A to Z of Animation Studios: Osamu Tezuka’s Mushi Production
(Or: The Studio That Invented Modern Anime and Then Crashed and Burned Spectacularly)
Welcome back to Animation Anarchy, where we respect animation history while also pointing out its chaotic messes. If you haven’t subscribed to our YouTube channel, do it now before Astro Boy flies over and judges your life choices.
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🔥 O is for Osamu Tezuka’s Mushi Production
Osamu Tezuka is often called “The God of Manga” and “The Father of Anime.” And honestly? That’s not an exaggeration.
This man practically invented modern anime as we know it.
• Astro Boy? That was him.
• The reason anime characters have giant eyes? That was him.
• The foundation of TV animation in Japan? That was also him.
Founded in 1961, Mushi Production was Tezuka’s dream studio. But like many dreams, it eventually spiraled into financial ruin.
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The Anime That Started It All
1. Astro Boy (1963-1966)
The first major anime TV series—and the one that defined what anime would look like forever.
• One of the earliest serialized anime with an actual storyline.
• Introduced limited animation techniques that made anime feasible for TV.
• Astro Boy became an international icon, proving anime wasn’t just for Japan.
2. Kimba the White Lion (1965-1967)
You might recognize this as “Wait, isn’t this just The Lion King?”
• A beautifully animated story about a white lion cub learning to be king.
• Disney has repeatedly denied “borrowing” from Kimba, but let’s be honest, the similarities are… suspicious.
• Fun fact: Kimba predates The Lion King by nearly 30 years.
3. Princess Knight (1967-1968)
• One of the first shojo (girls’) anime.
• A princess disguises herself as a prince in a world where gender roles are law.
• Basically the blueprint for all cross-dressing anime protagonists ever.
4. Phoenix (1980-1982, 2004)
• Based on Tezuka’s life’s work—a manga series that spanned centuries and explored reincarnation.
• This was his most ambitious story, but the anime adaptations never truly finished his vision.
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The Fall of Mushi Production (A.K.A. When You’re Too Creative for Your Own Good)
Tezuka was a creative genius but a terrible businessman.
• He kept making ambitious projects that weren’t profitable.
• Mushi Production burned through money faster than they could make it.
• By 1973, Mushi Production was bankrupt.
Tezuka lost his own studio, but instead of quitting, he just moved on and kept making anime elsewhere.
His legacy? Untouchable.
Mushi Production? Rebuilt later, but never the same.
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🎖 Honorable Mention: OLM, Inc. (Pokémon, Yo-Kai Watch, and Endless Monster Catching)
Now let’s talk about OLM, Inc., the studio that has been animating your childhood for decades without you realizing it.
What Did They Make?
1. Pokémon (1997-Present)
The biggest, longest-running monster-catching anime in history.
• Ash Ketchum spent 25 years losing tournaments before finally winning.
• Pikachu became more recognizable than most world leaders.
• The show somehow still exists, even after Ash retired.
2. Yo-Kai Watch (2014-Present)
• The anime that almost dethroned Pokémon in Japan for a hot minute.
• Involves a kid collecting ghosts instead of pocket monsters.
• Massively popular for a while, then quietly faded outside of Japan.
3. Berserk (1997, 2016-2017)
• Yes, OLM animated the original Berserk anime in 1997.
• No, they are not responsible for the abomination that was the 2016 CGI version.
4. Other Shows & Video Game Adaptations
• Inazuma Eleven (2008-Present) – Soccer, but anime levels of dramatic.
• The original Medabots anime (1999-2000) – The Pokémon alternative where kids battled tiny customizable robots.
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Final Thoughts (A.K.A. Why You Should Subscribe Before Astro Boy Becomes Your AI Overlord)
Mushi Production? The foundation of anime as we know it.
OLM, Inc.? The studio that made sure Pokémon never stopped printing money.
Next up? P for Pixar—the studio that made you cry over lamps, toys, and emotions.
(Spoiler: We will be discussing Cars 2. And we will not be kind.) 🚀
🔥 P – Pixar (Toy Story, Finding Nemo, and that awkward Lightyear movie)
🎖 Honorable Mention: Pacific Data Images (PDI) (Helped launch 3D animation with Antz)
