Ajia-do Animation Works Inc.

Native name	株式会社亜細亜堂
Romanized name	Kabushiki-gaisha Ajiadō
Company type	Kabushiki gaisha
Industry	Japanese animation
Founded	October 4, 1978
Founder	Tsutomu Shibayama, Osamu Kobayashi, Michishiro Yamada
Headquarters	Saitama, Saitama Prefecture, Japan
Key people	Masahiro Okamura (President)
Owner	Mitsubishi
Number of employees	80
Subsidiaries	Dap International, Inc. Japan Taps
Website	ajiado.co.jp

Ajia-do Animation Works Inc. ( Japanese: 株式会社亜細亜堂, Hepburn: Kabushiki-gaisha Ajiadō) is a Japanese animation studio established on October 4, 1978. It is noted for anime series including Spirit of Wonder, Absolute Boy, Izetta: The Last Witch, and several others, including the long-running NHK series Nintama Rantarō. Its name can be translated as "Hall of Asia."

History

The studio was founded in 1978 by the noted animators Tsutomu Shibayama, Osamu Kobayashi and Michishiro Yamada, former members of the animation studio A Production, under the corporate title Yugen-kaisha Ajiadō (有限会社亜細亜堂). ^{[1][ user-generated source]} The name Ajiadō is a penname used by Tsutomu Shibayama and Osamu Kobayashi.

In 1985, it formally became a kabushiki gaisha (business corporation). In 1987, it produced its first series, the OVA Twilight Q (トワイライトQ, Towairaito Q). It established the company Dap International Kabushiki-gaisha (ダップインターナショナル株式会社, Dappu Intānashonaru Kabushiki-gaisha) in 1990. ^[1]

At the same time, they established a joint venture company, Japan Taps (ジャパンタップス, Japan Tappusu), with the toy company Takara. They undertook the production of anime such as Miracle Girls and also engaged in subcontracting for other anime productions sponsored by the company ^[2] (later dissolved). In 1998, the studio established a digital animation division to produce its digital animation. ^{[1][ user-generated source]}

In 2005, the studio produced Zettai Shōnen, which was directed by Tomomi Mochizuki and premiered on NHK BS2. In 2007, it produced Emma – A Victorian Romance: Second Act, the second season of Emma – A Victorian Romance.

Works

Television series

• The Real Ghostbusters (1986) (Outsourced production work for DiC Entertainment)
• Miracle Girls (1993)
• Nintama Rantarō (1993–present)
• Wankorobe (1996–1997)
• Kaiketsu Zorori (2004–2005)
• Majime ni Fumajime Kaiketsu Zorori (2005–2007)
• Absolute Boy (2005)
• Kujibiki Unbalance (2006)
• Emma – A Victorian Romance: Second Act (2007)
• DD Fist of the North Star (2013–2015)
• Hokuto no Ken: Ichigo Aji (2015)
• Izetta: The Last Witch (2016)
• How Not to Summon a Demon Lord (2018)
• Ascendance of a Bookworm (2019–2022)
• Kakushigoto (2020)
• Motto! Majime ni Fumajime Kaiketsu Zorori (2020–2022)
• Kemono Jihen (2021)
• Revenger (2023)
• A Sign of Affection (2024)

Films

• Kakkun Cafe (September 22, 1984)
• Maison Ikkoku: Kanketsuhen (February 6, 1988) - Television film
• J League o 100-bai Tanoshiku Miru Hōhō!! (June 11, 1994)
• Eiga Nintama Rantarō (June 29, 1996)
• Donguri no Ie (1997)
• Majime ni Fumajime Kaiketsu Zorori: Nazo no Otakara Daisakusen (March 11, 2006)
• You Are Umasou (October 16, 2010)
• Gekijō-ban Anime Nintama Rantarō Ninjutsu Gakuen Zenin Shutsudō! no Dan (March 12, 2011)
• Magic Tree House (October 23, 2011)
• Kaiketsu Zorori Da-Da-Da-Daibouken! (December 22, 2012)
• Kaiketsu Zorori: Mamoru ze! Kyouryuu no Tamago (December 14, 2013)
• Kaiketsu Zorori: Uchū no Yūsha-tachi (September 12, 2015)
• Eiga Kaiketsu Zorori ZZ no Himitsu (November 22, 2017)
• Seven Days War (2019) ^[3]
• Kakushigoto (July 9, 2021) - Compilation film
• Gekijōban Nintama Rantaro Dokutake Ninjatai Saikyō no Gunshi (December 2024)

OVAs/ONAs

• Time Knot: Reflection (1987)
• Shiratori Reiko de Gozaimasu! (1990)
• Spirit of Wonder: Chaina-san no Yūutsu (1992)
• Yokohama Kaidashi Kikō (1998)
• Azumanga Web Daioh (2000)
• Spirit of Wonder (2001–2004)
• Yokohama Kaidashi Kikō: Quiet Country Cafe (2002–2003)
• Kujibiki Unbalance (2004–2005; production by Palm Studio)
• Genshiken (2006–2007)
• Ascendance of a Bookworm (2020) ^[4]

Noted staff

Directors

Screenwriters

References

External links

• Official site (in Japanese)
• Ajia-do Animation Works at Anime News Network's encyclopedia