It Is Art: A look At Studio Shaft

Studio: Shaft

Founded: 1975

This is a company that has been around for a while, they have seen ups and downs, and thye have collaborated with several other companies to create some amazing series. Over their 39 year run thus far, they have made 66 series, granted some of those are short series or movies. In it's early years Shaft was just a production company made to paint the animation. After getting enough support they made their own series.

There first original solo series came out on 1987, Yume Kara, Semenai, though i could not find much on the show i did find out it had an interesting story. It concerned a girl who continued to attempt befriending, a fellow class mate who rumor had it, recently stared in a porn.

As the years went on they began making a bundle of series, and Co-oped with several companies along the way, they even worked on the previously mentioned Gainax project known as Gunbuster. Working along side Gainax they made several series that made their name better known such as, Mahoromatic, This ugly yet beautiful world, and He is my Master. They proceeded making several hits and misses, but nothing cemented them in the top tens until after 2004.

In 2004 the company hired a moderately known director by the name of Akiyuki Shinbo. He proceded to direct a series called Tsukuyomi: Moon Phase, which followed a freelance photographer and his relationship with a ancient vampire. The relationship actually had some humor to it due to the fact that Hazuki, the vampire, bites the main character Kouhei. Due to some odd reason, he doesn't become his thrall, like he should, so she continues to order him around thinking she controls him, and he just flatly says no. The relationship progresses as Kouhei continues to protect Hazuki from fellow vampires, planing to trap her in a castle. The show was receiced well, and alot of praise was given to the gothic art peices that made the backgrounds.

 His first solo work for the company was a series called Pani Poni Dash, a comedy series using puns and pop culture references for its jokes, for example the series starts by referencing Planet of Apes. He has since directed and supervised many of Shafts works. He has also been the head of Shafts biggest series including Puella Magi Magica Madoka and Bakemonogatari (The whole monogatari series actually.).

Studio Shaft have, over the years, become a proficient in a certain genre style known as deconstruction. Deconstrution is the act of taking a genre and taking the things taken for granted and bringing them to the surface. For example Puella Magi Magica Madoka, is a Magical girl genre style show, even the art style helps point that out. *Spoiler* After episode three though the show enters the deconstruction phase, and brings up the question, what does a girl give up to become magical. The show continues down a dark and twisted path that the viewer isn't ready for, and twist the knife that is decontruction further with every episode.

One of the things that's made Shaft such a well known name and unique, was their use of constant gags, and beautiful art pieces. More on the gags later but here are some of the Backgrounds and Art they host.

Not only do they have beautiful peices for background they also accel in something you wouldn't expect from an anime, Cinematography. The way your perspective(the camera) changes is phenomenal, making the slowest and most talkative parts of a series, watchable and enjoyable. Some examples of this can be seen in, Mekaku city actors and Bakemonogatari, the scenes i chose show the use of interesting angles and colors and cinematography, over otherwise long winded conversation. Their use of color and odd placed scenery is beautiful, and it even works during action sequences such as these Bakemonogatari Fight Scene, puella magi fight, the dynamic looks of the backgrounds and how they change is great. They also don't have a problem switching art styles midway through a shot.

They also have a gag or tick that they have become well known for, it has become so well known as a continuous action done by this studio, that is the 2nd guess google will give when typing in "Shaft" or "Studio Shaft". The gag is known as the "Shaft Head Tilt", I will now display this running joke.

Studio Shaft's current series coming out or continuing this spring season is Mekaku City Actors and Nisekoi. Aside from being a very artistic company, they also pay plenty of homage to other series, often putting refrences on white/chalkboards in the background.  In 2013 Monogatari Second Series help the top spot as most sold series for the year. I will continue to watch Shaft's works and hope they continue to put out great and beautiful work. Till then i hope Shaft continues to deconstruct the industry.