The Unique Production Model of Studio Bones: Why Their Anime Look So Different
With its varied and often unique visual style, Studio Bones—the animation powerhouse behind beloved anime including Fullmetal Alchemist, Ouran High School Host Club, and My Hero Academia—stands out. Although other companies like MAPPA and Kyoto Animation are well-known for their distinctive looks, Studio Bones runs differently using a different production technique that helps to create the several visual identities of its anime.
Bone Studios: A Multidimensional Studio
Against popular belief, Studio Bones is a conglomeration of five separate facilities under one banner rather than a single entity. This distributed system lets every studio division specialize in particular genres and styles, so contributing to the varied visual scene of their works.
Studio Bones' History: Constructed from Talent
Formerly collaborating at Studio Sunrise, known for classic anime like Cowboy Bebop and Code Geass, seasoned animators Masahiko Minami, Hiroshi Osaka, and Toshihiro Kawamoto launched Studio Bones in 1998. Their path began with their first work, the well-liked original piece Hiwou War Chronicles. With the Fullmetal Alchemist adaptation in 2003, the studio became rather well-known for its superior animation and narrative skills.
Studio Bones first worked on a smaller scale, managing only three concurrent projects at most. Originally known for their mastery of mecha anime with Eureka Seven, an original creation still influencing the genre, they Growing operations of Studio Bones resulted in the present five studio divisions named A through E.
Out of the top ten most watched anime on My Anime List, Studio Bones has created two: My Hero Academia and Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, so reinforcing their reputation as a top animation producer.
The divided approach of Studio Bones emphasizes on individual projects.
Working on more than fifty shows, Studio Bones has demonstrated a wide spectrum of visual techniques. Although some shows have a similar look, others show such clear variations that it is hard to believe they started from the same studio. This is mostly related to the divided approach of the studio, in which every branch specializes on particular initiatives.
For instance, Studio C is committed to producing My Hero Academia and exhibits a consistent look over its seasons. Maintaining a "battle shonen," this studio also created Darker Than Black and Soul Eater. While Studio B handles varied projects like Mob Psycho 100 and Snow White with the Red Hair, Studio A specializes in more polished and aesthetically pleasing anime including Carole & Tuesday and The Case Study of Vanitas.
While Bungou Stray Dogs enjoys similar attention from Studio D, My Hero Academia is special in having a whole division devoted to its production. Arguably Bones' most highly praised work, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood came out of this studio.
divisions of Studio Bones and Their Notable Anime
Studios A
Hiwou War Chronicles, Angelic Layer: Battle Doll, Wolf's Rain, Kurau Phantom Memory, Jyu-Oh-Sei, Ghost Slayers Ayashi, Heroman, Gosick, Noragami, Soul Eater Not!. Blood Blockade Battlefront (joined with studio C) First season of My Hero Academia, Noragami Aragoto; Dragon Pilot: Hisone and Masotan, Tuesday, Godzilla Singular Point, The Case Study of Vanitas; Carole
Second Studio B
RahXephon, Scrapped Princess; Mars Daybreak; Eureka Seven; Skull Man; Eureka Seven: AO; Otona Joshi no Anime Time: Life's Best 10, Space Dandy, Space Dandy 2, Snow White with the Red Hair, Snow White with the Red Hair 2, Mob Psycho 100 (all seasons), Blood Blockade Battleground & Beyond.
Station C
Complete Metal Alchemist, Ouran High School Host Club, Black Contractor, Soul Eater, Darker than Black: Gemini Meteor, Star Driver, Un-Go, Tenkai Knights, Captain Earth, Concrete Revolutio, Concrete Revolutio: The Last Song, My Hero Academia (season 2 forward)
D Studio
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Number Six, Blast of Tempest, Chaika: The Coffins Princess Avenging Battle: Chaika, The Coffeen Princess Perform by Rock!! Stray dogs from Bungou (all seasons) Show by Rock!! Short!!, Show by Rock 2!! SK8 the Infinity (all seasons)
Agency E
Metallic red-yellow
Prominent Staff of Studio Bones: Developing Iconic Styles
Beyond the divided approach, Studio Bones boasts a list of notable staff members who have greatly enhanced the visual character of the studio.
Frequent partner with Studio Bones is Yutaka Nakamura, a well-known animator whose unique style is defined by cube-shaped trash in action scenes and elongated limbs to stress movement. Another noteworthy employee is Hiroki Kanno, an animation director and character designer who has worked on some of Bones' most popular series.
Celebrated director Shinichiro Watanabe, known for his work on Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo, has also assigned Studio Bones his projects including Space Dandy and Carole & Tuesday. He respects the studio's dedication to artistic autonomy.
Beginning his work at Bones as an in-betweener, Kenta Yokoya is a talented animator who has become in-demand. He has shown his talent and adaptability working on projects like My Hero Academia and Metallic Rouge. He even served as a key animator for Studio MAPPA, helping Jujutsu Kaisen 0.
Above All: Enduring Formula of Quality from Studio Bones
Studio Bones promotes artistic excellence and dedication above profit, so encouraging a creative exploration and quality animation culture. Believing hand-drawn animation provides a better aesthetic and feel than 3D animation, they remain one of the few studios mostly depending on this technique.
A monument to their former concentration on mecha anime even as they have diversified their portfolio, Metallic Rouge, a project commemorating the studio's 25th anniversary, reflects this.
Dealing with criticism and welcome change
Despite their stellar reputation for quality, Studio Bones has come under fire especially about the alleged drop in animation quality in My Hero Academia during season five. Although some blame the change in director—from Kenji Nagasaki to Masahiro Mukai—the epidemic also had a major influence on production difficulties all around the business. But Studio Bones's 25th Anniversary Documentary shows clearly their constant dedication to excellence.
An Innovation Legacy of Quality
Still a major animation company, Studio Bones regularly supports the anime business with top-notch output. Although their visual style may not be unique, the studio's dedication to quality, artistic inquiry, and gifted staff members guarantees that their anime regularly enthralls viewers. Studio Bones keeps proving their ability to create mesmerizing and visually beautiful anime with next projects including Noragami season 3 and SK8 the Infinity season 2.
