RIGHT SIDE

Trajectory of Yoshinobu Nishizaki and the Academy Group

● Born in Tokyo in December 1934 as the eldest son of Tadashi and Akiko Nishizaki.

● Graduated from the Department of Drama, Nihon University College of Art in March 1957. (During that time, he was a member of Bungakuza Theater Company for two years from April 1953.) After working as a jazz commentator and host for stage and nightclubs, he toured the country with Dan Ikeda as manager of Afrocuban, Tokyo Mambo, Musical Academy, and others, performing at local venues.

● In July, 1962, he started his long-cherished dream of becoming a professional music producer.

● In October 1963, he established Office Academy, Inc. and has been passionately involved in stage productions, mainly for Min-On Productions, as well as creating his own musical productions. (During this period, he produced as many as 200 musicals).

● In 1968, he dissolved Office Academy, Inc. and went to Western Europe, aiming to become a producer on a larger scale. He spent a year and a half working under French promoter Lumbresso, traveling all over Europe to hone his international sensibilities.

● In 1970, he signed a contract with manga artist Osamu Tezuka and became his general manager, while promoting his TV works such as Mysterious Melmo. He also produced Triton of the Sea.

● In July 1972, he re-established Office Academy, Inc. with the main business of managing and operating trademark rights and their secondary usage rights. He became the president and representative director of the company. Since then, he has managed the company with a focus on the publication of character picture books.

As an individual producer, he was in charge of the production of Mountain Mouse Rocky Chuck. As the executive director of Hataka Enterprises Co. he produced “Wansa-kun” as a mascot character for Sanwa Bank and developed it into a musical TV anime, which was well received. (Broadcast nationwide on Kansai TV from April to September 1973).

● In May 1973, he left Hataka Enterprises. After Wansa-kun ended in 1974, he devoted himself to formulating the concept for Space Battleship Yamato for about a year. From October 6 of the same year, the 2-arc, 26-episode program was aired on Yomiuri TV nationwide until March 30, 1975.

● In May 1977, the company began planning an overseas version of Yamato and a domestic theatrical animated film was completed. In August of the same year, it was released simultaneously throughout Japan and became an explosive hit with young viewers. In addition, 26 episodes were re-aired daily from July 29 to September 3 of the same year on Yomiuri TV network nationwide, becoming a pillar of the boom.

● In November 1977, in response to overwhelming fan demand, the company began planning a sequel to this work. On August 5, 1978, a nationwide premiere was held for Farewell to Space Battleship Yamato, Soldiers of Love. The film has since surpassed its predecessor at the box office.

● The Academy Group’s business performance for the past seven years is as follows:

1. 12 Channel/Sports Nippon as a medium, focusing on corporate publicity. Advertising in the Seikyo Shimbun newspaper, mainly for job openings.

2. Planning and production of advertising products such as POP ads for Sanwa Bank, S.S. Pharmaceuticals, etc.

3. Planning and production of sales promotion materials for banks and other companies.

4. planning and production of TV and radio programs
(Space Battleship Yamato, Triton of the Sea, Wansa-kun, All Night Nippon Midnight Drama, etc.).

5. Planning, production and distribution of theatrical movies (Space Battleship Yamato, Farewell to Space Battleship Yamato).

6. Planning, publication and release of published works and musical works.

7. planning, production and sales of fancy products [merchandising] such as Space Battleship Yamato products

8. planning, production and sales of ’73 Moomin Calendar, ’75-’79 Family Calendar, etc.

9. handling many trademarks such as Girl of the Alps Heidi, Story of Perrine, etc.

The Space Battleship Yamato boom that excited young people!

● Space Battleship Yamato was first aired on 26 Yomiuri TV stations nationwide in October 1974. It was an epoch-making SF anime at a time when robot cyborgs were at the height of their popularity, forming an ardent fan base from the time of its first broadcast. However, it was not able to win enough viewers because it competed with another anime program that boasted stable popularity. The ratings remained sluggish, and the program ended its 26-episode run in March 1975.

● However, fan clubs began to form in various parts of Japan after the broadcast ended. In parallel with this, TV stations were flooded with requests to re-air the program. In October 1975, the program was re-aired on the same network. The ratings exceeded those of the first broadcast.

● The following year, in 1976, the program was aired again in response to the unabated fan demand, and again the ratings were higher than the previous broadcast.

● In response to enthusiastic requests from fans across the nation, Producer Yoshinobu Nishizaki reworked the first TV series into a theatrical version running 2 hours and 3 minutes in total. The film was released in August 1977 via independent distribution. The result defied the expectations of most industry insiders, and the film became unusually popular, with fans staying up all night to see it on the first day. The film was quickly expanded to a wider release, but the audience growth showed no sign of slowing down, resulting in a “boom.”

By mid-October 1977, the film had drawn 2.25 million viewers and grossed 2 billion yen at the box office, becoming one of the top three films screened in Japan that year. A trilogy of LP records, which was released around the same time as the film, also sold well and dominated the No. 1 position on the hit chart for several months. The total sales exceeded 800,000 copies and 1.6 billion yen.

In addition, the number of publications such as novels, books, and collections also exceeded 30, making the bestseller list one after another. In particular, 15,000 sets of a 30,000-yen deluxe book were sold. The book was a breakthrough in the conventional wisdom. Meanwhile, more than 200 types of character products, ranging from small rubber erasers to large panel clocks, swept the market. 1977 was a year that dawned with Yamato and ended with Yamato. Then another boom arrived to surpass it all.

● In August 1978, Farewell to Space Battleship Yamato was released in 133 theaters nationwide. It broke box-office records from day one, far surpassing its predecessor. It broke the industry jinx that says “a second film can never surpass the first.” The previous film aired on Fuji TV on the eve of the new film’s release, maintaining a high viewership rating of 32%, demonstrating the extraordinary popularity of Yamato.

The second TV series, Space Battleship Yamato 2, also maintained a high viewership rating in the 20% range until the end of its broadcast in April 1979. It had been six years since the first TV series was aired, but the high standard of the boom proved itself to be stable. This moved related industries to declare, “This is not a transient phenomenon like the super car boom, but the emergence of a huge new market.”

It is estimated that more than 25 billion Yamato products have been sold at end-market prices.

● This summer, in response to the high expectations of all fans, the “Yamato Festival = Parts 1 and 2″ will be held on July 14 in theaters simultaneously throughout the country. Inquiries from the media flood in every day, and industry insiders predict that the entire Japanese archipelago will be covered in the color of Yamato this summer. Space Battleship Yamato has now become an established summer attraction.

Boom brings boom, and Yamato is back again!

[Commentary]

This work is a sequel to Yamato 2, which was aired nationwide on Yomiuri TV for 2 arcs (26 episodes) from October 14 last year to April 7 this spring and maintained high viewer ratings of over 20% at all times. It is a completely original work. In broadcast terms, there is no doubt that it will impress viewers with the same power and excitement as the theatrical version.

This telefeature, titled The New Voyage, which will be aired in a single broadcast. Starsha, the queen of Iscandar, and Mamoru Kodai, the brother of Susumu Kodai, return to play major roles in the development of the drama. In this sense, this work is a return to Yamato‘s original form, not a so-called spinoff. It is a story of growth and development.

[Story]

After a fierce battle with the White Comet, Yamato narrowly wins the battle and returns to Earth. Kodai, Yuki, Shima, and the other soldiers of Yamato vow once again to protect peace in the universe forever.

Meanwhile, in the far reaches of space, the fierce general Dessler is on his way to his home planet to rebuild the Gamilas Empire. After repeated mortal combat with Yamato, he is now determined to live only for the construction of a peaceful new nation. However, the planet Gamilas has been invaded by someone else and is now in ruins.

Surprised and angered, he immediately orders his entire fleet to attack the invaders. However, during the engagement, one of the enemy’s bullets strikes the heart of Gamilas, which is immediately obliterated in a massive explosion. As a result, the twin planet Iscandar loses its gravitational balance and flies off wildly into outer space.

A mysterious giant battleship chases after Iscandar…the new invader of the universe. It is the pride of the Dark Nebula Empire of Uralia, the Giant Battleship Garbas. Its target is “Iscandarium,” a source of unlimited destructive energy stored in the planet. With it, they can hold the entire universe in their hands. Dessler, who has lost his home planet, begins to pursue the planet Iscandar to rescue his beloved Starsha and Mamoru.

Yamato hears from Dessler that the planet Iscandar is in danger and wastes no time in launching to the rescue. Thus, in the midst of the Crab Nebula, the two ships exchange fire with the giant Bargas battleship, which continues its attack on Iscandar.

[Translator’s note: the original text actually spells the new ship’s name two ways, alternating between Garbas and Bargas.]

However, the enemy ship boasts overwhelming military might against Dessler and Yamato, and is not moved by their combined assault. Dessler finally decides to launch a suicide attack, ramming into the enemy’s gun ports so that Yamato can fire its Wave-Motion Gun from behind.

Kodai is at a loss for what to do. Then, with tears in his eyes, he puts his hand on the firing lever…

At that moment, a call comes in from Starsha for an immediate halt to the battle. Not wanting to suffer any more casualties, she decides to offer the Iscandarium to the enemy. She also recommends that Mamoru Kodai return to Earth with his brother Susumu. Uralia, Dessler, and Yamato reluctantly halt the battle.

Afterward, in the palace on the planet Iscandar, Starsha gives a diamond case to her beloved Mamoru and speaks quietly to him: “As long as you have this, we will always be together, no matter where we are. Goodbye, Mamoru!”

With these mysterious words, Starsha disappears without a trace. What in the world is Starsha up to? Mamoru and the others wonder. In the next moment, something unexpectedly happens before their eyes!

[Translator’s note: the enemy names in this text were established in early drafts of the story, finalized sometime after this brochure was assembled. In one of the captions, Admiral Deda is described thus: Gabochin – Andromeda of the Dark Nebula Empire of Uralia, Commander-in-Chief of the Magellanic Forces. Read the various story drafts here.]

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Merchandising Guidance

Application Acceptance: from July 1, 1979

Application Documents
(1) Please fill out and submit the enclosed “Application for Merchandising Rights”.
(2) Please deliver one sample each.

Copyright Notice: © Y. NISHIZAKI
Contact for application: Academy Planning Co.
Royalty: Basically 10% of the retail price.
Contract fee: royalty x minimum liability = contract fee
The contract must be signed using the contract form provided by our company.

An ocean adventure SF anime that anticipates the age of the “sea”!

[Commentary]

Space Battleship Yamato pioneered space roman SF action drama, and it is still flourishing on TV and in movies today. Yamato‘s journey through vast, limitless space, which is like an ocean, has successfully revived the dreams and romance of the Age of Discovery. The origin of Yamato‘s boom and its unlimited appeal is a strong yearning for the “sea” as the eternal mother of adventure roman. This is one of the reasons Yamato occupies a unique position among the many space roman works that simply seek a space setting and combine ridiculous SF ideas with simple images.

Japan is surrounded by the sea on all sides, and has had a strong connection with the sea since ancient times. Thus, SF action dramas that seek the “sea” as a source of inspiration are a “place” to express the roman of the new age, instead of the space dramas that are now falling into a rut. Based on the experience of planning and producing Space Battleship Yamato eight years ago, we confidently recommend this work as a more dreamy and enjoyable hero-roman for the next generation.

The azure blue sea. Our Space Carrier Blue Noah runs across a vast stage set up with a mixture of truth and falsehood. Ahead of it stands a huge enemy that threatens the survival of the human race. We believe that the heroic figure of Blue Noah, crushing these enemies one by one and paving the way to a new world for mankind, will generate passionate sympathy and excitement throughout the country. Our staff is running at full speed.

[Story]

The year 200X. Earth is excited by news of the approach of Godom, a large planet from outside our solar system. Does it carry advanced science, technology, and ethics? The first contact with a new life form…

However, this is nothing more than an illusion mankind has conjured up on its own. Godom, with a diameter of 3,000 kilometers and a mass about twice that of the moon, begins to undergo a major transformation as it approaches Earth. The approach of the artificial planet Godom also spells doom for 6 billion human beings. Their goal is the oceans, which occupy 70% of Earth’s surface and have inexhaustible resources. The oceans are transformed into a sea of death before their invasion.

Daring to stand up against Godom’s ruthless domination, the Marus Resistance Organization is formed for the rescue of Earth. They steadily advance a top-secret operation to save the Earth for humanity.

One day, Shin, the son of Kenjiro Kusaka, the director of an observatory on an isolated island in the South Sea, meets Dominic, an officer of Marus. He joins this resistance organization and is assigned to the Blue Noah, a huge combat submarine aircraft carrier that is capable of taking on Godom.

But the carrier is not yet complete. It cannot become a decisive power to destroy Godom until it incorporates a huge propulsion rocket = lightwave booster, which is being developed at the same time on the ocean floor off the coast of Bermuda. Therefore Blue Noah, carrying Shin and others, sets course for this destination.

Godom, sensing Marus’ plan, launches a furious attack on Blue Noah. A voyage of hardship for the survival of all mankind has begun. Will Blue Noah be able to safely obtain the lightwave booster? And what about the future of mankind?

[Read more about Blue Noah here.]

TEXT A

Overwhelming the Flying Generation
The Greatness of the Super Multipurpose Giant Aircraft Carrier

TEXT B

Blue Noah
The Blue Noah is a super-sized combat space carrier with a standard displacement of 170,000 gross tons. It can carry 150 aircraft. The pride of the resistance organization Marus, it is the largest and only secret weapon against Godom. Combined with a lightwave booster, it becomes the Blue Noah Cosmo, which can navigate within and outside the atmosphere.

Shira
A small submersible of 73 meters. It has a crew of 12, and its captain is Eiichi Domon. Shin is second in command and in charge of combat operations.

Planet Godom
Godom is a huge, disk-shaped planet with a diameter of 3,000 kilometers, and its entire surface is completely fortified. It is home to 56 million Godomites.

TEXT C

Shin Kusaka
The protagonist of this work is 16 years old. He is a member of Blue Noah‘s battle group and has a dynamic personality. He grows as a human being through his love for the guerrilla warrior Fara.

Eiichi Domon
30 years old. He joined the resistance organization Marus when the Earth Force collapsed. He is the captain of Blue Noah. He has an iron will and is harsh toward his crew, but this is also due to his anger toward Godom.

General Friedrich von Mainz (age 56)
The overall commander of Marus. He leads Blue Noah to victory after a hard-fought battle.

TEXT D

Program Information

Target audience: Children around 10 years old

Broadcast start: The first episode will be a special telefeature airing the second week of October, 7:00-9:00 P.M. The second episode will be a summary version in the third week of October at 7:00-7:30 P.M., followed by a series of broadcasts from the first week of November.

Broadcasting stations: Yomiuri TV nationwide net

TEXT IN TAN BOX

Merchandising Guidance

Application Acceptance: from July 1, 1979

Application Documents
(1) Please fill out and submit the enclosed “Application for Merchandising Rights”.
(2) Please deliver one sample each.

Copyright Notice: © Y. NISHIZAKI
Contact for application: Academy Planning Co.
Royalty: Basically 10% of the retail price.
Contract fee: royalty x minimum liability = contract fee
The contract must be signed using the contract form provided by our company.

The Blue Bird / Turning an enduring world masterpiece into science fantasy!

[Intention of the project]

This is a science fantasy anime based on the children’s story of the same name that immortalized Maeterlinck’s name and is loved by everyone from children to adults all over the world, but with a completely new twist.

The story is about a brother and sister who travel from the past to the future in search of the blue bird of happiness, and through various experiences and discoveries, eventually discovering that the blue bird = happiness somewhere close to you. It is so well known that it needs no introduction here.

It is extremely difficult to explain what happiness and truth are, but if this wonderful fable were to be made into a TV anime, the drama of human truth could be conveyed in a clear and enjoyable way. Through The Blue Bird, we want to convey the purpose of human life.

[Concept of the entire series]

The Blue Bird was originally written as a stage play. In order to make it into a series, each episode is composed of a different theme while respecting the theme of the original work. First of all, each episode takes the form of discovering a truth. In other words, we cannot catch the “Blue Bird” as the eternal truth, but we are able to obtain something in its place. This something is, for example, courage and trust, which leads us to happiness in the end. Of course, this is just the concept of the series as a whole, and we have to be careful not to make it sound too theoretical.

The same goes for the setting of the time period: the journey in search of the “Blue Bird” will have a strong SF flavor; a journey back and forth between different times and spaces, such as past, present, future, and even the super-future. However, it goes without saying that there will be no discrepancy between the this work and the original work.

In other words, the past world will be based on the image of the original work, while the lives of Tyltyl and Mytyl are set in the present day (but their nationalities are unknown). For the future and super-future, the expression will be based on where material society ends up.

In order to make such developments more concrete, we will place special emphasis on the Mephisto-like figure in Goethe’s Faust. This symbolizes the power of evil and desire. And as a symmetrical being, the Spirit of Light plays the role of a guardian deity for Tyltyl and Mytyl. This can be thought of as a symbol of the conscience that is connected to the mother. In the process of traveling through time and space in this conflict between good and evil, the two realize that a “Blue Bird” has appeared in their hearts. That is growth.

As you can see from the concept of this series, the storyline differs greatly from that of the original Blue Bird, but in terms of the theme and the image claimed by the original, it is not fundamentally different. The story is based on media that modern children come in contact with while growing up, composed in such a way that it can be smoothly flow from a fairy tale to a science-oriented story,

This work is sure to attract attention as a completely new anime drama. With this work, we can be proud to say that animation has entered a new era.

[Read more about The Blue Bird anime series here and here.]

Original story: Maurice Maeterlinck
Planning/Production/Executive Director: Yoshinobu Nishizaki
Director: Hiroshi Sasagawa
Character Design: Leiji Matsumoto
Composer: Hiroshi Miyagawa
Planning and Production: Office Academy Inc.
An Academy Production

TEXT A

Program Information

Target Audience: Infants to general households, mainly for 10 year olds

Broadcast: Scheduled to begin in October 1979, and every week thereafter (52 episodes planned)

Broadcasting stations: Fuji TV nationwide net

TEXT B

Tyltyl
A 12-year-old boy with courage and curiosity. He is a one-trick pony, but he believes that getting closer to the truth of the world is the way to happiness.

Mytyl
Eleven-year-old Mytyl is Tyltyl’s younger sister. She loves animals, and although she is a little timid, her curiosity is just as strong as her brother’s.

Designs from Leiji Matsumoto’s proposed first draft

TEXT C

Spirit of Light
A dazzlingly beautiful woman, she is the symbol of Mother Conscience.

TEXT IN TAN BOX

Merchandising Guidance

Application Acceptance: from July 1, 1979

Application Documents
(1) Please fill out and submit the enclosed “Application for Merchandising Rights”.
(2) Please deliver one sample each.

Copyright Notice: © Y. NISHIZAKI
Contact for application: Academy Planning Co.
Royalty: Basically 10% of the retail price.
Contract fee: royalty x minimum liability = contract fee
The contract must be signed using the contract form provided by our company.

LEFT SIDE

The “phantom masterpiece” to be released at last

[Description]

Triton of the Sea is based on Osamu Tezuka’s manga masterpiece Blue Triton. It is a one-hour theatrical version of the original work, which was broadcast as 27 episodes in 2 arcs on Asahi Broadcasting Corporation’s nationwide network in 1972. This work won enthusiastic fans from the beginning of its broadcast. Even now, seven years later, there are still many voices calling for reruns, mainly among anime clubs and fan clubs across the country. In the midst of the recent anime boom, it has maintained such strong popularity that it is now regarded as a “phantom masterpiece.”

The secret of its popularity is the use of innovative techniques in anime expression, such as the use of “still pictures,” which was a novel method at the time. In addition, it was the first time the talented composer Hiromasa Suzuki was used for an anime production. It can be said that this enlivened the richness of poetry. Although the concept and content of this work are different, it can also be seen as the roots of Space Battleship Yamato.

[Story]

A boy named Triton is brought up as a fisherman’s child. One day, a white dolphin named Ruka finds him and reveals the astonishing secret of his birth. Triton is the last survivor of the Triton tribe, which once ruled the seven seas. From that day on, Triton is surrounded by a series of mysterious incidents, such as giant, monstrous beasts attacking his village. Triton discovers that these incidents are caused by the nemesis of the Triton tribe, the evil ruler of the sea, Poseidon.

With the Orihalcon dagger, which his real father left him as a memento, Triton rides out to sea. After an arduous journey, he defeats Poseidon’s assassins who attack him and rides into the enemy’s stronghold. The dagger of Orihalcon shines, and the guardian god of the Poseidon tribe makes his move.

The situation takes an unexpected turn. What does Triton see there?

[Read more about Triton of the Sea here.]

Original story: Osamu Tezuka
Planning and Production: Yoshinobu Nishizaki
Supervision: Toshio Masuda
Direction: Kazunori Tanahashi

Screening format

Full-length color animation for theaters (60 min. total)

Released in 196 Toei theaters nationwide from July 14, 1979 to August 3, 1979 (Screened together with Space Battleship Yamato and Farewell to Space Battleship Yamato)

CAPTIONS

Ruka
the dolphin Ruka plays the role of Triton’s nanny, teaching him about the nature of the sea and the horrors of the Poseidon tribe.

Triton
The main character is 13 years old. He is a descendant of Atlantis.

Pipi
A Triton girl who looks like a mermaid.

TEXT IN TAN BOX

Merchandising Guidance

Application Acceptance: from July 1, 1979

Application Documents
(1) Please fill out and submit the enclosed “Application for Merchandising Rights”.
(2) Please deliver one sample each.

Copyright Notice: © Y. NISHIZAKI
Contact for application: Academy Planning Co.
Royalty: Basically 10% of the retail price.
Contract fee: royalty x minimum liability = contract fee
The contract must be signed using the contract form provided by our company.

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