdemeanor: Three staff members fell victim to this trope over the course of two decades:
237** The accounting fraud charges stemming from the success of ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'' 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.
238** Co-founder Takami Akai left his position during the airing of ''Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann'' 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.
239** A far more fatal case related to Gainax management occured in late 2019, when it came out that representative director Tomohiro Maki [[https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2019-12-04/gainax-representative-director-tomohiro-maki-arrested-for-alleged-indecent-acts/.153997 had been arrested]] after it was outed he was a serial sexual harasser of underage girls. The incident would lead to Creator/HideakiAnno's production company Creator/StudioKhara [[https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interest/2019-12-05/khara-distances-itself-from-gainax-after-studio-representative-director-arrest/.154008 publicly distancing themselves]] from Gainax, leaving what was one of the most famous studios in the industry [[CreatorKiller practically dead in the water]]. Even Anno, no stranger to controversy himself, [[https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interest/2019-12-30/hideaki-anno-details-his-falling-out-with-gainax/.154892 was publicly disappointed]] that the studio's current management ranks allowed the situation to happen in the first place.
240* ShoutOut: To the brim, being a studio of {{Promoted Fanboy}}s, hence why some of their works are also filled with [[MythologyGag self-references]].
241* TrashOfTheTitans: According to Yasuhiro Takeda's memoir, "Gainax House", where most of the animators boarded in the 80s, was like this:
242--> 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 [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere 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."

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