Sav! The World Productions
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Animation |
| Founded | 1998 |
| Founder | Savin Yeatman-Eiffel |
| Headquarters | France |
| Products | Ōban Star-Racers (2006 TV series), Ōban Star-Racers (2023 Blu-ray release) |
Sav! The World Productions is a French animation studio established in 1998 by writer and director Savin Yeatman-Eiffel.
Oban Star-Racers
The studio's most renowned work is the acclaimed series Ōban Star-Racers (26 episodes), which was created and produced by Savin Yeatman-Eiffel and co-directed alongside art director Thomas Romain. This project was a co-production with Bandai Visual and Jetix Europe, and it was broadcast in more than 100 countries. Prominent broadcasters included ABC Family and Toon Disney in the United States, NHK BS1 and Disney Channel in Japan, France 3 in France, ZDF and Super RTL in Germany, GMTV in the United Kingdom, and RAI2 in Italy. The series earned nominations at the Bafta Awards and secured an Anime Land Award along with the Grand Entertainment Prize at Polymanga. The soundtrack featured compositions by Taku Iwasaki, while theme songs were contributed by Yoko Kanno. Its distinctive visuals, narrative, and thematic depth have cultivated a dedicated fanbase.
OSR Blu-ray release
In 2023, STW celebrated the 15th anniversary of Ōban Star-Racers with a Blu-ray edition, funded by over 4,000 supporters via Kickstarter. This release involved meticulous restoration of the original HD masters and reacquisition of 11 original language dubs. Included is a remastered one-hour documentary on the making of the series, directed by Alex Pilot, along with more than 90 minutes of new featurettes also helmed by Pilot.
New OSR developments
Since 2017, Savin Yeatman-Eiffel and Thomas Romain have been actively working on a potential follow-up to Ōban Star-Racers. Insights into this ongoing development are presented in the "Imagining the Future of Oban" segment included on the Blu-ray. In 2023, Yeatman-Eiffel affirmed that progress continues, motivated by the Blu-ray’s positive reception and fan enthusiasm.
Exhibition "Eiffel, Toujours plus haut"
To commemorate the 100th anniversary of Gustave Eiffel’s passing in 2023, STW produced the exhibition "Eiffel, Toujours plus haut" (Eiffel, higher and higher). This exhibition was curated by STW’s founder Savin Yeatman-Eiffel, who is also Gustave Eiffel's great-great-great-grandson. The visual design was crafted by STW artists under art director Yukiko Yeatman-Eiffel. The exhibition debuted on July 11 on the esplanade of the Eiffel Tower in Paris and will remain open until the end of 2023. STW plans to extend this exhibition to additional venues.
Other works
STW is engaged in two major ongoing projects: a historical epic titled The 2 Queens, directed by animation veteran Toshiyuki Inoue (known for works such as Akira (1988 film), Blood: The Last Vampire, Paprika (2006 film), and Giovanni's Island); and a live-action adaptation of Gen Urobuchi’s cult visual novel Saya no Uta.
Additionally, STW produces television commercials and short films while occasionally offering artistic development services for external companies like Japanese studio Sunrise, notably on projects such as Zone of the Enders.
Products
- Ōban Star-Racers (2006 TV series)
- Ōban Star-Racers (2023 Blu-ray release)