Kitty Films
Encyclopedia
Kitty Films is an anime
production company established in 1972 in Japan
. The company also operates a record label under "Kitty" or "Kitty Records" (used interchangeably).
(Kitty had no association with the 1979 anime version of the latter, which was made by Tokyo Movie Shinsha
). However, major success first came with their anime version of Rumiko Takahashi
's Urusei Yatsura
. Starting in 1981, it marked Kitty's entry into anime production. Over the next two decades, Kitty Films would become noteworthy in and outside Japan as the producer of most of the animated versions of Takahashi's manga
series, including Maison Ikkoku
and Ranma 1/2. Takahashi had in fact attended the same college as Shigekazu Ochiai, the planner of most of Kitty's anime productions.
Despite their fame as producer, the actual animation of Kitty's works was handled by several independent anime studios, some of which still exist today. Studio Pierrot
did the animation for the first half of Urusei Yatsura, Studio Deen
animated the second half (except for several of the OVAs) and all of Maison Ikkoku and Ranma, while Madhouse
handled the final Urusei Yatsura movie, some of the later Urusei Yatsura OVAs, Legend of the Galactic Heroes
, and Yawara!
Unfortunately, the company had suffered financial troubles from early on, which started to come to a head towards the end of the Ranma TV series in 1992. Hidenori Taga had in fact helped finance Kitty's film division by spending money from
their music branch, and that year was forced to step down due to an unknown scandal, while Shigekazu Ochiai transferred to Pao House Studios (he died in 1999). Kitty continued to produce less well-known shows such as Ping Pong Club (1995) and Shinkai Densetsu Meremanoid
, but their output shrank to almost nothing by the end of the century. Rumiko Takahashi did not work with Kitty again after the last Ranma OVA was released in 1996; Sunrise
handled the animation duties on Inuyasha
, and TMS animated Rumiko Takahashi Theater.
, the company mainly exists as a talent agency, having sold off the rights of most of their anime hits. One of the artists under the company is the Japanese female band SCANDAL.
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
production company established in 1972 in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. The company also operates a record label under "Kitty" or "Kitty Records" (used interchangeably).
History
The company was first established in 1972 as Kitty Music Corporation under Hidenori Taga. It was a subsidiary of Polydor and Universal Music, producing TV drama soundtracks. Their first was for the 1972 film Hajimete no Tabi. By 1979 the company began to branch off into live action with the films Kagirinaku toumei ni chikai buru and The Rose of VersaillesThe Rose of Versailles
, also known as Lady Oscar or La Rose de Versailles, is one of the best-known titles in shōjo manga and a media franchise created by Riyoko Ikeda. It has been adapted into several Takarazuka Revue musicals, as well an anime television series, produced by Tokyo Movie Shinsha and broadcast by the...
(Kitty had no association with the 1979 anime version of the latter, which was made by Tokyo Movie Shinsha
Tokyo Movie Shinsha
, formerly known as , is a Japanese animation studio, founded on October 1946. One of the oldest and most prominent anime studios in Japan, it has also produced numerous animated series airing in other countries such as France, the United States, and Italy. The company currently uses "TMS...
). However, major success first came with their anime version of Rumiko Takahashi
Rumiko Takahashi
is a Japanese manga artist.Takahashi is one of the wealthiest individuals, and the most affluent manga artists in Japan. The manga she creates are popular worldwide, where they have been translated into a variety of languages...
's Urusei Yatsura
Urusei Yatsura
is a comedic manga series written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi that premiered in Weekly Shōnen Sunday in 1978 and ran until its conclusion in 1987. Its 374 individual chapters were collected and published in 34 tankōbon volumes. The series tells the story of Ataru Moroboshi, and the alien...
. Starting in 1981, it marked Kitty's entry into anime production. Over the next two decades, Kitty Films would become noteworthy in and outside Japan as the producer of most of the animated versions of Takahashi's manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
series, including Maison Ikkoku
Maison Ikkoku
is a Japanese seinen manga written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi and serialized in the manga magazine Big Comic Spirits from 1980 through 1987. Maison Ikkoku is a bitter-sweet comedic romance involving a group of madcap people who live in a boarding house in 1980s Tokyo...
and Ranma 1/2. Takahashi had in fact attended the same college as Shigekazu Ochiai, the planner of most of Kitty's anime productions.
Despite their fame as producer, the actual animation of Kitty's works was handled by several independent anime studios, some of which still exist today. Studio Pierrot
Studio Pierrot
is a Japanese animation/animation studio, founded in 1979 by former employees of Tatsunoko Production. Its headquarters is located in Mitaka, Tokyo.The company has a simple logo of the face of a clown...
did the animation for the first half of Urusei Yatsura, Studio Deen
Studio DEEN
is a Japanese company that produces anime. Three years after Sunrise was founded in 1972, Studio Deen was established by Sunrise's members in 1975. As a result of this, anime shows such as Cowboy Bebop that were produced by Sunrise may have had assistance from Studio Deen.-Produced anime:* Urusei...
animated the second half (except for several of the OVAs) and all of Maison Ikkoku and Ranma, while Madhouse
Madhouse (company)
is a Japanese animation studio, founded in 1972 by ex–Mushi Pro animators including Masao Maruyama, Osamu Dezaki, Rintaro, and Yoshiaki Kawajiri. It has created and helped to produce many well known shows, starting with TV anime series Ace o Nerae! in 1973, and including western favourites Ninja...
handled the final Urusei Yatsura movie, some of the later Urusei Yatsura OVAs, Legend of the Galactic Heroes
Legend of the Galactic Heroes
is a series of science fiction novels by Yoshiki Tanaka. An anime adaptation of the novels by Artland ran from 1988 to 2000 as well as a manga based on the novels, with art by Katsumi Michihara...
, and Yawara!
Unfortunately, the company had suffered financial troubles from early on, which started to come to a head towards the end of the Ranma TV series in 1992. Hidenori Taga had in fact helped finance Kitty's film division by spending money from
Embezzlement
Embezzlement is the act of dishonestly appropriating or secreting assets by one or more individuals to whom such assets have been entrusted....
their music branch, and that year was forced to step down due to an unknown scandal, while Shigekazu Ochiai transferred to Pao House Studios (he died in 1999). Kitty continued to produce less well-known shows such as Ping Pong Club (1995) and Shinkai Densetsu Meremanoid
Shinkai Densetsu Meremanoid
Meremanoid is a Japanese PlayStation video game, released in 1999 by Xing, and was partially based on a little known anime television series that aired in 1997 by Triangle Staff. It is a fantasy role-playing game where you take the role of a mermaid trying to find the secrets of her race.The game...
, but their output shrank to almost nothing by the end of the century. Rumiko Takahashi did not work with Kitty again after the last Ranma OVA was released in 1996; Sunrise
Sunrise (company)
is a Japanese animation studio and production enterprise. It is a subsidiary of Namco Bandai Holdings. Its former name was Nippon Sunrise, and prior to that, Sunrise Studios...
handled the animation duties on Inuyasha
InuYasha
, also known as , is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi. It premiered in Weekly Shōnen Sunday on November 13, 1996 and concluded on June 18, 2008...
, and TMS animated Rumiko Takahashi Theater.
, the company mainly exists as a talent agency, having sold off the rights of most of their anime hits. One of the artists under the company is the Japanese female band SCANDAL.
Properties
- The Adventures of T-RexThe Adventures of T-RexThe Adventures of T-Rex was a co-production between Japanese and American animated series that aired in syndication from 1992 to 1993 in North America...
(1992 U.S./Japan coproduction with DICDIC- Science :* Differential interference contrast microscopy, an illumination technique in optical microscopy* Diisopropylcarbodiimide, a reagent in organic chemistry* Digital Integrating Computer, a digital implementation of a Differential Analyzer...
; Hidenori Taga and Shigekazu Ochiai are credited as producers) - Ike! Inachū Takkyūbu
- Karuizawa Syndrome
- Kiteretsu DaihyakkaKiteretsu Daihyakkais a science fiction manga series by Fujiko Fujio which ran in the children's magazine Kodomo no Hikari from April 1974 through July 1977...
- Legend of the Galactic HeroesLegend of the Galactic Heroesis a series of science fiction novels by Yoshiki Tanaka. An anime adaptation of the novels by Artland ran from 1988 to 2000 as well as a manga based on the novels, with art by Katsumi Michihara...
- Maison IkkokuMaison Ikkokuis a Japanese seinen manga written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi and serialized in the manga magazine Big Comic Spirits from 1980 through 1987. Maison Ikkoku is a bitter-sweet comedic romance involving a group of madcap people who live in a boarding house in 1980s Tokyo...
- MiyukiMiyuki (manga)is a romantic comedy manga series by Mitsuru Adachi. It was published by Shogakukan from 1980 to 1984 in the biweekly manga magazine Shōnen Big Comic . The series was adapted into a movie, an anime television series, and a live-action television drama...
- Ranma ½Ranma ½is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi with an anime adaptation. The story revolves around a 16-year old boy named Ranma Saotome who was trained from early childhood in martial arts...
- Sakura DiariesSakura Diariesis a 12 episode OVA series based on the manga of the same name by renowned hentai manga artist U-Jin about romance, love triangles, and the struggle to get into a prestigious university.-Plot:...
- Sena Keiko Obake Movies series
- Sengoku Eiyū Densetsu Shinshaku: Sanada Jūyūshi the Animation
- Sohryuden: Legend of the Dragon KingsSohryuden: Legend of the Dragon Kingsis a set of novels based loosely on Chinese mythology.It was written by Yoshiki Tanaka in collaboration with Japanese illustrator Yoshitaka Amano and manga artist group Clamp . It is written with a humorous and satirical tone...
- Super Zugan
- Teki wa Kaizoku
- They Were 11
- Tobira wo Akete
- Tokyo Jusshōden
- Urusei YatsuraUrusei Yatsurais a comedic manga series written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi that premiered in Weekly Shōnen Sunday in 1978 and ran until its conclusion in 1987. Its 374 individual chapters were collected and published in 34 tankōbon volumes. The series tells the story of Ataru Moroboshi, and the alien...
- Yawara!
- Kishin Douji Zenki
External links
- Kitty Films (in Japanese)
- Five Ace (in Japanese, Kitty Film's distribution company)
- Acres, Harley. "The Rise and Fall of Kitty Films", March 3, 2007. Rumic World. Accessed 11 April 2007. (Main source for the "History" section.)