
Sunrise Inc. is one of the biggest anime makers in all of Japan. If you are thinking "Real Robot", you probably mean Sunrise's productions. Between the long-running Gundam franchise and one-shot gems like The Vision of Escaflowne and Code Geass, Sunrise has long since cemented its reputation of one of the Humongous Mecha market trend makers. Also, being a subsidiary of Bandai (currently Bandai Namco) since 1994, many of its works (the ones involving Humongous Mecha, of course) end up in Super Robot Wars sooner or later.
Founded in 1972 by former Mushi Productions animators Yoshinori Kishimoto, Masanori Ito, Eiji Yamaura, Masami Iwasaki, Kiyomi Numamoto and Yasuhiko Yoneyama, the studio was first known as Sunrise Studio YK and then as Nippon Sunrise before becoming simply Sunrise in 1987. The studio had a long relationship with the TV Asahi network, with TV Asahi itself or affiliated stations like Nagoya TV producing many of its shows.
Several of Sunrise's original series credit "Hajime Yatate" as their original creator; that's a collective pseudonym for Sunrise and its animation staff. Yatate is depicted as an actual person in Gundam Sousei, a comedy loosely depicting the making of the original Mobile Suit Gundam. Apparently he's a loudmouth who wears a cowboy hat everywhere. Who knew?
Studio DEEN, Studio BONES, EMUAI, A-1 Pictures, Studio Dub, Studio Takuranke, Manglobe and Bridge were formed by former Sunrise staff members.
They also animated eight episodes of Batman: The Animated SeriesList to mixed results. Eventually they become one of the two animation studios, along with AKOM, to be taken off the series. Nevertheless, Sunrise later created The Big O, a Batman-influenced project with a considerably more positive reception in the West.
Sunrise were also responsible for an aborted attempt to create an Americanized Gundam series, known as Doozy Bots, long before dubbing any of the actual anime. Though nothing was made beyond a rather hilariously misguided pilot.
At Anime Boston 2013, Sunrise announced that they were negotiating with various distributors (Funimation, Viz Media, Sentai Filmworks, Nozomi Entertainment, etc.) to give their shows formerly licensed by Bandai Entertainment "new homes", after Bandai decided to cease DVD production. So far, Nozomi has announced their distribution
of Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn. This, along with Discotek Media's acquisition of Blue Submarine No. 6 (which was actually a GONZO title, but was still licensed by Bandai), is a good sign for fans of Mobile Suit Gundam, The Big O, The Vision of Escaflowne, Cowboy Bebop, and various other Bandai-owned shows, as well as for newcomers who want to get into said series without spending an arm and a leg on Bandai's previous releases.
At Sunrise's panel at Otakon 2013, these potential license rescues were realized. Sentai Filmworks had picked up The Big O and S Cryed note among many others. Funimation picked up many of the other big-name series like Code Geass, The Vision of Escaflowne, Outlaw Star (and its spiritual successor Angel Links) and Cowboy Bebop, and more.
On April 1, 2022, Bandai Namco merged Sunrise with its Bandai Namco Arts film division and Bandai Namco Marketing subsidiaries, renaming the division Bandai Namco Filmworks Inc. However, Sunrise is still open as a brand.
For the Academy Award-winning, classic 1927 silent film, see Sunrise.
List of studios:
CurrentSince 2019, Sunrise has a total of 14 studios and two subsidiaries.- Studio 1: The original studio established in 1972, known primarily for most Gundam projects (alternating with Studios 2 and 3), Armored Trooper VOTOMS and Inuyasha.
- Studio 2: Established in 1974, best known for their work on Aura Battler Dunbine, The Vision of Escaflowne and Cowboy Bebop. This would be the branch Studio Bones would spin off from in 1999.
- Studio 3: Established in 1975, known for their work on City Hunter and several Gundam entries including 08th MS Team and 00.
- Studio 4: Originally established in 1979 before becoming inactive in 1987, then got revived not long after as a sub-studio for Studio 2. Best known for Dirty Pair and Code Geass.
- Studio 5: Formed in 1979, they have worked on the Aikatsu! and Gintama adaptations. Studio founder Mikihiro Iwata would go on to form A-1 Pictures in 2009.
- Studio 6: Established in 1983, responsible for Tiger & Bunny, the Sgt. Frog adaptation and The Big O (and its inspiration, Batman: The Animated Series). Several of its staff would form Bridge in 2007.
- Studio 7: Established in 1985 as the uncredited studio behind Centurions. Also responsible for Sacred Seven and the Brave Series. This is the branch Manglobe spun off from in 2002.
- Studio 8: Established in 1995, this studio is best known for their work on Love Live! and Idolmaster: Xenoglossia.
- Studio 9: Studio 7's sister studio established in 1996. Animated Argento Soma, Mobile Suit Gundam SEED and the many Battle Spirits anime tie-ins.
- Studio 10: Studio 5's sister studio also founded in 1996, responsible for Outlaw Star and Dinosaur King
- Studio 11: Studio 8's sister studio and the most recent, established in 2009. Responsible for both Black God and Phi-Brain: Puzzle of God.
- D.I.D.: Their CG unit, established in the mid-1990s.
- Nerima Studio: Formerly known as Sunrise Emotion and Sunrise Ogikubo Studio. Known for Valvrave the Liberator and Cross Ange.
- Sunrise Origin Studio: Subcontract studio.
- Bandai Namco Pictures (or BN Pictures): A subsidiary of Sunrise, founded in April 2015 to mainly produce non-mecha and (usually) family-friendly shows such as the Aikatsu! series (starting with episode 127 of the original series), Gintama (starting with season 3), Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun, and original projects like Birdie Wing and Tiger & Bunny (starting with season 2).
- Sunrise Beyond: Another subsidiary of Sunrise, founded after the purchase of Xebec from I.G. Port. Mostly does subcontract work and the Gundam Build Divers series before making AMAIM Warrior at the Borderline, it's first original project.
Former
- Sunrise Studio: Established in 1980 as a finishing studio; became independent in 1987 and reorganized as EMUAI.
- Sunrise Shenzhen Studio: A satellite studio based in Shenzhen, China.
- Hong Kong Tokyo Sunrise: A satellite studio based in Hong Kong, China. Worked on the Street Fighter cartoon.
- Kyoto Animation: A subsidiary that eventually became independent.
Responsible for the following original series:
- AMAIM Warrior at the Borderline
- Argento Soma
- Armored Trooper VOTOMS (Later Entries with The Answer Studio)
- Artiswitch
- Aura Battler Dunbine
- Betterman
- The Big O
- Blue Comet SPT Layzner
- Brain Powerd
- Brigadoon: Marin and Melan
- The Brave Series (Co-produced with Takara (now Takara Tomy))
- Buddy Complex
- Choriki Robo Galatt
- Classicaloid
- Cluster Edge
- Code Geass
- Coicent
- Colorful (the 2010 movie by Keiichi Hara, co-produced with Ascension note )
- Cowboy Bebop
- Cross Ange
- Crush Gear Turbo
- Daitarn 3
- Double Decker
- The Eldran series (Co-produced with Tomy (now Takara Tomy))
- Fang of the Sun Dougram
- Five Numbers
- Future GPX Cyber Formula
- Future Robot Daltanious
- Gasaraki
- GEAR Fighter Dendoh
- Giant Gorg
- Ginga Hyouryuu Vifam
- The Girl Who Leapt Through Space
- Gunhed
- Heavy Metal L-Gaim
- Idolmaster: Xenoglossia
- Infinite Ryvius
- Jushin Liger
- The My-HiME (My-HiME, etc.) Franchise
- The Gundam Franchise
- The Love Live! franchise (in partnership with ASCII Media Works and Lantis)
- Majokko Tickle (Co-production with Toei Company; then-Nippon Sunrise was one of several studios that worked on this series)
- Mama Is a Fourth Grader
- The Mashin Hero Wataru Series (Co-created with Ouji Hiroi)
- Metal Armor Dragonar
- Mutekirobo Trider G7
- Overman King Gainer
- Panzer World Galient
- Phi-Brain: Puzzle of God
- Raideen (Original and 1990s remake)
- Road to You ~Hoshifuruoka no yakusoku~
- Robokko Beeton
- Robot Romance Trilogy (Co-Produced with Toei Company)
- Ronin Warriors
- Sacred Seven
- S Cryed
- Seraphim Call
- Shippu! Iron Leaguer
- Space Pirate Mito (with Triangle Staff)
- Space Runaway Ideon [Studio 1; movies done by Studio 3]
- Steamboy (With Studio 4°C)
- Tank Knights Portriss (with Dong Woo Animation)
- Tiger & Bunny
- Tribe Cool Crew (With Ajia-Do)
- Valvrave the Liberator
- The Vision of Escaflowne
- Wild Knights Gulkeeva
- Witch Hunter Robin
- Xabungle
- Zambot 3
- Zegapain
- Onmyou Taisenki
Sunrise also adapted the following into anime versions:
- Aikatsu! [Studio 5 & 9] (With Telecom)
- Battle Spirits Shonen Toppa Bashin (and the rest of the Battle Spirits franchise) [Studio 9]
- Black God
- City Hunter [Studio 3]
- Crest of the Stars
- Crusher Joe [Movie by Studio 4, OVA by Studio 1] (with Studio Nue)
- Cyborg 009 (second series with Toei Animation and third series with Japan Vistic, Studio Shaft, Brains Base and others)
- Daily Lives of High School Boys
- DinoZaurs [Studio 10]
- Dinosaur King [Studio 10]
- Dirty Pair [Studio 4] (with Studio Nuenote )
- The Faraway Paladin (season 2 by Sunrise Beyond in co-production with OLM, taking over from Childrens Playground Entertainment)
- Gintama [Studio 5]
- Good Luck Girl!
- Horizon in the Middle of Nowhere
- InuYasha [Studio 1] (with Kyoto Animation)
- Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon (Anime First, but still a sequel)
- Kaiketsu Zorori (series, with Ajia-Do)
- Kekkaishi [Studio 1]
- King of Thorn
- Lord of Lords: Ryu Knight
- Magic-kyun! Renaissance
- Mighty Cat Masked Niyandar
- Outlaw Star
- Patlabor
- Planetes
- Sand Land (co-production with Kamikaze Douga and Anima)
- Scarlet Nexus
- Sgt. Frog [Studio 6]
- Shutsugeki! Machine Robo Rescue
- Starship Troopers (A 6-episode OVA in 1988)
- Tales of the Abyss
- The☆Ultraman (a.k.a. Ultraman Joeneus, 1979 anime installment of the Ultra Series co-produced with Tsuburaya)
- Wave, Listen to Me!
- Yakitate!! Japan
- Zone of the Enders (IDOLO and Dolores, i spinoffs)
Aside from Batman, Sunrise also worked on the following American cartoons:
- Centurions [Studio 7]
- Exosquad (early development, through pitch reel (parts of which can be glimpsed in the season 1 intro); replaced by AKOM for the series)
- G.I. Joe: The Movie (Key Animation, through Nobuyoshi Sasakado)
- Inspector Gadget (Ink & Paint for season one)
- Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors
- Legend of Sarmoti: Siegfried & Roy, The
- Street Fighter [Studio 1] (18 episodes)List (Madhouse did the rest)
- Transformers: The Movie (Key & In-Between Animation, through Nobuyoshi Sasakado, Yasuyoshi Uwai [Keys], and Tadashi Yahata [In-Betweens])
Other Anime Sunrise has worked on include:
- A Certain Scientific Railgun (2nd Key Animation)
- A Channel (2nd Key Animation)
- Anime Mirai (In-Between Animation for the following):
- Attack on Titan (2nd Key Animation)
- City Hunter: Shinjuku Private Eyes
- Demon King Daimao (2nd Key Animation)
- Dragon Ball Super (CG Cooperation)
- Fairy Tail (In-Between Animation; Production Assistance)
- Flowering Heart (Production Assistance, with Bridge and DR Movie)
- Golgo 13: The Professional (Finish Animation)
- Guilty Crown (In-Between Animation)
- Hanamaru Kindergarten (Key Animation)
- Initial D (Digital Paint, First Stage)
- Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken! (In-Between Animation)
- Kiddy GiRL-AND (Animation Assistance)
- LBX: Little Battlers eXperience (Key Animation)
- Lupin III: Legend of the Gold of Babylon (Finish Animation)
- Macross: Do You Remember Love? (In-Between Animation)
- Mitsudomoe (Production Assistance)
- My Hero Academia: Heroes: Rising (Photography Assistance)
- Oreimo (2nd Key & In-Between Animation; In-Between Assistance)
- Pop Team Epic (Animation Assistance for Pipimi Robo segment and opening animation in Season 1, episode 13; and for "Here We Go! Biggus McHugeGuy Combination" segment in Season 2, episode 2)
- Psycho-Pass (In-Between Animation)
- Puella Magi Madoka Magica (2nd Key Animation)
- Ranma ½ (2008 "Incense of Spring Sleep" OVA, co-produced with Studio DEEN).
- Robot Carnival (Production Cooperation)
- Servant × Service (2nd Key Animation)
- The Severing Crime Edge (2nd Key Animation)
- Silver Spoon (2nd Key Animation)
- Sisters of Wellber (Key Animation)
- Squid Girl (In-Between Animation)
- Star Driver (In-Between Animation)
- Starwing Paradox (Animated Scenes)
- Steins;Gate (In-Between Animation Cooperation)
- Sword Art Online (2nd Key & In-Between Animation)
- The☆Ultraman
- Un-Go (2nd Key Animation)
- Urusei Yatsura (Copyright, series)
- Valis (promotional video)
- Wolf's Rain (Production Cooperation)
More credits from the company can be found on their ANN page.
Tropes associated with Sunrise:
- 2D Visuals, 3D Effects: It's noticeable when whenever they use CG over flat animation, generally speaking — the examples include shows like Code Geass, recent Gundam series and Sgt. Frog...ESPECIALLY Sgt. Frog. This is largely due to trying to make the models look photo-realistic and cartoonish at the same time, with varying degrees of success. Nevertheless, integration has admittedly improved over the years. This ends up being extremely noticeable in Love Live!, where every single dance routine ends up using CG as much as, if not more than the normal art.
- All-CGI Cartoon: The double feature Coicent and Five Numbers, released by Sentai Filmworks, is this. While the characters look hand-drawn, they're actually computer animated- you can tell by the way they move.
- Animation Bump: Used oftennote .
- Ass Kicking Pose: Recurs in Brave Series, the pose is performed by Sword Pointing a BFS diagonally upwards in extreme foreshortening. Also known as the Sunrise Stance much like the Gainax Stance, it has become referenced endlessly even in professional works.
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Cult Classic: A rare example of the entire studio catalogue being this. Name a 1979-1988 mecha anime show by Sunrise (but ESPECIALLY the real robot ones) - it's going to have a very dedicated fandom. The later time periods have it's own classics as well, but that particular run is legendary for the quality of production and intriguing storytelling being mostly maintained at the same (high) level. In fact it's more accurate to speak of a unified Sunrise fandom rather than separate fandoms for each individual mecha show as they're incredibly tightly interwoven.
- Depending on the Artist: It's suspected that a different team (or different uncredited supporting studios) worked on "The Man Who Killed Batman", as it looks nothing like Sunrise's other Batman episodes.
- Enhanced on DVD: Sunrise also has a reputation of considerably polishing and at times revising many of its shows for DVD/Bluray or subsequent releases. Case in point: Code Geass or the HD Editions of Gundam SEED.
- Fanservice: Cross Ange was advertised as a fanservice show at first.
- Humongous Mecha: The Kings of this trope, at least in the Real Robot genre (though Toei Animation was one of the pioneers).
- Mascot: While not having an official one, one could argue that the RX-78 Gundam, Haro and Keroro might count.
- Merchandise-Driven: The Entire Gundam Franchise is built around this trope (The sales of the models actually saved it). Some of their other shows also fall into this category.
- Tiger & Bunny is both an inverted and played-straight example. The show sells incredible amounts of merchandise (It all
sold out in X seconds). It's also about corporate-sponsored superheroes - real corporations, mind you - so the show is driven by the merchandise.
- Tiger & Bunny is both an inverted and played-straight example. The show sells incredible amounts of merchandise (It all
- Production Posse: The company in particular favors Wish, Nakamura Productions and Asahi Production in the majority of their works. With other companiesnote also being used on a semi-regular basis.
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Spiritual Successor: The studio was originally established
by many of the original staff of Mushi Productions.
- War Is Hell: An often-repeated theme in Sunrise works, especially their real robot series. The Gundam franchise is the major offender here considering pretty much everything released is one War Arc (depending on continuity, that is), barring a few works. Other franchises, like Code Geass and some of the works of Yoshiyuki Tomino and Ryousuke Takahashi also frequently tend to rely on the concepts of sacrifice, overthrowing corrupt authority and defending ideals and loved ones from the horrors of death, destruction and decay that war brings.