Madhouse is one of the oldest and most consistently respected anime studios in Tokyo. Founded in 1972 by Masao Maruyama, Osamu Dezaki, Rintaro, and Yoshiaki Kawajiri after they left Mushi Production, Madhouse's catalogue spans the entirety of modern anime history, from Belladonna of Sadness (1973) to One Punch Man (2015).
House method
Madhouse historically operated on a more author-led model than its competitors: individual directors — Dezaki, Rintaro, Kawajiri in the early decades; Satoshi Kon, Mamoru Hosoda, Atsuko Ishizuka in later periods — were given substantial creative autonomy on their projects, and the studio's catalogue reflects their distinct voices rather than a unified house style.
Selected works
- Belladonna of Sadness (1973), Barefoot Gen (1983), Vampire Hunter D (1985).
- Ninja Scroll (1993), Perfect Blue (1997), Cardcaptor Sakura (1998).
- Millennium Actress (2001), Tokyo Godfathers (2003), Paprika (2006).
- Death Note (2006), Hunter x Hunter (2011 remake), One Punch Man (Season 1, 2015).
- A Place Further Than the Universe (2018).
Changes since the 2010s
Founder Masao Maruyama left Madhouse in 2011 to start MAPPA. Subsequent Madhouse output has been irregular, with Season 1 of One Punch Man a high point and Season 2 (produced at J.C.Staff) widely noted as a quality decline. The studio continues to produce but no longer occupies the place at the centre of prestige anime production that it held in the 1990s and 2000s.