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Inside AnimeJapan 2019: Anime Studio Edition
posted on by Kim Morrissy
This is part 3 of our coverage of AnimeJapan 2019. Check out part 1 and part 2.
AnimeJapan is filled with booths owned by vendors and distributors in the anime business. Most anime studios are small companies that can't really afford to make a big splash at consumer events like this, but some of them do get in on the action too. Here are the ones I managed to spot over the weekend.
Pierrot
The studio famous for its long-running Weekly Shonen Jump adaptations brought out the same display they've been bringing out at Jump Festa for the past few years: a timeline of the studio's history since the 80s. (Pierrot was founded in 1979.) Watching the OP sequences from their past titles is sure to bring out the nostalgia in any fan.
The booth was also showing off a large poster for the upcoming Sega collaboration cafe featuring characters from Pierrot anime.
The Satelight booth was promoting the upcoming Shōji Kawamori Expo. Kawamori has worked closely with Satelight on numerous anime projects, including Aquarion and the later installments of the Macross franchise.
Satelight was also promoting the upcoming Macross Delta film and the ongoing Girly Air Force series. The latter had framed key animation on the walls and books you could flip through.
Shogakukan Music & Digital Entertainment (SMDE)
The CG animation company, which is best known in the anime world for producing the 3D parts of Hi Score Girl, Shinkansen Henkei Robo Shinkalion the Animation, and Duel Masters, had one of the more interesting booths at AnimeJapan. You could play around with the 3D models of Duel Masters creatures on a tablet.
There was also a neat bit explaining how the 3D models in Shinkalion work and what they look like.
Arguably, the coolest part of the booth was the water-projection mapping at the Sylvanian Families area. SMDE works on the CG production of the 2017-2018 Sylvanian Families animated series, which are based on a line of toys and cartoons aimed at children. (Side note: I always thought Sylvanian Families was a British IP because there was a popular British stop-motion show in the 80s, but the franchise was actually created in Japan in 1985. The CG Sylvanian Families series is 100% anime, and you can't argue with me on that.)
Shaft
The Shaft booth had some key animation frames from Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story and Monogatari, plus some breathtaking Fate/Extra Last Encore illustrations by Mieko Hosoi.
Toei Animation was the biggest anime studio booth at AnimeJapan. There were always cosplayers livening up the area, like Luffy, Kitaro, and this adorable Gabumon.
This year, Toei Animation was celebrating the history of its long-lived franchises. All the posters for the Digimon series over the years were lined up on one wall, and there was also a timeline for the release of all the One Piece anime over the past 20 years.
The recent Dragon Ball Super: Broly movie was still very much at the front and center of Toei Animation's marketing. A map shows off everywhere in the world where the movie got a theatrical release.
However, the biggest news revealed at Toei Animation's booth was a magical girl film by the team of Ojamajo Doremi. Although the poster doesn't state that the film is an Ojamajo Doremi film specifically, it was located right next to an Ojamajo Doremi photo spot. The TV anime series is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.
I couldn't get close to the ufotable booth because it was swarmed with people all day. The studio was selling merchandise for the Heaven's Feel movies, which were selling out like hotcakes.
Bones
The Bones booth showed off both the 10th anniversary and 20th anniversary key visuals out the front.
Inside, it was mainly a key animation exhibit for My Hero Academia, Mob Psycho 100 II, and the upcoming Carole & Tuesday. Here, you can get a sneak peak at what some of the animation will look like when the anime finally debuts in April.
Although there was plenty more to see and do at AnimeJapan, including a family area and a cosplay area, this wraps up our 2019 coverage of the show floor. See you again next year!
