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.