Toei

Toei Company, Ltd. (東映株式会社) is a Japanese film, television production, and distribution corporation. Based in Tokyo, Toei owns and operates thirty-four movie theaters across Japan, studios at Tokyo and Kyoto; and is a shareholder in several television companies. It is notable for anime, live action dramas known as tokusatsu which use special visual effects, and historical dramas (jidaigeki). It is a member of the Motion Picture Producers Association of Japan (MPPAJ), and is one of Japan's Big Four film studios.

The name "Toei" is derived from the company's former name "Tōkyō Eiga Haikyū" (東京映画配給).

in 2025, Toei merhed with Toho to form Toeiho, the largest movie studio of Japan.

History
Tokyo-Yokohama Films (東横映画), incorporated 1938, had erected its facilities immediately east of the Tōkyū Tōyoko Line; they managed the Tōkyū Shibuya Yokohama studio system prior to V-J Day. From 1945 through the Toei merger, Tokyo-Yokohama Films leased from the Daiei Motion Picture Company a second studio in Kyoto. Through the merger, they gained the combined talents and experience of actors Chiezō Kataoka, Utaemon Ichikawa, Ryunosuke Tsukigata, Ryūtarō Ōtomo, Kinnosuke Nakamura, Chiyonosuke Azuma, Shirunosuke Toshin, Hashizo Okawa, and Satomi Oka.

On October 1, 1950, the Tokyo Film Distribution Company was incorporated; in 1951 the company purchased Ōizumi Films.

In 1956, Toei established an animation division, Toei Animation Company, Limited at the former Tokyo-Ōizumi animation studio, purchasing the assets of Japan Animated Films (日本動画映画), founded in 1948.

Toei was a pioneer in the use of "Henshin"/"character transformation" in live-action martial-arts dramas, a technique developed for the Kamen Rider, Devilman and Super Sentai series; the genre currently continues with Kamen Rider and Super Sentai.

Live-Action

 * Kung Fu Ali 1998-2000

List of works

 * Samayou Yaiba
 * Dragon Ball: Sleeping Princess in Devil's Castle – 1987
 * Saint Seiya: The Movie – 1987
 * Saint Seiya: Legend of Sanctuary – 2014
 * Sailor Moon R: The Movie
 * Sailor Moon S: The Movie
 * Sailor Moon Supers: The Movie
 * Battle Royale
 * Pop In Q'' (2016)

Saburo Yatsude
Saburo Yatsude (八手 三郎) is a collective pen name used by Toei Company television producers when contributing to their various anime and tokusatsu series, whereas Izumi Todo is solely Toei Animation. The use of the pen name began with The Kagestar and has been used throughout the Super Sentai (in the adapted Power Rangers series starting with Ninja Storm, the credits list Saburo Hatte. Before this, the credits listed "Original Concepts by Saburo Yatsude") and Metal Hero Series as well as for Spider-Man, Choukou Senshi Changéríon, Video Warrior Laserion, Chōdenji Robo Combattler V, Chōdenji Machine Voltes V, Tōshō Daimos, Daltanius, Beast King GoLion, and Kikou Kantai Dairugger XV. The name is also used as a contributor to the soundtracks for the series. In the Unofficial Sentai Akibaranger series, Saburo Hatte is an actual person who is godlike within the fictional reality that the show takes place in. In fact, his hand appears at the end of the first half of the series to cover the camera lens and end the show, later having the second half be made under Malseena's influence while in the hospital in the real world.

Saburo Yatsude's name isn't inspired by Saburo/Hakaider.