"['Gainaxy'?] I never know what people mean when they say that. It started out to mean big, bouncy breasts, then became existentialist angst, then became hyper-kinetic psycho-sexual slapstick. What's it mean now?"
"All of that, at once."
"All of that, at once."
Founded in 1984note , Studio Gainax
is one of the better-known anime studios, having created such series as 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 impressive visuals, gripping storylines, confusing plot points, and running out of money before the series is finished. This last tendency has been a particular problem in the past; the last episodes of Gainax series tend to be lower in quality and take a lot of shortcuts. The last two episodes of Evangelion were produced when the studio had been cut off by the main sponsor, and mostly reused clips from previous episodes with different dialogue. Still shots are frequent as well. The final episode of Top o Nerae! (also known as GunBuster) is due to the black and white presentation often thrown into this bin, a common misconception as the black and white animation was actually more expensive. Thankfully, they seemed to have learned their lesson by Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann (see below).
A crowd picture
◊ for some of the many characters created by Gainax over its lifetime is available.note
As a small note, they have a good relationship with Production I.G, who did quite a lot of work on End of Evangelion and FLCL. The director of Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt, and one episode of FLCL also worked with Production I.G on Dead Leaves.
However, Gainax is not what it used to be. Most of their remaining staff nowadays has left to some combination of Studio Trigger, Studio Khara, Production I.G, and Cloverworks (an A-1 Pictures subdivision). The rest have been either shuttled off to Gainax of Fukushima or are now part of the similarly-named but legally distinct GainaCo (mostly notable at this point for owning the rights, at least in theory, to the Aim For The Top! franchise). The studio is effectively all but dead as of late 2018, unfortunately, but the so-called "Daicon Spirit" lives on through several of their aforementioned descendant studios.
Studio Gainax has created the following:
Daicon Film era (pre Gainax).
- Two original animated introductory films for Daicon III and Daicon IV, 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 shoutouts 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 a Laserdisc version in the early '80s 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 movie made when Gainax was still Daicon Film, featuring ancient astronauts and a giant cybernetic Yamata no Orochi. Special effects by Shinji Higuchi.
Pre-Evangelion Gainax
- Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honnêamise, Gainax's first feature film. Like the Daicon shorts, the short pilot version of this was animated and shot on 8mm film in Hiroyuki Yamaga's garage.
- Top wo Nerae! (Aim for the Top!), a.k.a. GunBuster- Produced in cooperation with Studio Fantasia.
- There is also a sequel - Top wo Nerae 2! (a.k.a. DieBuster or GunBuster 2) which was released 16 years after the original.
- Appleseed - The original 1988 OVA. Produced in cooperation with AIC.
- Sakyo Komatsu's Animation Theater - Produced in cooperation with AIC.
- Beat Shot!!, a one shot OVA based on a Manga of the same name. Also produced in cooperation with AIC.
- Circuit no Ohkami II: Modena no Tsurugi
- Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water, animation co-produced with Group TAC and Korean studio Sei Young.
- The Princess Maker videogame series, which had the player take responsibility for raising an orphaned girl to adulthood.
- The anime Petite Princess Yucie was an adaptation of several of the games in the series. Also produced in cooperation with AIC.
- Gainax also released variations of the game focused around Evangelion characters, such as The Rei Ayanami/Shinji Ikari Raising Project.
- Otaku no Video, a mockumentary-style look at otaku in Japan interspersed with an animated story about the life of one budding Otaking (Otaku King), whose company is a parody of Gainax itself.
- Otaking is a real person — Toshio Okada, one of the Gainax founders, who left the studio in The '90s for academia and now is a moderately renowned anime scholar (and an epic troll to boot).
- 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.
Golden Age Gainax
- Neon Genesis Evangelion, notable for its Deconstruction of the mecha genre at the time, colossal impact on Japanese pop culture, and popularization of the Gainax Ending. A co-production with Production I.G and Tatsunoko Production. Also provided assistance to the Rebuild of Evangelion movies.
- Koume-chan ga Iku! a.k.a. Here Comes Koume! - Produced in cooperation with Group TAC.
- FLCL - (the years-later 2017-2018 second and third seasons are produced by Production I.G.)
- Kare Kano a.k.a. His & Her Circumstances
- Oruchuban Ebichu
- Mahoromatic – produced in cooperation with Studio Shaft.
- Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi, produced with Madhouse.
- Anime Tenchō, a promotional video for Animate.
- This Ugly Yet Beautiful World – also produced in cooperation with Shaft.
- Re: Cutie Honey, a re-imagining of of Go Nagai's classic magical girl series. Produced in association with Toei Animation.
- He Is My Master – also produced in cooperation with Shaft.
- Melody of Oblivion – Produced in Cooperation with JC Staff.
- Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann
- Corpse Princess
- Hanamaru Kindergarten
- Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt note
Post-Trigger Gainax
- Houkago no Pleiades - A Magical Girl collaboration between Gainax and Subaru.
- Bibliotheca Mystica de Dantalian
- Medaka Box
- Tokurei Sochi Dantai Stella Jogakuin Koutou-ka C³-bu
- Mahou Shoujo Taisen a.k.a. Magica Wars
- Jinryoku Senkan!? Shiokaze Sawakaze - produced in cooperation with Anime R.
The company has also done minor work in the following:
- .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!! (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)
- Fushigiboshi No Futago Hime (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)
- 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)
- Jeanne d'Arc (In-Between Animation Support)
- Jormungand (In-Between Animation)
- Kuroko no Basuke (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!? (2nd Key & In-Between Animation)
- Nodame Cantabile (2nd Key Animation)
- Noein (2nd Key Animation)
- Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu: Purezza (2nd Key Animation)
- Ouran High School Host Club (2nd Key Animation)
- Outbreak Company (In-Between Animation)
- Pandora Hearts (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)
- Sailor Moon S (Uncredited Key Animation for episode 92)note
- 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)
- Special A (In-Between Animation)
- Spirited Away (Supporting Animation)
- Spriggan (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)
- Thunder Cats (Opening Animation, though Masayuki Yamaguchi)
- Tokkô (Composite)
- Toradora! (2nd Key Animation)
- Trinity Blood (Animation)
- Tweeny Witches: The Adventures (In-Between Animation)
- Uchuu Kyoudai (2nd Key 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)
- WORKING!! (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 provides examples of the following tropes:
- 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.
- Asskicking 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 Stance in Japan.
- Bleached Underpants: When Gainax first branched into video game development, their first title was Cybernetic Hi-School, a quiz game with enough sexual content to get banned in one Japanese prefecture. They also developed a strip mahjong game based on their own Neon Genesis Evangelion.
- Decon-Recon Switch: A meta example: they made GunBuster, Neon Genesis Evangelion, and Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann (in that order).
- Fanservice: Tons and tons of it.
- 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: Taken to extremes in the last two episodes of Evangelion.
- Off-Model: Episode four of Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann changed its entire art style, The fans were pissed off to say the least.
- Postmodernism: A staple of nearly all of their works.
- Shout-Out: To the brim, being a studio of Promoted Fanboys, hence why some of their works are also filled with self-references.
