Mushi Production


Mushi Production or Mushi Pro for short, is a Japanese animation studio headquartered in Fujimidai, Nerima, Tokyo, Japan. It previously had a headquarters elsewhere in Nerima.
The studio was headed by manga artist Osamu Tezuka. Tezuka started it as a rivalry with Toei Animation, his former employer, after Tezuka's contract with Toei expired in 1961. The studio pioneered TV animation in Japan, and was responsible for many successful anime television series, such as Astro Boy, Gokū no Daibōken, Princess Knight, Kimba the White Lion, Dororo and Ashita no Joe, as well as more adult-oriented feature films such as A Thousand and One Nights, Cleopatra and Belladonna of Sadness.
In addition to doing their anime productions, Mushi was best known for its overseas work on five traditionally animated TV projects from Arthur Rankin, Jr. and Jules Bass' Videocraft International in New York, New York, including the Christmas special Frosty the Snowman, with the production artwork being done by Paul Coker, Jr., along with the animation supervision by Yusaku "Steve" Nakagawa.
Morisawa argues that Tezuka "proposed an unrealistically suppressed production budget... in an attempt to outbid his competitors", a budget that contributed to the Studio's low profitability. Mushi, plagued by financial difficulties, declared bankruptcy in 1973 and its assets were divided. Tezuka had already left the company by then, having stepped down as acting director in 1968 and formed a new animation studio, Tezuka Productions. The company was later reestablished on November 26, 1977, and has continued to operate as "legacy company".

Productions

Original (1962–1973)

Films

  • Tales of a Street Corner - experimental film
  • Male - experimental film
  • Memory - experimental film
  • Mermaid - experimental film
  • Mighty Atom, the Brave in Space
  • Cigarettes and Ashes - experimental film
  • The Drop - experimental film
  • Jungle Emperor Leo Movie
  • Pictures at an Exhibition - experimental film
  • Genesis - experimental film

    Television series

  • Tetsuwan Atomu
  • Ginga Shōnen Tai
  • Wandā Surī
  • Janguru Taitei
  • Shin Janguru Taitei: Susume Reo!
  • Gokū no Daibōken
  • Ribon no Kishi
  • Banpaiya
  • Dororo
  • ''Wansa-kun''

    Television specials

  • Shin Takarajima
  • Son Goku ga hajimaru yo! kofudaio no maki - Pilot
  • Ribon no Kishi - Pilot
  • Flying Ben - Pilot
  • Dororo - Pilot
  • Gum Gum Punch - Pilot
  • Zero-Man - Pilot
  • Norman - Pilot
  • Space Journey: The First Dream of Wonder-kun
  • Astro Boy vs. the Giants
  • Till a City Beneath the Sea is Built
  • Blue Triton - Pilot

    Non-original (1968–present)

Television series

  • Wanpaku Tanteidan
  • Sabu to Ichi Torimono Hikae
  • Animal 1
  • Moomin
  • Ashita no Joe
  • Andersen Monogatari
  • Wandering Sun
  • Kunimatsu-sama no Otōridai
  • Vicky the Viking
  • Wonder Beat Scramble - co-produced with Magic Bus

    Films

  • Animerama
  • *A Thousand and One Nights
  • *Cleopatra - Next-to-first film to be given the self-applied "X" rating in the United States.
  • *Belladonna of Sadness
  • Yasashii Lion - short film
  • Adventures of the Polar Cubs
  • Ashita no Joe - compilation film of the 1970–1971 series
  • Yuki
  • Wata no Kunihoshi
  • Hi no Ame ga Furu
  • Ise-wan Taifu Monogatari
  • Ushiro no Shoumen Daare
  • Zō Ressha ga Yatte Kita
  • Senbon Matsubara: Kawa to Ikiru Shōnen-tachi - co-produced with Magic Bus
  • Tsuru ni Notte - Tomoko no Bōken - short film
  • Raiyantsūrii no Uta
  • Pipi Tobenai Hotaru
  • Maya no Isshou
  • Eikō e no Spur: Igaya Chiharu Monogatari
  • Ecchan no Sensou
  • Asu o Tsukutta Otoko - Tanabe Sakuro to Biwako Sosui
  • Nagasaki 1945: Angelus no Kane
  • Pattenrai!! ~ Minami no Shima no Mizu Monogatari
  • ''Hikawa Maru Monogatari''

    OVAs

  • Toki-iro Kaima
  • Blue Sonnet
  • Legend of the Galactic Heroes
  • Kuzuryuugawa to Shounen
  • Legend of the Galactic Heroes: A Hundred Billion Stars, A Hundred Billion Lights
  • Kaitou Gary no Nihonjin Kouryakuhou!
  • Kuma no Minakuro to Kouhei Jiisan
  • ''Kochira Tamago Outou Negaimasu''

    Commission work

  • Frosty the Snowman
  • The Mad, Mad, Mad Comedians
  • The Reluctant Dragon and Mr. Toad Show
  • Mad Mad Mad Monsters
  • ''Festival of Family Classics''