Orange (animation studio)

Orange Co., Ltd. (Japanese: 有限会社オレンジ, Hepburn: Yūgen-gaisha Orenji) is a Japanese animation studio based in Musashino, Tokyo that specializes in the production of 3DCG animation.[1] The studio is known for its exaggerated 3D and directing style, which differs from the traditional movement often found in CG works.[2]

Orange
Native name
有限会社オレンジ
Yūgen-gaisha Orenji
Company typeYūgen-gaisha
IndustryJapanese animation
FoundedMay 1, 2004; 20 years ago (May 1, 2004)
FounderEiji Inomoto
HeadquartersMusashino, Tokyo, Japan
Number of employees
175 (as of January 2024)
Websitewww.orange-cg.com

Establishment

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Eiji Inomoto, a CG animator who had become somewhat well known for his work on Zoids: Chaotic Century and Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (as one of the main Tachikoma 3D Unit members), founded Orange on May 1, 2004.[3] For a majority of the studio's early history, the company mainly did outsourced 3D work for other studio's productions, like the original anime Heroic Age in 2007 (for Xebec) and the adaptation of Rail Wars! (for Passione) in 2014. It wasn't until 2013, 9 years after its founding, that Orange was involved a major project's production on a significant level: their co-production of Majestic Prince with studio Doga Kobo. Following Majestic Prince, the company began co-producing a number of works, like Black Bullet with Kinema Citrus, and in 2017, the studio produced its first anime not under a co-production. This was an adaptation of Land of the Lustrous, which was met with positive critical reception, with praise being given for its usage of CG animation.[4][5]

Works

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The list below is a list of Orange's works as a lead animation studio.

Anime television series

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Title Network Director(s) First run start date First run end date Eps Note(s) Ref(s)
Majestic Prince Tokyo MX Keitaro Motonaga April 4, 2013 September 19, 2013 24 Based on the manga by Rando Ayamine.
Co-production with Doga Kobo.
[6]
Black Bullet AT-X Masayuki Kojima April 8, 2014 July 1, 2014 13 Based on a light novel by Shiden Kanzaki and Saki Ukai.
Co-production with Kinema Citrus.
[7]
Active Raid Tokyo MX Gorō Taniguchi
Noriaki Akitaya
January 7, 2016 September 27, 2016 24 Original work.
3DCG animation services for Production IMS.
[8]
Norn9 AT-X Takao Abo January 7, 2016 March 31, 2016 12 Based on an otome game by Otomate.
Co-production with Kinema Citrus.
[9]
Dimension W Tokyo MX Kanta Kamei January 10, 2016 March 27, 2016 12 Based on the manga by Yūji Iwahara.
Co-production with 3Hz.
[10]
Land of the Lustrous AT-X Takahiko Kyōgoku October 7, 2017 December 23, 2017 12 Based on the manga by Haruko Ichikawa. [11]
Beastars Fuji TV, Netflix Shin'ichi Matsumi October 10, 2019 December 26, 2019 12 Based on the manga by Paru Itagaki. [12]
Beastars Season 2 Fuji TV, Netflix January 7, 2021 March 25, 2021 12 Sequel to Beastars. [13]
Godzilla Singular Point Tokyo MX, Netflix Atsushi Takahashi April 1, 2021 June 24, 2021 13 Original work in the Godzilla franchise.
Co-production with Bones.
[14]
Trigun Stampede TV Tokyo Kenji Mutō January 7, 2023 March 25, 2023 12 Based on the manga by Yasuhiro Nightow. [15]
Beastars Final Season Fuji TV, Netflix Shin'ichi Matsumi 2024 TBA TBA Sequel to Beastars Season 2. [16]
Leviathan Netflix Christophe Ferreira 2025 TBA TBA Based on the novel trilogy by Scott Westerfeld.
Co-production with Qubic Pictures.
[17]
Trigun Stargaze TBA Kenji Mutō TBA TBA TBA Sequel to Trigun Stampede. [18]

OVAs, ONAs, and television specials

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Title Director Release date Note(s) Ref(s)
Star Fox Zero: The Battle Begins Kyoji Asano April 20, 2016 3DCG animation services for Wit Studio. [19]
Under the Dog Masahiro Andō August 1, 2016 Co-production with Kinema Citrus. [20]
Dimension W Kanta Kamei August 26, 2016 Unaired episode bundled with the anime 6th Blu-ray release.
Co-production with 3Hz.
[21]
Majestic Prince: Wings to the Future Keitaro Motonaga September 29, 2016 Television movie lead-in to a feature film Majestic Prince: Genetic Awakening series' ending.
Co-production with Seven Arcs Pictures.
The Idolmaster Cinderella Girls Spin-off! Naoki Yoshibe November 10, 2019 Part of The Idolmaster media franchise. [22]

Films

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Title Director Release date Note(s) Ref(s)
Neppu Kairiku Bushi Road Masayuki Sakoi December 31, 2013 Based on a media franchise created by Sunao Yoshida.
Co-production with Kinema Citrus.
[23]
Majestic Prince: Genetic Awakening Keitaro Motonoga November 4, 2016 Film sequel to Majestic Prince: Wings to the Future.
Co-production with Seven Arcs Pictures.
[24]
Monster Strike the Movie: Sora no Kanata Hiroshi Nishikiori October 5, 2018 Part of the Monster Strike media franchise. [25]
Gekijōban Idolish7 Live 4bit Beyond the Period Hiroshi Nishikiori
Kensuke Yamamoto
May 20, 2023 Part of the Idolish7 media franchise. [26]

References

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  1. ^ "スペシャルインタビュー" (in Japanese). CGWORLD.jp. Retrieved June 12, 2018.
  2. ^ "Why 3DCG" (in Japanese). AREAJAPAN. 14 September 2017. Retrieved June 12, 2018.
  3. ^ May, Callum a.k.a. The Canipa Effect (January 9, 2018). "Breaking Down Houseki no Kuni's Incredible Animation - Anime Studio Spotlight". YouTube. Retrieved June 12, 2018.
  4. ^ Gallant, Tristan a.k.a. Glass Reflection (May 26, 2018). "Land of the Lustrous: CG Anime Done Right - GR Anime Review". YouTube. Retrieved June 12, 2018.
  5. ^ Anigami (December 6, 2017). "Land of the Lustrous Review - The Anime That (Literally) Left me in Pieces". YouTube. Retrieved June 12, 2018.
  6. ^ "Majestic Prince Space Robot Manga Has Anime in the Works". Anime News Network. September 25, 2012. Retrieved June 12, 2018.
  7. ^ "STAFF&CAST". Black Bullet (Official Site) (in Japanese). Retrieved January 5, 2019.
  8. ^ "Code Geass Director Taniguchi's Active Raid Anime Posts Visual". Anime News Network. Retrieved June 12, 2018.
  9. ^ "Staff/Cast". Norn9 (Official Anime Site) (in Japanese). Retrieved January 5, 2019.
  10. ^ "Dimension W Anime Announcement Video Reveals Staff, TV Format". Anime News Network. Retrieved June 12, 2018.
  11. ^ "Land of the Lustrous Anime Promo Video Reveals Cast, October 7 Debut". Anime News Network. Retrieved June 12, 2018.
  12. ^ "BEASTARS Anime's 1st Promo Video Streamed". Anime News Network. February 6, 2019. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
  13. ^ "Beastars Anime Season 2 Premieres in January 2021". Anime News Network. August 5, 2020. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  14. ^ "Godzilla Anime Series Heads to Netflix From Bones, Orange". Anime News Network. October 6, 2020. Retrieved October 6, 2020.
  15. ^ "Trigun Stampede Anime's 2nd Trailer Reveals More Cast, Staff, January 2023 Debut". Anime News Network. October 14, 2022. Retrieved October 14, 2022.
  16. ^ "BEASTARS Final Season Anime to Release in 2024". Crunchyroll. September 7, 2022. Retrieved September 7, 2022.
  17. ^ "Scott Westerfeld's Leviathan Alternate-History Novels Get Anime Series by Orange in 2025". Anime News Network. June 6, 2024. Retrieved June 6, 2024.
  18. ^ "TRIGUN STAMPEDE "Final Phase" Revealed as TRIGUN STARGAZE". www.crunchyroll.com. Retrieved 2024-07-05.
  19. ^ "Star Fox Zero – The Battle Begins". YouTube. April 20, 2016. Retrieved April 20, 2016.
  20. ^ Chapman, Paul (April 8, 2018). ""Under the Dog" Gets Limited Theatrical Release in Japan". Crunchyroll. Retrieved 13 June 2018.
  21. ^ "Dimension W Anime's 6th Blu-ray to Include Unaired OVA Episode". Anime News Network. March 28, 2016. Retrieved June 12, 2018.
  22. ^ Egan Loo (November 10, 2019). "The IDOLM@STER Cinderella Girls Gets 'Spin-off!' Anime Promo Short". Anime News Network. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
  23. ^ "Staff". Bushiroad Anime (Official Site) (in Japanese). Retrieved January 5, 2019.
  24. ^ "STAFF•CAST/MOVIE". Majestic Prince Anime (Official Site) (in Japanese). Retrieved January 5, 2019.
  25. ^ "Anime Movie - Monster Strike" (in Japanese). Retrieved June 13, 2018.
  26. ^ "IDOLiSH 7 Franchise Gets Theatrical Anime Concert on May 20". Anime News Network. January 6, 2023. Retrieved January 6, 2023.


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