Topcraft
| Company type | Kabushiki gaisha |
|---|---|
| Industry | Animation |
| Founded | 1972 |
| Founder | Toru Hara |
| Defunct | 1985-06-15 |
| Fate | Bankruptcy and closure; assets acquired to form Studio Ghibli and Pacific Animation Corporation |
| Successor | Studio Ghibli, Pacific Animation Corporation |
| Headquarters | Tokyo , Japan |
Area served | Worldwide (notably Japan and United States) |
Key people | Toru Hara (founder and inaugural manager of successor Studio Ghibli) |
| Products | Animated films and TV series (e.g. Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, The Hobbit, The Return of the King) |
Topcraft Co., Ltd. (株式会社トップクラフト Kabushiki-gaisha Toppukurafuto, commonly referred to as "Top Craft") was an animation company based in Tokyo, established in 1972 by Toru Hara, a former producer at Toei Animation. The studio became widely recognized for its work on Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984), Hayao Miyazaki’s film adaptation of his own manga. Additionally, Topcraft was notable for its partnership with New York’s Rankin/Bass Productions on various hand-drawn animated specials and films, including The Hobbit (1977) and The Return of the King (1980).
History
Topcraft was launched on February 1, 1972, by former Toei personnel led by Toru Hara. The studio primarily functioned as the animation provider for Rankin/Bass’s traditionally animated projects. Its international acclaim was built through significant works like The Hobbit (1977), The Return of the King (1980), and The Last Unicorn (1982). A pivotal achievement in its portfolio was producing Hayao Miyazaki’s Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984).
Despite these accomplishments, financial difficulties forced Topcraft into bankruptcy and eventual closure on June 15, 1985, resulting in the company’s division. Subsequently, Hayao Miyazaki, Toshio Suzuki, and Isao Takahata acquired Topcraft’s assets with support from Tokuma Shoten to establish Studio Ghibli, where Toru Hara took on the role of the inaugural manager. Meanwhile, other animators from Topcraft formed Pacific Animation Corporation, led by Masaki Iizuka, which continued collaborating with Rankin/Bass on shows such as ThunderCats and Silverhawks. Pacific Animation Corporation was eventually purchased by The Walt Disney Company and became Walt Disney Animation Japan. Some former Topcraft artists like Tsuguyuki Kubo transitioned to studios including Studio Pierrot, contributing to series such as Naruto and Bleach. Toru Hara passed away on December 14, 2021, at the age of 85.
Productions
| Title | Year | In collaboration with |
|---|---|---|
| Barbapapa | 1974–1975 | K&S |
| Easter Fever | 1980 | Nelvana |
| The Wizard of Oz | 1982 | Toho and Wiz Corporation |
| Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind | 1984 | Tokuma Shoten Publishing and Hakuhodo |
| Adventures of the Little Koala | 1984–1985 | Hakuhodo |
| Button Nose | 1985–1986 | Sanrio |
Co-productions
| Title | Year | Primary studio |
|---|---|---|
| Onbu Obake | 1972–1973 | Eiken |
| Adventures of Korobokkle | 1973–1974 | |
| Jim Button | 1974–1975 | |
| Time Bokan | 1975–1976 | Tatsunoko |
| Paul's Miraculous Adventure | 1976–1977 | |
| Ippatsu Kanta-kun | 1977–1978 | |
| The Dragon That Wasn't (Or Was He?) | 1983 | Rob Houwer Film |
Joint Productions with Rankin/Bass
| Title | Year |
|---|---|
| Kid Power | 1972–1974 |
| ’Twas the Night Before Christmas | 1974 |
| The First Easter Rabbit | 1976 |
| Frosty's Winter Wonderland | |
| The Hobbit | 1977 |
| The Stingiest Man in Town | 1978 |
| The Return of the King | 1980 |
| The Flight of Dragons | 1982 |
| The Last Unicorn | |
| The Coneheads | 1983 |
Contributions to Various Productions
| Title | Year | Company | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| '\'\'The Jackson 5ive\'\ | '\'\'1971–1972\'\ | '\'\'Rankin/Bass and Halas & Batchelor\'\ | 'Topcraft collaborated as an animation partner.' |
| '\'\'The Osmonds\'\ | '\'\'1972–1973\'\ | 'Topcraft acted as an animation partner.' | |
| '\'\'Festival of Family Classics\'\ | '\'\'Rankin/Bass\'\ | 'Topcraft was the principal animation studio for episodes 4, 5, and 19.' | |
| '\'\'The ABC Saturday Superstar Movie\'\ | 'Topcraft served as the main animation studio for episodes 6, 14, and 17.' | ||
| '\'\'Mazinger Z\'\ | '\'\'1972–1974\'\ | 'Toei Animation Company, Ltd.' | 'Topcraft managed primary animation duties on several episodes.' |
| '\'\'Gatchaman\'\ | 'Tatsunoko Production' | 'Topcraft contributed in an animation partnership role.' | |
| '\'\'Maya the Bee\'\ | '\'\'1975–1976\'\ | 'Nippon Animation' | 'Topcraft participated as an animation collaborator.' |
| '\'\'Lupin III: Part II\'\ | '\'\'1977–1980\'\ | 'Tokyo Movie Shinsha' | 'Topcraft was the lead animation studio for selected episodes.' |
| '\'\'Doctor Snuggles\'\ | 'PolyScope Production' | 'Topcraft took charge of animation for episodes one through seven.' | |
| '\'\'Jarinko Chie\'\ | 'Tokyo Movie Shinsha' | 'Topcraft provided main animation services on multiple episodes.' | |
| '\'\'Kojika Monogatari\ | 'MGM/UA Television and MK Company' | 'Topcraft functioned as the primary animation studio for various episodes.' | |
| '\'\'Lensman\ | 'Madhouse and MK Company' | 'Topcraft contributed to both animation collaboration and photography.' | |
| 'Magical Fairy Persia' | 'Studio Pierrot' | 'Key animation work was performed by Topcraft.' | |
| 'Sherlock Hound' | 'Tokyo Movie Shinsha' | 'Topcraft led animation efforts on episode 24.' | |
| 'Galactic Patrol Lensman' | 'Madhouse and Academy Productions' | 'Topcraft assisted with animation collaboration.' | |
| 'Star Musketeer Bismarck' | 'Studio Pierrot' | 'Topcraft served as the main animation studio for certain episodes.' | |
| "Sangokushi" | "Shin-Ei Animation" | "Topcraft participated in production collaboration." | |
| "ThunderCats" | "Rankin/Bass and Leisure Concepts" | "Topcraft was the principal animation studio for the first season." | |
| "The Smurfs" | "Hanna-Barbera Productions and SEPP International S.A." | "Topcraft handled Japanese dubbing during season one." |
External links
- Topcraft profile on IMDb
- Database of co-productions