History

Here is an overview of our group’s 90-year history, evolving with the times in line with the vision of our founders and executives.

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Prelude

Encounter with the Film Industry

In 1926, as Japan was recovering from the Great Kanto Earthquake, Tokutaro Nagase, the Managing Director of Nagase Shoten Company (the current Nagase & Co., Ltd.), began an importing business of raw film stocks.

By the early 1930s, when talkies were replacing silent films and the film industry was evolving, Tokutaro Nagase, with a clear vision of modernization in the film industry, embarked on a journey to establish a business of processing and printing films for theatrical releases. This service was started at the Far East Film Research Laboratory, in Uzumasa, Kyoto.

Tokutaro Nagase, Founder and the First President and Representative Director
Tokutaro Nagase, Founder and the First President and Representative Director
“A man should remain ambitious until his last day. Everyone will eventually die. Until my time comes, which could be any moment, I want to live my life without regrets.”

He envisioned Japan's first commercial film laboratory, equipped with an automatic film processing machine. In 1932, the Kyoto Lab was built in Uzumasa district by the Far East Film Research Laboratory with technical support from Eastman Kodak, with which Nagase Shoten Company had traded during that time.

Kyoto Lab (Uzumasa, Kyoto).
Kyoto Lab (Uzumasa, Kyoto).

This is how our corporate history began, with just eight people at the Far East Film Research Laboratory.

Kyoto Lab’s 1st automatic film processing machine.
Kyoto Lab’s 1st automatic film processing machine.
A solution chamber. Water was heated by steam in a vessel.  Chemicals were then added and melted by stirring with a paddle.
A solution chamber. Water was heated by steam in a vessel. Chemicals were then added and melted by stirring with a paddle.
1935

1935 to 1949

Establishment of Commercial Film Laboratory

Technology advanced alongside the film industry

In the early 1930s, movies came into Japan as a new form of popular entertainment and quickly became an integral part of people’s lives. With the addition of foreign movies, the golden age of movies began.

As the demand for film processing grew, a plan was made to build a film laboratory in Yokohama. This location was selected for its convenience in customs clearance of foreign movies and its closeness to Tokyo. The plan presented an opportunity to make the Far East Film Research Laboratory independent from the Nagase Shoten Company and on February 18, 1935, Far East Laboratory, Ltd. (Kyokuto Genzosho in Japanese) was founded Tokutaro Nagase became its first President and Representative Director.

Yokohama Lab was completed in 1936.
Yokohama Lab was completed in 1936.
Far East Laboratory’s company signboard.
Far East Laboratory’s company signboard.
“Far East” in the company name refers to East Asian countries, including Japan, signifying the founder's pride in being the region's premier commercial lab.

In founding the new company, Tokutaro Nagase visited film laboratories in the United States and discovered that major film laboratories possessed the technology to construct their own film processing machines. He realized, “We also need in-house development and manufacturing technologies.” He transformed his conviction into reality by producing a film processing machine in-house and installing it in the Yokohama laboratory in 1936. The film processing machine was developed with an unwavering commitment to quality, continually testing and improving without compromise.

Eventually, the Sino-Japanese War broke out, and the prolonged war limited imports of foreign movies. While coping with the shortages of materials needed for film processing, especially the difficulty of importing film stocks, the challenges of meeting the processing needs were met by securing staff in Yokohama and Kyoto laboratories one way or another.

After the breakout of the Pacific War, the company's name was changed from Far East Laboratory (Kyokuto Genzosho) to Far East Laboratories, Ltd. (Toyo Genzosho) in 1942.

The motto in those was to “deliver on time no matter what,” with an ironclad rule to “be accurate and quick.”
The motto in those was to “deliver on time no matter what,” with an ironclad rule to “be accurate and quick.”

When the war ended, Tokutaro Nagase assembled the employees and said, “It was a long war, but now it will be the time for peace-time industries. That means our time will come. We will continue to refine the skills and technologies we have accumulated. We might struggle for a while, but do you know what? It will not be just about hardships. If we work together to overcome this challenge, we can pave the way for the future.”

Processing machines were manufactured by overcoming material shortages with creative ingenuity.
Processing machines were manufactured by overcoming material shortages with creative ingenuity.

Following that, a decision was made to extend the business from Yokohama to Tokyo. Preparations were accelerated for the establishment of a new laboratory in Shinagawa (Gotanda), Tokyo, to solidify the business. This was during the period just before the dawn of the color era.

1950

1950 to 1969

Golden Age of Film and the Diversification of Moving Images

Advanced color and film processing technologies fueled fascination with moving images

The Gotanda Lab construction site (completed in 1951).
The Gotanda Lab construction site (completed in 1951).
The company handled the film processing for Rashomon (Akira Kurosawa, 1950), which won the Golden Lion for Best Film at the 12th Venice International Film Festival in 1951.
The company handled the film processing for Rashomon (Akira Kurosawa, 1950), which won the Golden Lion for Best Film at the 12th Venice International Film Festival in 1951.
©KADOKAWA CORPORATION 1950

The 1950s was the heyday of film processing in Japan. When the Gotanda laboratory (which changed its name to Tokyo laboratory in 1956), orders for theatrical movies in addition to foreign newsreels were gradually increasing in line with post-war restoration.

During this time, full-scale research on “color processing” began, based on information about innovative technologies overseas. The engineers and employees were determined to “accomplish the mission at all costs” despite the potential demand still being unknown. They performed the tests repeatedly and thoroughly to improve the company’s film processing capabilities.

As a result, the company received recognition for its film processing of Gate to Hell (DAIEI Co., Ltd.), the first movie shot using Eastman Color Negative film, which won the Grand Prize at the 7th Cannes International Film Festival in 1954. The company has also earned the Theatrical Film Processing award at the 7th Japan Film Technology Awards.

The company handled the film processing for Gate of Hell, adapted and directed by Teinosuke Kinugasa in 1953.
The company handled the film processing for Gate of Hell, adapted and directed by Teinosuke Kinugasa in 1953. It was highly regarded internationally for its carefully calculated color effects achieved with Eastman color film and the distinctive Japanese sense of color. (A digitally restored version of Gate of Hell is now available on Blu-ray.)
©KADOKAWA CORPORATION 1953

As more movies were made in color, the screens became wider and bigger, and television broadcasts shifted from black and white to color. The technologies obtained from film processing were utilized to develop and implement the necessary technology to broadcast movies on TV.

The company handled the film processing for ASTROBOY, an animated TV series aired in 1963, written and directed by Osamu Tezuka and produced by Mushi Production.

The company handled the film processing for ASTROBOY, an animated TV series aired in 1963, written and directed by Osamu Tezuka and produced by Mushi Production. At that time, TV animations were broadcast in black and white.
(C)TEZUKA PRODUCTIONS

In 1965, the high economic growth and the Tokyo Olympic Games surged the domestic television diffusion rate to 90%. The colorization of TV commercials accelerated, and printing orders for TV commercials significantly increased at Yokohama and other laboratories. On the other hand, the number of movie theaters gradually decreased. In response to the changing landscape, a new business development plan was created with the understanding that “our way forward is to collaborate closely with the television and photography industries, as well as the film industry.”

The company launched a photography business that utilizes color film processing technology for movies.
The company launched a photography business that utilizes color film processing technology for movies.
A thorough analysis of chemical solutions was one of the company’s steady efforts to uphold high-quality standards alongside film processing technology.
A thorough analysis of chemical solutions was one of the company’s steady efforts to uphold high-quality standards alongside film processing technology.
1970

1970 to 1989

New Era of Moving Images with Video and Digital Technologies

New moving image expressions challenged with technological expertise

In 1970, the year of the Japan World Exposition in Osaka (Osaka Expo), the company celebrated its 35th Anniversary. In the anniversary ceremony, Tokutaro Nagase said, “As we operate in the business of processing a variety of media sources, we must evolve and engage with the broader media and entertainment industry beyond just film.

A committee was formed to explore ways to enter the video industry, with a vision for future business development. The following year, the committee members, including the Director in charge of this endeavor and engineers, went to the United States to survey the trends of the time.

After listening to the report about the scale and number of post-production houses in the United States and learning about the special image compositing technology as a new form of expression in moving images, Tokutaro Nagase said, “To this day, we have developed technologies across various fields and have played an instrumental role as a leading company. A pioneer embraces risks.” A decision was made to take on the challenge to enter the video industry.

A post-production service began at the Tokyo laboratory, followed by the Shinagawa Video Center in Shinagawa, Tokyo, and the business subsequently grew.

Tokyo Lab’s video editing room.
Tokyo Lab’s video editing room.

In 1982, Toyo Links Corporation was established jointly with the Department of Electronic Engineering of Osaka University to conduct full-fledged research and development on three-dimensional computer graphics (3DCG) technology and moving image production using high-definition television technology, which was achieved earlier by NHK (Nippon Broadcasting Corporation). Toyo Links Corporation grew into an organization that fostered the initial stages of CG productions in Japan.

Ever since the company’s name was changed to Far East Laboratories, Ltd. (Toyo Genzosho), the business had successfully expanded for over half a century. Still, the moving image industry landscape was about to take another turn, with videos replacing film as the primary recording media. Keenly aware of this critical moment, the management team began taking proactive measures such as creating a corporate philosophy and renaming the company.

Accordingly, IMAGICA Corp. was established in January 1986. IMAGICA was coined from the Latin feminine adjective imaginica, meaning “image”. The company name reflects its dedication to “contributing to society and culture by enhancing the communicative potential of moving images, as their role in contemporary society continues to expand endlessly."

The new Tokyo Motion Picture Center in Gotanda, Shinagawa, Tokyo, was completed in 1989.
The new Tokyo Motion Picture Center in Gotanda, Shinagawa, Tokyo, was completed in 1989.

The company established a research and development function to manage digitization across its various businesses and began taking measures to strengthen its technological development structure with a long-term vision. To stay ahead of the high-definition television age, technological research and the implementation of enormous high-definition displays commenced in the latter half of the 1980s, and the company started participating in numerous projects.

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1990

1990 to 2004

Business Diversification

Depart from and diversify film processing

In 1992, a handbook entitled IMAGICA Corporate Philosophy was distributed to all employees to further encourage company-wide reforms and thoroughly transform mindsets.

The corporate philosophy was rooted in a Japanese phrase “datsu-genzo kaku-genzo,” which translates to “depart from film processing, diversify film processing.” It embodied management’s determination to tackle the challenges of new businesses alongside existing ones. Additionally, this philosophy demonstrated the company’s commitment to implementing organizational reforms for the future of moving image industry, which was expected to undergo significant changes.

Cover of IMAGICA Corporate Philosophy (1992).
Cover of IMAGICA Corporate Philosophy (1992).

In the television sector, the company installed Japan’s first machinery to enable digitization and non-linearization (*1) of post-production services, positioning the company to become a potential leader in the moving image industry. To meet the increased TV commercial orders, high-quality synthesizing and editing systems compatible with film facilities were readily installed. In addition to focusing on machinery, this period saw the establishment of more operation bases in Akasaka, Ginza, and Azabujuban.
(*1: A technique that treats moving images and audio as digitized data and allows edits to be made freely on a computer.)

In the movie sector, mass print orders had exploded since the introduction of cinema complexes in 1993. At the same time, a fully digitized post-production process of movies was developed to ride the digitization wave.

In 2000, the development of technical services for digital cinema began, and Japan’s first digital mastering (*2) was carried out. The company handled the digital mastering of Spirited Away, a film Original Story and Screenplay written, scripted, and directed by Hayao Miyazaki and released in 2001.
(*2: A process of converting film into a digital format and optimizing it to show the movie in theaters.)

The company handled the digital mastering of Spirited Away (Toho 2001). Hayao Miyazaki of Studio Ghibli wrote the original story, scripted, and directed the movie.
The company handled the digital mastering of Spirited Away (Toho 2001). Hayao Miyazaki of Studio Ghibli wrote the original story and screenplay, and directed the movie.
© 2001 Hayao Miyazaki/Studio Ghibli, NDDTM

On entering new businesses, the company proactively embraced challenges across various areas of moving image production, from "upstream to downstream," guided by the corporate philosophy, “depart from film processing, diversify film processing. In 1992, convinced that sophisticated applied technology would become the new hallmark of competitiveness, the company welcomed into its group PHOTRON LIMITED, a firm with extensive experience in the in-house development of high-speed cameras, including manufacturing and selling.

The company began the satellite broadcasting business by launching a movie channel, Cinefil Imagica, in 1996 and Japan's first TV movie channel specializing in food,Shoku Channel, in 1997.

Photron’s high-speed camera, the FASTCAM-Ultima, boasted the world’s highest frame rate when it was released in 1992.
Photron’s high-speed camera, the FASTCAM-Ultima, boasted the world’s highest frame rate when it was released in 1992.
©2017 WOWOW PLUS INC. All Rights Reserved.
©2017 WOWOW PLUS INC. All Rights Reserved.

The company also focused on the significance of “people” and their “creativity” in moving image production. Since 2002, various companies operating in the “upstream” began joining the group.

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2005

2005 to 2024

Group Management Structure for New Businesses

Advanced technology implemented to create new value in moving images

In 2006, Imagica integrated its management with a movie and advertising production company ROBOT COMMUNICATIONS INC. The newly formed Imagica Robot Group enabled the service from planning and production to distribution of moving images. This was when the group management structure began to grow rapidly.

In 2007, Imagica Robot Holdings Inc., a pure holding company, began preparing to list itself on the stock market. In 2011, the company was listed on the JASDAQ market, and in 2014, it was listed on the 1st Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange (which transferred to the Prime Market in 2022). In 2015, the group earnestly began expanding its business overseas while it also expanded into animation production domestically.

The Group’s Corporate philosophy in the days of Imagica Robot Group.
The Group’s Corporate philosophy in the days of Imagica Robot Group.
Corporate ad, when listed in Section 1, Tokyo Stock Exchange in 2014.
Corporate ad, when listed in Section 1, Tokyo Stock Exchange in 2014.

In 2016, the group’s business leveraging IoT, AI, and other advanced technologies expanded. Ongoing research and development addressed the challenges posed by advancements in moving image technology.

In 2017, the Advanced Research Group (ARG) was established. ARG is a groupwide research and development organization that works with the R&D departments of each group company. It also collaborates on open innovation projects with domestic and international colleges and universities.

As a result of research and development, a product of a real-time, memoryless high-speed camera was later marketed as the INFINICAM UC-1, produced by Photron.
As a result of research and development, a product of a real-time, memoryless high-speed camera was later marketed as the INFINICAM UC-1, produced by Photron.

In 2018, a branding reform was implemented across the group to enhance its domestic and global management. The name “IMAGICA GROUP” was selected to collectively stand for all the companies in the group.
IMAGICA embodies the group’s vision of “contributing to the world through moving images.”

And now the present.
The IMAGICA GROUP has grown into a global one-stop provider of services and products related to moving images, serving its customers in fields ranging from entertainment to industry while continuing to offer its core film services. The group has taken the challenges in acquiring intellectual IP and has created popular works such as The Apothecary Diaries and ODDTAX.

The Apothecary Diaries
The Apothecary Diaries
©Hyuganatsu. Imagica Infos
Illustration: Touko Shino
Animation of The Apothecary Diaries
Animation of The Apothecary Diaries
©Hyuganatsu. Imagica Infos, ”TheApothecaryDiaries”Project

Additionally, the group has created entertainment utilizing innovative technologies such as extended reality (XR) and digital twins. Another initiative has been to streamline animation production procedures using AI. In the industrial field, the group has been offering high-speed cameras equipped with unique visual sensors and maintenance services to automobile companies and others worldwide.

TOKYO STATION VISION
TOKYO STATION VISION
One of the largest 3D projection mapping events in Japan, celebrating the completion of the restoration and preservation of theTokyo Station Marunouchi Honya (Main Building).
(Video produced by P.I.C.S.)
© East Japan Railway Company / NHK Enterprises
MUUUSE: MUSIC MUSEUM—Feel the sounds and listen to the lights. The body reflects.
MUUUSE: MUSIC MUSEUM—Feel the sounds and listen to the lights. The body reflects.
Held at TOKYO NODE, this exhibition created a museum where visitors could fully immerse themselves in music and experience new sensations.
(The exhibition was planned and produced by IMAGICA EEX)
Photo by Miki Anzai
The Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Chiba University, and OLM Digital jointly researched AI-powered automatic colorization, developing a system that allows AI to learn from even a small amount of data.
The Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Chiba University, and OLM Digital jointly researched AI-powered automatic colorization, developing a system that allows AI to learn from even a small amount of data.
Photoron’s high-speed camera captures a moment from a crash test.
Photoron’s high-speed camera captures a moment from a crash test.
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202

Centennial and Beyond

Since the company was founded in 1935, we have served our customers across various sectors, from entertainment to industry, with a wide range of services related to moving images.

In these nine decades, we have embraced new challenges flexibly adapting to changing times and pursuing the most advanced technology.

While new engagements will present various issues, our mission is to continue addressing these challenges with a focus on the future rather than merely chasing the changes of time.

We will continue our journey, unlocking creative potential, as we build on our expertise, imagination, quality, and the trust of our customers.

Empowering Creativity for 90 Years.
Embracing Challenges Ahead.