History

1932
Nagase Shoten (Nagase & Co., Ltd.) opened Far East Film Laboratory in Uzumasa, Kyoto
Began processing and printing business for movie films
1935
Established Kyokuto Genzosho (Far East Laboratories Ltd.) Started film development in Uzumasa, Kyoto
1936
Started its operation at Yokohama factory
1938
Moved the headquarter to Kyoto
1942
Renamed the company to Toyo Genzosyo Corp.
1951
Started its operation at Gotanda, Tokyo factory
1953
Began color processing in the Gotanda factory
1954
The first work, Gate of Hell, won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
1963
Began photography business (processing, printing, etc.) in earnest. Became a designated processing lab for Kodachrome Films
Later opened photography processing labs all over Japan
1964
Engaged in the processing of a highly acclaimed documentary film for XVIII Tokyo Olympic
1965
Developed our special composite device for compositing motion pictures
1970
Engaged in the processing of the official documentary film and news footage for the Japan World Exposition (Expo’70) in Osaka
1971
Started video editing and audio mixing services in Gotanda
Opened the Osaka office
1972
Processed the film for the official documentary of the XI Olympic Winter Games in Sapporo, Japan
1974
Established a video post-production center in Higashi-shinagawa
1976
Processed the film for the official documentary of the Expo ‘75 held in Okinawa
1982
Developed Links Ⅰ and TRACY, the proprietary computer graphic hardware and software, and entered into CGI production business
Developed our own motion control camera system
1983
Developed color processor for 70 mm films for compatibility with large image
1984
Developed optical printer for 70 mm films
1985
Developed a telecine system, Movie-Tone
Work on hi-vision image began in earnest
Engaged in the production of films, videos and photographs for the pavilions at the International Exposition (Tsukuba Expo ’85) in Tsukuba, Japan
1986
Renamed the company as IMAGICA Corp. at the company’s 50th anniversary
Joined production projects such as exhibition and pavilion image
1987
Merged with the Eastman Kodak Company and established Kodak IMAGICA Inc., separating the photography department
1993
Established Imagica USA, Inc. in LA
—Started optical effect services for 70mm screens
Established Akasaka Video Center for TV program
1995
Released an original digital film scanner, Imager3000V
—Used globally in digital effects productions, especially in Hollywood
1996
Launched Cinefil Imagica, a satellite broadcasting channel for movie fans
1997
Established Ginza 7-chome Studio
Started DVD Authoring Services
2000
Co-produced the IMAX film, “The Old Man and the Sea” that won the Best Short Film (Animated) award at the 72nd Academy Awards
The Kansai office separated as IMAGICA WEST Corp. to strengthen its services in the Kansai area
2001
Developed GaletteTM, a proprietary color management system
—Used in“Spirited Away” by Ghibli Studio
2002
Won the Scientific and Engineering Award at the 74th Academy Awards for the engineering excellence and the contribution to the motion picture industry for the development of the 65mm/ 35mm Multi-Format Optical Printer
Established three companies, IMAGICA FORCE Inc., IMAGICA DC21 Inc., and IMAGICA Entertainment Inc., for image planning and production
2005
Started digital intermediate services Established Azabu-juban Studio
2006
Established Imagica Robot Holdings Inc. as a holding company and IMAGICA became a core company for postproduction and media distribution services in the group
Mastered the first DCI compliant feature film for digital cinema screening
2009
Developed CLAVIS, a proprietary digital cinema release support system
2010
Absorbed Links DigiWorks, Inc. to combine its CGI production with IMAGICA’s VFX and post production
2012
Established Shibuya Studio for TV Program
2013
Established Ogikubo Animation House
2015
Digitized the precious film of a hot spring resort in the Showa era“LUCORE”
2016
Opened Shibuya Parkway Studio (Shibuya Ward, Tokyo) and began editing 8K images
2017
Established Ogikubo Animation House (Suginami Ward, Tokyo) for total coordination of anime production
2018
IMAGICA Corp., IMAGICA WEST Corp., and IMAGICA Imageworks, Inc. merged and changed its name to IMAGICA Lab. Inc.
2019
Established IMAGICA IRIS Inc. as the first venture project in the IMAGICA GROUP Inc.
Established Park Avenue Studio NEXT (Shibuya-ku, Tokyo) and started MA for 22.2ch
Launches Japan’s first color grading, digital cinema package (DCP) mastering and projection services compatible with “Dolby Cinema™”
2020
Established IMAGICA SDI Studio, Inc. as a dubbing studio in Japan with SDI Media.
2021
The production services segment of IMAGICA GROUP has been restructured
to create IMAGICA Lab., which specializes in post-production of TV programs, TV commercials and so on.