View source for Imagi Animation Studios

{{short description|Animation studio in Hong Kong}}
{{use dmy dates|date=November 2015}}

{{Infobox company
| name = Imagi Animation Studios Limited
| logo = Imagi Studios logo.svg
| type = [[Public company|Public]] [[SEHK]]
| fate = [[Bankruptcy]]
| successor = 
| owner = Imagi International Holdings Limited
| foundation = {{Start date and age|2000}}
| defunct = {{End date and age|df=yes|2010|2|5}}
| founder = 
| location = [[Chai Wan]], Hong Kong
| key_people = * {{small|'''President & Co-CEO:'''}} Francis Kao
* {{small|'''Chairman:'''}} Francis Leung Pak To
* {{small|'''Executive Director & Co-CEO:'''}} Soh Szu Wei
| num_employees = 400 in Hong Kong<ref>{{cite news |first= Pui Yan|last= Ho|script-title=zh:意馬新動畫《阿童木》決定400港產創意壯士前路|work= MoneyMonday|publisher= [[Ming Pao]]|location= Hong Kong|page= B3|date= 16 March 2009 |language= ja}}</ref>
| parent = 
| industry = [[CGI animation]]
| products = 
| revenue = 
| profit = 
| homepage = {{URL|http://www.imagi.com.hk/}}
}}
'''Imagi Animation Studios''', also known as '''Imagi Studios''', was a [[Chinese animation|computer animation]] and [[visual effects]] [[Animation studio|studio]] based in [[Hong Kong]], and  established in 2000 by Imagi International Holdings Limited ({{sehk|585}}), a Hong Kong–based investment company.

==Background==
In 2000, Imagi Animation Studios was set up and production started on its first project, the CGI-animated television series ''[[Zentrix]]''. The company had a studio in [[Chai Wan]], [[Hong Kong]], as well as a creative development and production facility in [[Los Angeles, California]] and a satellite office in [[Tokyo]].

The company's first [[CGI-animated]] theatrical film ''[[TMNT (2007 film)|TMNT]]'' was released on March 23, 2007, by [[Warner Bros.]] in the [[United States]] and [[Canada]], opening No. 1 at the [[box office]], and was being distributed internationally by the [[The Weinstein Company|Weinstein Company]]. Imagi's focus was to create high-quality CGI-animated feature films with [[superhero]] themes to entertain global audiences, combining [[Hollywood, Los Angeles, California|Hollywood]] storytelling with computer animation done in Hong Kong.

===Setbacks and bankruptcy===
In January 2009, Imagi's auditing firm announced that the studio lacked funding to complete the release of ''Cat Tale'' (which was to have been released by [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer]]<ref>[http://www.animationmagazine.net/2010_movie_guide.html Cat Tale at Animation Magazine]</ref>) and ''[[Gatchaman|Gatchaman.]]'' [[Art director]] Felix Ip reported that ''Gatchaman'''s release was not expected until later in 2009.<ref name="otakia1">It closed its doors as Imagi to assume another company name as to avoid any unclaimed debts to investors and staff.

{{cite web
|url=http://www.otakia.com/news/3073/Astro+Boy+maintenu,+Gatchaman+sur+la+corde+raide.
|title=Astro Boy maintenu, Gatchaman sur la corde raide
|date=9 January 2009
|publisher=Otakia
|language=fr
|access-date=29 January 2010
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150409205615/http://www.otakia.com/9722/actualites/astro-boy-maintenu-gatchaman-sur-la-corde-raide/
| archive-date=2015-04-09
| url-status=live}}</ref> In June 2009, Imagi opened ''Gatchaman'' to licensing partners and announced a 3-D theatrical release for 2011.<ref name="hmm1">
{{cite news
|url=http://www.homemediamagazine.com/news/imagi-seeks-licensing-deals-gatchaman-15994
|title=Imagi Seeks Licensing Deals for 'Gatchaman'
|last=Tribbey
|first=Chris
|date=3 June 2009
|publisher=[[Home Media Magazine]]
|access-date=30 January 2010}}</ref> In October 2009, Imagi released ''[[Astro Boy (film)|Astro Boy]]'', based on the [[Astro Boy|manga series of the same name]]. The film received generally mixed reviews from film critics and was a [[box-office bomb]], losing the company $23 million in the process.

In January 2010, Imagi's [[Hong Kong]]–based parent company Imagi International Holdings Limited announced that the ''Gatchaman'' project will be "''delivered in 100% Stereoscopic 3-D''" and that in order to safeguard working capital, it closed its [[United States]] subsidiaries. This closure was finalized in late January with the layoff of approximately 30 staffers and the retaining of a few key personnel who will continue to work as consultants as Imagi seeks $30 million from investors to continue its animation projects.<ref name="ann1">
{{cite news
|url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2010-01-27/imagi-animation-studio-closes-los-angeles-office
|title=Imagi Animation Studio Closes Los Angeles Office
|date=27 January 2010
|publisher=[[Anime News Network]]
|access-date=29 January 2010}}</ref><ref name="am1">
{{cite news
|url=http://www.animationmagazine.net/article/11113
|title=Imagi Closes L.A. Studio
|last=McLean
|first=Thomas J.
|date=29 January 2010
|publisher=[[Animation Magazine]]
|access-date=30 January 2010}}</ref><ref name="hs1">{{cite web
|url=http://www.hotstocked.com/article/1861/imagi-international-holdings-ltd-otcbb-iinhy.html
|title=Imagi International Holdings Ltd (OTCBB: IINHY) Still In Talks To Raise Capital
|last=Gediminas
|first=J.
|date=26 January 2010
|publisher=HotStocked.com
|access-date=30 January 2010
|archive-date=8 July 2023
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230708182019/http://www.hotstocked.com/article/1861/imagi-international-holdings-ltd-otcbb-iinhy.html
|url-status=dead
}}</ref>

On February 5, 2010, following the financial failure of ''Astro Boy'', Imagi Animation Studios filed for bankruptcy. <ref>{{cite web|title=意馬數百員工面臨遣散 |url=http://news.sina.com.hk/cgi-bin/nw/show.cgi/51/1/1/1420527/1.html |publisher=Sina.com |access-date=28 November 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100211142020/http://news.sina.com.hk/cgi-bin/nw/show.cgi/51/1/1/1420527/1.html |archive-date=11 February 2010 |language=zh |date=6 February 2010 |url-status=unfit }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Imagi Animation liquidator cut of more than 300 people|url=http://orientaldaily.on.cc/cnt/news/20100206/00176_035.html|publisher=Oriental Daily|access-date=28 November 2015|language=zh|date=6 February 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=HK studio behind 'TMNT,' 'Astro Boy' shuts down (AP)|url=https://movies.yahoo.com/news/movies.ap.org/hk-studio-behind-tmnt-astro-boy-shuts-down-ap|publisher=Yahoo|access-date=28 November 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100214170049/http://movies.yahoo.com/news/movies.ap.org/hk-studio-behind-tmnt-astro-boy-shuts-down-ap|archive-date=14 February 2010|date=9 February 2010|agency=Associated Press}}</ref>

==Works==
===Theatrical feature films===
{|class="wikitable sortable"
|+
|-
!#
! scope="col"|Title
! scope="col"|Release date(s)
! scope="col"|Distributor/Co-production with
|-
!1
|scope="row"| ''[[TMNT (film)|TMNT]]''
| {{dts|2007|3|23}} || [[Warner Bros.]]<br />[[The Weinstein Company]] 
|-
!2
|scope="row"| ''[[Astro Boy (film)|Astro Boy]]''
| {{dts|2009|10|8}} || [[Summit Entertainment]] 
|}

===Television/Direct-to-video films===
{|class="wikitable sortable"
|+
|-
!#
! scope="col"|Title
! scope="col"|Release date(s)
! scope="col"|Distributor/Co-production with
! scope="col"|Note(s)
|-
!1
|scope="row"| ''[[Digital Monster X-Evolution]]''
| {{dts|2005|1|3}} || [[Toei Animation]]<br>[[Toei Company]] || [[Television film]] 
|-
!2
|scope="row"| ''[[Highlander: The Search for Vengeance]]''
| {{dts|2007|6|5}}|| [[Madhouse (company)|Madhouse]]<br />[[Manga Entertainment]] || [[Original video animation|OVA]]
|-
|}

===Short films===
{|class="wikitable sortable"
|+
|-
!#
! scope="col"|Title
! scope="col"|Release date
! scope="col"|Associated Feature Film
|-
!1
|scope="row"| ''The RRF in New Recruit''
| rowspan="2" | 2010 || rowspan="2" | ''Astro Boy'' 
|-
!2
|scope="row"| ''Astro Boy vs. The Junkyard Pirates''
|-
|}

===TV series===
{|class="wikitable sortable"
|+
|-
!#
! scope="col"|Title
! scope="col"|Release date(s)
! scope="col"|Distributor/Co-production with
|-
!1
|scope="row"| ''[[Zentrix]]''
| 2002 || [[Bandai Visual|Bandai Entertainment]]
|-
!2
|scope="row"| ''[[Father of the Pride]]''
| 2004–2005 || [[DreamWorks Animation]]<br />[[NBCUniversal Syndication Studios]]
|}

===Cancelled films===
{|class="wikitable sortable"
|+
|-
!#
! scope="col"|Title
! scope="col"|Planned <br> release date
|-
!1
|scope="row"| ''[[Science Ninja Team Gatchaman#Canceled Imagi film|Gatchaman]]''<ref>{{cite news|title= Gunpla Builders, CG Gatchaman Promo Videos Streamed|work= [[Anime News Network]] |date=July 15, 2010 |url= http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2010-07-15/gunpla-builders-cg-gatchaman-promo-videos-streamed |access-date=July 17, 2019}}</ref>
| 2011 
|-
!2
|scope="row"| ''[[Tetsujin 28-go#Cancelled films|T28]]''<ref>{{cite news|title= Imagi Launches Testujin 28 site with CG Test Trailer|url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2009-01-09/imagi-launches-tetsujin-28-site-with-cg-test-teaser|access-date=9 January 2009|newspaper=Anime News Network|date=9 January 2009}}</ref>
| 2012 
|-
!3
|scope="row"| ''[[The Legend of Zelda#Film|The Legend of Zelda]]''<ref>{{cite news|last=Vejvoda|first=Jim|title=Footage From the Unproduced Legend of Zelda CG-Animated Movie|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/08/05/footage-from-the-unproduced-legend-of-zelda-cg-animated-movie|access-date=10 August 2013|newspaper=IGN|date=4 August 2013}}</ref>
| N/A
|-
!4
|scope="row"| ''Cat Tale''
| 2013 
|-
!5
|scope="row"| ''Tusker'' <ref>{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2008/digital/asia/imagi-revives-tusker-tale-1117990336/|date=August 10, 2008|title=Imagi revives 'Tusker' tale|access-date=March 3, 2018}}</ref>
| N/A
|-
!6
|scope="row"| ''[[Trigun]]'' <ref>{{Cite web |title=mak ching lok demo reel 45-47 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMMwxZX612M}}</ref>
|N/A
|-
!7
|scope="row"| ''[[Fluorescent Black (comics)|Fluorescent Black]]'' <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2007/11/09/imagi-goes-black|access-date=August 6, 2024 |title=Imagi Goes Black |date=9 November 2007 }}</ref>
|N/A
|-
!8
|scope="row"| ''Project: Monster'' <ref>{{cite video|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMMwxZX612M|access-date=August 6, 2024}}</ref>
|N/A
|-
!9
|scope="row"| ''[[Ultraman]]''<ref>{{Cite web |title= |url=https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-francis-wilson?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bing.com%2F}}</ref>
|N/A
|}

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
* [http://www.imagi.com.hk/ Official website]

{{Imagi Animation Studios}}
{{Animation industry in the People's Republic of China}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Hong Kong animation studios]]
[[Category:Mass media companies established in 2000]]
[[Category:Mass media companies disestablished in 2010]]
[[Category:Companies listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange]]