Formed by a small group of university students in the early 1980s, Studio Gainax is now one of the most adventurous and widely esteemed anime companies on the scene. And it is fascinating for its unique approach to animation. Formal experimentation, genre-straddling, self-reflexivity, unpredictable plot twists, a gourmet palate for stylishness, proverbially controversial endings, and a singularly iconoclastic worldview are some of the hallmarks. This documentation of the studio's achievements provides a critical overview of both the company and its in-depth examinations of particular titles that best represent the company's overall work, including television series such as The Secret of Blue Water and Neon Genesis Evangelion, and feature films such as Royal Space The Wings of Honneamise and Gunbuster vs. Diebuster . Each chapter highlights the contribution made by a specific production to the company's progress.
