Where the question was "Who should animate our cartoon?"

The Answer Studio (アンサースタジオ) is a Japan-based animation studio founded in 2004, but with a lengthy history of alternate identities and a rather astounding pedigree. The studio began as Topcraft in 1971 (founded by former Toei producer Toru Hara) and became most celebrated for their collaborations with Rankin/Bass on films such as The Hobbit, The Flight of Dragons and The Last Unicorn. After completing Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind with Hayao Miyazaki, Topcraft dissolved in 1986.

While some of the talent went on to help form Studio Ghibli, the rest formed the Pacific Animation Corporation and continued their collaborations with Rankin/Bass on television shows such as Thundercats, Silverhawks and Tigersharks (often assisted by Anime R, Wang Film Productions and Mook, among others). Pacific Animation Corporation was purchased by Walt Disney in 1989 and renamed Walt Disney Animation (Japan). Under that moniker, they worked on such Disney animation as Gargoyles, Aladdin the Series, The Tigger Movie, 101 Dalmatians 2: Patch's London Adventure and other Disney projects, usually assisted by Nakamura Production and Tama Production.

When Disney pulled the plug on virtually all their foreign animation studios in 2004, the staff and talent formed the Answer Studio. Since then, some of their work has included The Cat that Looked at a King (a short film created for the 40th anniversary Mary Poppins DVD), Super Robot Monkey Team Hyper Force Go!, NeposNapos, The DC SuperFriends, and Batman: Under The Red Hood.

They were one of the three studios hired to animate Transformers Animated. For season 1 and 2, they split animation duties with fellow Japanese studio Mook (with Studio 4°C only animating "special" material rather than full episodes). For whatever reason, they were dropped after season 2, with Mook taking on full animation responsibilities for season 3.

Animated episodes animated

External links

• The Answer Studio official website
• Interview with Answer Studio founder Motoyoshi Takunaga