Creator / Magic Bus Animation Studio

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Magic Bus is a Japanese animation studio established in 1978 by Satoshi Dezaki. The studio is perhaps best known for its Bloodier and Gorier efforts in the late 1980s OVA market. They also operated a satellite studio in Niigata.

More credits can be found on Anime News Network.

Not to be confused with the trope Magic Bus.

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The Anime Magic Bus Produced:

• Beast Fighter The Apocalypse
• Big Wars
• Burn Up! Excess (With AIC)
• Carol
• Cinderella Boy
• Cipher
• Cobra the Animation
  • Cobra the Animation: The Psychogun
  • Cobra the Animation: Time Drive
• Crazy Over His Fingers
• Damekko Doubutsu
• Demon Lord Dante
• Even A Dad Still Wants It...
• Fujiko F Fujio No SF Tanpen Theater (with Studio Gallop)
• Grey: Digital Target
• Happy Birthday: Inochi Kagayaku Toki
• Hayou No Ken Shikkoku No Mashou
• Hurdle
• Kasei Yakyoku
• Kizuoibito, a.k.a. Wounded Man
• Knight Hunters (First season only^note with episodes 18 and 24 co-animated by Plum; Verbrechen & Strafe handled by Triangle Staff and the second season, Glühen was handled by ufotable, all distributed internationally by TMS Entertainment.)
• Legend of the Galactic Heroes (also did retakes)
  • Legend Of The Galactic Heroes Golden Wings
  • Legend Of The Galactic Heroes Overture To A New War
  • Legend Of The Galactic Heroes Gaiden A Hundred Billion Stars A Hundred Billion Lights (with Artland, Studio Shaft and Mushi Productions)
  • Legend Of The Galactic Heroes Gaiden Spiral Labyrint (with Artland)
• Lovely★Complex (With Toei Animation and Mushi Productions)
• Mad Bull 34
• Momoko, Kaeru no Uta ga Kikoeru yo. (a.k.a. My Sister Momoko)
• Ninja Senshi Tobikage (With Studio Pierrot, also animated the show's opening/ending themes)
• Play Ball
• A Predator In A Skirt
• Patalliro Saiyuki!
• Riki-Oh (the OVAs)
• Shinshuu Sudamahen
• Sweet Punishment Im The Guards Personal Pet
• They Were Eleven
• Tobira O Akete
• Tracing The Gray Summer
• Umi no Yami, Tsuki no Kage (with Visual 80)
• Wonder Beat Scramble (With Mushi)
• XL Boss

Sub-contracted work:

Anime

• 3×3 Eyes: Legend of the Divine Demon (In-Between Animation)
• A Channel (2nd Key Animation)
• Agent Aika (In-Between Animation)
• Ah! My Goddess (First OVA series; Animation Assistance)
• Ai Yori Aoshi (Production Cooperation, eight episodes total)^List"Separation", "The Way of the House", "One Night", "Kiss", "Feelings", "Sharing a Bed", "Aoi" (First series), "Phantom" (Enshi)
• Aishiteruze Baby (Key Animation; Animation Production Cooperation)
• AKIRA (Animation Cooperation)
• Alien Nine (In-Between Assistance)
• And Yet the Town Moves (Animation Assistance; Production Assistance for two episodes)^List"The Cat Boy", "Pandora Maid Service"
• Armored Trooper VOTOMS (Key & In-Between Animation; Opening and Ending Animations)
• Astro Boy (In-Between Animation for the 1980 series, Key & Finish Animation and Production Support for 2003 series)^List"Reviving Jumbo", "Geo Raider", "Dawn of the Techno-Revolution" (with Tama Productions and others), "Atlas Strikes Back"
• Arakawa Under the Bridge × Bridge (Key Animation; Production Assistance for episode 8)
• Bastard!! (1988) (In-Between Animation)
• Batman vs. Robin (Animation Cooperation, uncredited)
• Battle Athletes (Production Cooperation)
• Beelzebub (In-Between Animation)
• Big Windup! (Production Cooperation, one episode)^List"Bit by Bit/Step by step"
• Black Clover (Production Cooperation)
• Bleach (Animation; Production Assistance, five episodes)^List"Renji Surprised?! The Two Zabimarus", "Stray Snake, Tortured Monkey", "Connected Hearts! The Left Fist Prepared for Death!", "One Hit Kill, Soi Fon, Bankai!", "Chain of Sacrifice...Halibel's Past"
• Blood: The Last Vampire (In-Between Animation)
  • Blood+ (In-Between Animation)
• Bodacious Space Pirates (Finish & In-Between Animation; Production Assistance for two episodes)^List"A Surprising Client", "Pirate Hunting"
• Boogiepop Phantom (Animation; Key & In-Between Animation)
• The Brave of Gold Goldran (Animation)
• Broken Blade (In-Between Animation)
• Btooom! (Key, Finish & In-Between Animation; Animation Production Assistance for three episodes)^List"The Bloodstained High School Girl", "Night of Sacrifice", "High Level"
• Campione! (In-Between Animation)
• Case Closed: A Challenge from Agasa (In-Between Animation; Digital Paint; Animation Cooperation)
• [C] – Control (2nd Key, Finish & In-Between Animation)
• Celestial Method (Line Test; Production Cooperation, five episodes)^List"Where Memories Live", "A Fragment of Emotions", "True Friends", "What She Believes", "Where Wishes Go"
• Chihayafuru (Key & 2nd Key Animation; Production Assistance for both series, seven episodes total)^List"But for Autumn's Coming", "For You, I head Out", "World Offers No Escape", "The Night is Nearly Past" (first series). "Feel Love Deepen", "My Only Thought", "No Matter Where I Stand" (second series)
• Chousoku Henkei Gyrozetter (In-Between Animation; Production Assistance for seven episodes)^List"The Stolen Gyro Commander", "Nice To Meet You, Dolphine!", "Birth of the Comedy Hero!", "Soar! Triple Twist Jump!", "Guiltice's Challenge", "A Heart-Pounding Rainy Drive", "Opening! Arcadia GP!"
• City Hunter (In-Between Animation; Production Cooperation)
  • City Hunter: .357 Magnum (Animation)
  • Angel Heart (In-Between Animation; Digital Paint; Production Cooperation for three episodes)^List"My sister...Kaori", "Pure Heart", "Get My Life"
• Code:Breaker (Production Assistance, one episode)^List"The King and His Troops, Children and Homes"
• Coyote Ragtime Show (In-Between Animation)
• Cross Ange (Photography Assistance)
• Dagashi Kashi (2nd Key Animation for the season 2 opening)
• Dance in the Vampire Bund (Production Assistance, one episode)^List"Underworld"
• Dancougar (Key Animation)
  • Dancougar: Requiem for Victims (Key Animation)
  • God Bless Dancougar (Key Animation; Animation Assistance)
• Deadman Wonderland (Key & 2nd Key Animation)
• Demon King Daimao (Key & 2nd Key Animation; Production Assistance, two episodes)^List"Akuto's Imperial Capital War", "All Done?"
• Diamond no Ace (In-Between Animation; Paint; Production Assistance for eleven episodes)^note "Not Qualified to Be a Pitcher?", "Head to Head", "Target"
• Doraemon (In-Between Animation, 2005 series)
• Dragon Ball Z (Production Cooperation for Movie 12)
• Durarara!! (In-Between Animation)
• Eden of the East (2nd Key, Finish & In-Between Animation; Production Assistance for two episodes)^List"Real Reality, Fictional Reality", "Search for a Fore-Lost Journey"
• El-Hazard: The Magnificent World (Co-Production)
• Fang of the Sun Dougram (Opening Animation)
• The Five Star Stories (Animation Cooperation)
• Fractale (2nd Key Animation)
• Future GPX Cyber Formula (In-Between Animation, Zero and Saga, also provided Key Animation, Paint, Paint Check and Production Cooperation for the former)
• Ga-Rei -Zero- (2nd Key Animation)
• Galilei Donna (Production Cooperation, one episode)^List"Salt Fish"
• Gall Force: The Revolution (In-Between Animation)
• Glass Mask (Production Cooperation)
• GoShogun: The Time Étranger (Production Assistance)
• Golgo 13: The Professional (Animation Assistance)
• Guilty Crown (2nd Key & In-Between Animation)
• GunBuster (Finish & In-Between Animation)
• Gundam
  • Gundam 00: A Wakening of the Trailblazer (In-Between Animation)
  • Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team (In-Between Animation)
  • Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory (In-Between Animation)
  • Mobile Suit Gundam AGE (In-Between Animation)
  • Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn (In-Between Animation)
• Halo Legends (In-Between Animation, "The Babysitter")
• Hamtaro (Animation Cooperation)
• Hard Corps: Uprising (Animation Support for Studio 4°C)
• HaruChika (Finish Animation; Production Cooperation, three episodes)^List"Exit Game", "Elephant's Breath", "The Jabberwock's License"
• Hi-Drivers! (In-Between Animation)
• Horizon in the Middle of Nowhere (2nd Key & In-Between Animation)
• Idol Defense Force Hummingbird (In-Between Animation)
• Initial D (In-Between Animation and Production Coordination, Extra Stage)
• Kikaider (Key Animation)
• LBX: Little Battlers eXperience (Finish & In-Between Animation; Production Assistance for eleven episodes)
• Lensman (Animation Cooperation, series and movie)
• Love Hina Again (In-Between Animation)
• Lupin III:
  • The Mystery of Mamo (Animation)
  • Lupin III: The Italian Adventure (Animation Assistance; Production Cooperation, two episodes)^List"Lovestruck Pig", "To Hear You Sing Again"
• Macross: Do You Remember Love? (In-Between Animation)
• Magical Idol Pastel Yumi (Opening & Ending animations)
• Mahoromatic (In-Between Animation)
• Magi: Labyrinth of Magic (Production Assistance, one episode)^List"A New Visitor"
• Magic User's Club (Coloring; Final Line; Production Cooperation, first three episodes)^List"I'll Follow You", "We Leave A Magic Club", "Magic is so Easy, Isn't It?"
• Maison Ikkoku (Production Cooperation)
• Maria†Holic (Production Cooperation, one episode)^List"The Tainted Holy Mother・Part 1"
• Mao-chan (In-Between Animation)
• MegaMan NT Warrior (In-Between Animation)
• Moldiver (In-Between Animation)
• Mushishi (In-Between Animation)
• My Mental Choices Are Completely Interfering with My School Romantic Comedy (Production Cooperation for episode 2)
• Naruto (In-Between Animation)
• Negima! Magister Negi Magi Anime Final (2nd Key Animation; Animation Assistance)
• New Dominion Tank Police (Paint Cooperation)
• Night Raid 1931 (2nd Key Animation)
• Nodame Cantabile: Finale (2nd Key & In-Between Animation; Digital paint)
• Occult Academy (In-Between Animation; Digital Paint)
• One Piece (Production Cooperation)
• Osomatsu-san (Production Cooperation)
• Ouran High School Host Club (In-Between Animation; Production Assistance, one episode)^List"Honey-senpai's Three Unsweet Days"
• Panzer World Galient (In-Between Animation, OVA)
• Persona 4: The Animation (In-Between Animation)
• Photo Kano (Production Assistance, one episode)^List"A Star's Smile"
• Photon (Co-Production, episode 3)
• Pokémon
  • Pokémon: Kyurem vs. The Sword of Justice (In-Between Animation)
  • Pokémon: Lucario and the Mystery of Mew (Animation Assistance)
  • Pokémon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea (Animation Assistance)
  • Pokémon: The Rise of Darkrai (In-Between Animation Assistance)
  • Poketoon: Chase the Beans (Animation Assistance)
• The Prince of Tennis II (Finish Animation)
• Puella Magi Madoka Magica (2nd Key Animation)
• Pururun! Shizuku-chan (Production Assistance for ten episodes)
• RahXephon (In-Between Animation)
• Reborn! (2004) (Clean-Up Animation)
• Rebuild of Evangelion (In-Between Animation, You Can (Not) Redo)
• RIN-NE (Digital Paint and Production Cooperation for season 2, uncredited)
• Robot Carnival (Production Cooperation)
• Robotics;Notes (2nd Key Animation)
• R.O.D the TV (Finish Animation)
• Ronin Warriors (In-Between Animation)
• The Rose of Versailles (Animation)
• Rurouni Kenshin (Final Line)
• School Rumble (In-Between Animation; Paint and Production Cooperation, four episodes total)^List"Blazing First Love!/Blazing Tea Party!/Blazing Soft Ball!" (first season), "When I Turned Around, There He Was/In Karasuma’s Name/All Mysteries Revealed!", "More Than Friends… Less Than Lovers… Up Until Then.", "It’s So Romantic, Harima! Get Published in Zinegama, Harima! Come On, Harima!" (Second Semester)
• Sakura Wars 4: Fall in Love, Maidens (In-Between Animation; anime sequences)
• Senran Kagura (Line Test; Digital Paint; Production Cooperation, three episodes)^List"Seaside Training - Shinobi Island", "Shinobi Class Memories", "Yin and Yang"
• Shaman King (In-Between Animation)
• Silver Spoon (2nd Key & In-Between Animation; Paint; Production Assistance, one episode)^List"Hachiken Meets Pork-Bowl"
• Sol Bianca: The Legacy (In-Between Animation)
• Space Pirate Mito (Production Cooperation)
• Starship Troopers (In-Between Animation)
• Strike Witches (2nd Key, Finish & In-Between Animation, second season)
• Super Dimension Century Orguss (Opening Animation)
  • Orguss 02 (In-Between Animation for episode 3)
• Space Battleship Yamato 2199 (2nd Key Animation; Animation Production Cooperation)
• Tales of Symphonia (Animation Support)
• Tantei Opera Milky Holmes (2nd Key Animation; Production Assistance)
• Tenchi Muyo!
  • Tenchi Muyo! GXP (In-Between Animation)
  • Tenchi in Love (Key & In-Between Animation; Paint)
  • Tenchi Forever (Key Animation Cooperation; Paint Cooperation)
  • Tenchi Muyo: War on Geminar (2nd Key Animation)
  • Tenchi Universe (In-Between Animation; Animation Co-Production, three episodes)^List"No Need for Monsters!", "Time and Space Adventures: Part 1", "No Need for Hunger!"
• Urusei Yatsura (Key Animation, series; Production/Animation assistance, movies; Animation Production for Episodes 4 & 5 of the OVA)
• Vampire Princess Miyu (In-Between Animation, OVA)
• Violence Jack 2 (In-Between Animation)
• Wagnaria!! (2nd Key & In-Between Animation, second season)
• Wild 7 (Production Cooperation for episode 2^note alongside Nakamura Productions, Madhouse, Artland and J.C. Staff)
• Wild Knights Gulkeeva (Production Cooperation)
• The World God Only Knows (Key, 2nd Key & In-Between Animation; Digital Paint)
• Yakitori: Soldiers of Misfortune (2D Animation Services)
• Zettai Muteki Raijin-Oh (In-Between Animation)
  • Genki Bakuhatsu Ganbaruger (Production Cooperation)^List"Three Great Satan, Revival!"
  • Nekketsu Saikyo Gosaurer (Key Animation and Production Cooperation, nine episodes)^List"Sunday of the End of Earth", "War of the Electromagnetic Barrier!", "Sublime! King Cogwheel's Death", "Yohji, a Man's Journey", "Namida no SHINDERERABOUI", "Gekitotsu! HIIROU Kettei Sen", "Senkou no GIRUTAABO!", "Sayonara Kyouryuu Jidai", "Shutsudou! SAIBOUGU Ken Ichi"
• Zetman (In-Between Animation)
• Zettai Shonen (Production Assistance, two episodes)^List"It Is Always The Problem of Priorities", "The Two Competing Powers"
• Zillion (In-Between Animation)
• Zoids Genesis (Production Assistance, one episode)^List"Secret Meeting"
• Zombie Land Saga (Photography Cooperation)

Western Animation

• Animaniacs (Animation Cooperation with TMS, uncredited)^ListOne short ("Home On De-Nile") and six escapes ("Flush", "Soap Bubble", "Gondola", "Running Toward the Camera", "Condor", "Running Around The Corner")
• Green Lantern: Emerald Knights (Animation Assistance)
• The Jetsons (Animation Cooperation for Toei Animation. Season 3, 1 episode uncredited)^listCrime Games
• Justice League: Doom (Key Animation with Ajia-Do, uncredited)
• The Legend of Korra (Production Cooperation for Studio Pierrot, with Actas and ARMS Corporation, uncredited)
• The Little Mermaid (1992) (For Walt Disney Animation Japan, one episode)^List"Double Bubble"
• Mighty Orbots (Storyboards, uncredited)
• Rainbow Brite (Animation, uncredited)^List"The Beginning of Rainbowland" (both parts)
• Tiny Toon Adventures (Animation Cooperation for TMS, uncredited)^List"The Wide World Of Elmyra" (first short)
• The Transformers: The Movie (In-Between Animation through Kazuya Komai)

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Tropes:

• Bloodier and Gorier: Much of their most notable work like Mad Bull and Sword of Truth are hyper-violent to the point of it being their trademark.
• How the Mighty Have Fallen: While still getting credits as a subcontractor, their lead production efforts outside of the Pokemon: Chase the Beans short consist largely of short-form Hentai titles.
• Lazy Artist: A lot of their work, both as an OVA producer and episode subcontractor, is very low quality even by the standards of both formats. A large part of this is due to the studio's reliance on substandard Korean studios^note , particularly Hanil Animation and YABES to aid them.

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