Star Wars Anime Studio Purchased By Creator Of Godzilla
Entertainment company TOHO recently announced that its board of directors has decided to buy all the shares of the anime studio Science SARU, one of the studios involved with Star Wars: Visions. After the acquisition goes into effect on June 19, TOHO will make Science SARU its consolidated subsidiary from the second quarter (June to August) of the fiscal year ending in February 2025.
With this acquisition, TOHO aims to enhance its ability to produce high-quality anime and speed up the growth of its business. In 2022, TOHO acquired a controlling stake in the TIA (TOHO Interactive Animation) studio and renamed it TOHO Animation Studio.
Science SARU Anime Studio
Japanese anime studio Science SARU was founded in 2013 by Masaaki Yuasa and Eunyoung Choi. The studio is known for its innovative and unique animation style, often combining traditional hand-drawn techniques with digital animation. Science SARU has gained acclaim for its creative storytelling, distinctive visual aesthetics, and willingness to push the boundaries of conventional animation.
Lu Over The Wall, Ping Pong, And Devilman Crybaby
The anime studio produced Yuasa’s 2017 film Lu Over the Wall, which won the Animation Grand Prize at the Japan Media Arts Festival Awards and the top Cristal for a Feature Film Award at the Annecy International Film Festival. Yuasa stepped down as the anime studio’s president on March 25, 2020, and Choi has been its head since then.
Other notable works from Science SARU’s anime studio include 2014’s Ping Pong. As one of the studio’s earliest projects, the series is based on Taiyo Matsumoto’s manga and directed by Masaaki Yuasa. Another popular show is 2018’s Devilman Crybaby. The Netflix original series re-imagines Go Nagai’s classic manga and brought international attention to Science SARU.
Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken And Japan Sinks: 2020
Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken! was adapted from Sumito Owara’s manga. The Science SARU anime studio series follows three high school girls as they create their own anime. Another popular Netflix collaboration is Japan Sinks: 2020. The series adapts Sakyo Komatsu’s disaster novel into a modern setting. The show was praised for its depiction of a catastrophe and its human-focused storytelling.
Star Wars: Visions
The Science SARU anime studio also worked on two Star Wars: Visions shorts. Season 1, Episode 6, “T0-B1,” tells a whimsical, heartfelt story about a droid named T0-B1 who dreams of becoming a Jedi. Directed by Abel Gongora, it features a bright, colorful animation style reminiscent of classic animation. The story pays homage to the Star Wars saga and Astro Boy, a beloved icon of Japanese pop culture.
Season 1, Episode 9, “Akakiri,” is a darker and more serious tale directed by Eunyoung Choi. It follows a Jedi named Tsubaki, who is haunted by visions of his past and struggles with his destiny. The episode’s animation style is more minimalist and uses a subdued color palette, emphasizing the somber tone of the narrative.
Game-Changing Animation
Science SARU’s work on Star Wars: Visions has been praised for its creativity and unique approach to the Star Wars mythos. Both episodes demonstrate the anime studio’s ability to adapt their distinct animation style to different genres and storytelling methods, contributing to the diverse and rich tapestry of the faraway galaxy.
Source: Anime News Network
