Marza Animation Planet Inc.
Subsidiary
Native name株式会社マーザ・アニメーションプラネット
Romanized nameKabushiki gaisha Māza Animēshonpuranetto
Former name
  • Sega VE Animation Studio (2005–2009)
  • Sega Sammy Visual Entertainment (2009–2010)[1]
FoundedJanuary 21, 2005 (age 21)
Hq location cityShinagawa, Tokyo
Hq location countryJapan
ParentSega
Key peopleYukio Sugino (chairman of the board)
Akira Sugano (president & representative director)
IndustryAnimation
Num employees150
DivisionsMarza Animation Planet USA Inc.
Websitemarza.com/en

Marza Animation Planet Inc. (株式会社マーザ・アニメーションプラネット, Kabushiki gaisha Māza Animēshonpuranetto) is a Japanese animation studio that specializes in producing computer-animated sequences for television series and video games. Their head office is located on the 18th floor of the Tennoz Ocean Square (天王洲オーシャンスクエア, Tennōzu Ōshan Sukuea) in Higashi-Shinagawa, Shinagawa, Tokyo, near Tennozu Isle Station.[2]

The company was formed through Sega spinning off its CGI division, and is best known for making the cutscenes for the Sonic the Hedgehog games. Marza Animation Planet is also known for producing the Sonic the Hedgehog film series (2020–present) and Chi's Sweet Adventure.

Animation Technology

Marza Animation Planet has presented internal production tools at SIGGRAPH and SIGGRAPH Asia. In 2023, Marza presented the studio's Time Filter system, an animation timing tool designed to give computer animation 2D-style timing control.[3][4] In 2025, ShapeMeshing, a Marza-developed procedural framework for converting 2D animated drawings into sculpted 3D meshes, was presented at SIGGRAPH Asia 2025.[5][6]

Films

YearTitleDirectorCo-produced withDistributor
2013Space Pirate Captain Harlock[7]Shinji AramakiToei AnimationToei Company
2016Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XVTakeshi NozueVisual WorksAniplex
2017Resident Evil: Vendetta[8]Takanori TsujimotoCapcom[9]Kadokawa (Japan)
Sony Pictures Entertainment
2019Lupin III: The First [10]Takashi YamazakiTMS EntertainmentToho
2020Sonic the Hedgehog[11]Jeff FowlerOriginal Film
Blur Studio
Sega		Paramount Pictures
2022Sonic the Hedgehog 2[12][13]
2024Sonic the Hedgehog 3[14]
2025Tabekko Dobutsu[15]Hitoshi Takekiyo[16]Klockworx Co., Ltd.[17] and TBS TVKlockworx Co., Ltd. and TBS TV

Short films

  • Sonic: Night of the Werehog (2008)
  • GAMERA (2015) (In association with Omnibus Japan and Kadokawa.)[a][18]
  • The Gift (2016) (Created using Unity)[19]
  • The Peak (2019) (Created using Unity)[20]
  • Sonic Drone Home (2022)
  • Samurai Frog Golf (2022)[21]
  • Ghost Tale (2023) [22]
  • Robodog (discontinued project)

Video game cutscenes

Other

Notes

  1. ^ Made in conmemoration of the 50th anniversary of the franchise.

References

  1. ^ "Sega Sammy Launches CG Animation Studio in Japan (Updated)". Anime News Network. January 5, 2010. Archived December 22, 2017 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved December 21, 2017.
  2. ^ "ABOUT". MARZA ANIMATION PLANET. December 20, 2017. Archived February 3, 2019 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
  3. ^ "Advanced Animation Timing for CG". Marza Animation Planet. Retrieved May 14, 2026.
  4. ^ "Advanced Time Manipulation for Animators and Effects Artists". ACM Digital Library. Retrieved May 14, 2026.
  5. ^ "MARZA staff presents at SIGGRAPH Asia 2025!". Marza Animation Planet. December 18, 2025. Retrieved May 14, 2026.
  6. ^ "Design-guided Procedural Conversion of 2D animation to 3D". ACM Digital Library. Retrieved May 14, 2026.
  7. ^ Loo, Egan (May 9, 2013). "Harlock's Marza Animation Planet Prepares Robodog CG Film". Anime News Network. Archived April 21, 2019 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved April 20, 2019.
  8. ^ "[MOVIE] 'RESIDENT EVIL' will be CG'd by a SEGA company behind SPACE PIRATE: CAPTAIN HARLOCK". MARZA ANIMATION PLANET. October 15, 2015. Archived February 23, 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved December 21, 2017.
  9. ^ "Marza Animation Planet names the next RESIDENT EVIL CGI movie". Marza Animation Planet. March 25, 2015. Archived February 23, 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved December 21, 2017.
  10. ^ "LUPIN THE 3rd: THE FIRST Comes to the Big Screens as a CG Animated Film!". Marza. July 31, 2019. Archived August 11, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
  11. ^ "Sonic the Hedgehog Feature Film". Marza. February 23, 2018. Archived August 11, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
  12. ^ Kroll, Justin (May 28, 2020). "'Sonic the Hedgehog' Sequel in the Works (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Archived May 29, 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 28, 2020.
  13. ^ Fuster, Jeremy (July 23, 2020). "'Sonic the Hedgehog 2' Gets April 2022 Release Date". TheWrap. Archived July 24, 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
  14. ^ Grobar, Matt (August 8, 2022). "Paramount Sets 'Sonic The Hedgehog 3' Release, Pushes Date For Smurfs Animated Musical". Deadline Hollywood. Archived August 9, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved August 8, 2022.
  15. ^ "Official Press Release". Marza Animation Planet. Retrieved 2026-04-30.
  16. ^ "たべっ子どうぶつ THE MOVIE". Tabekko Movie Official Site. Retrieved 2026-04-30.
  17. ^ "たべっ子どうぶつ THE MOVIE" (in Japanese). The Klockworx. Retrieved 2026-04-27.
  18. ^ "『GAMERA』石井克人監督 インタビュー（続報）最新のVFX技法を取り入れ、" 新世代の特撮"を実現させる" (in Japanese). CG・映像の専門情報サイト | CGWORLD.jp. Retrieved 2025-02-03.
  19. ^ "マーザ・アニメーションプラネットが贈る全編Unity映像『THE GIFT』を「Unite 2016 Tokyo」で初披露＆解説 | 特集 | CGWORLD.jp" (in ja-JP). April 13, 2016. Archived August 28, 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved August 28, 2016.
  20. ^ "映像制作はUnityでさらなる高みへ メイキング オブ next "Gift " | 特集 | slideshare.net" (in ja-JP). October 31, 2019. Archived August 29, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved October 31, 2019.
  21. ^ Zahed, Ramin (10 August 2022). "'Samurai Frog Golf' at SIGGRAPH". Animation Magazine. Archived 29 September 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
  22. ^ Planet, M. A. (October 31, 2023). ""Ghost tale" marza オリジナルアニメーション.". – via YouTube.
  23. ^ "マリオ&ソニック AT 東京2020オリンピック™ - Marza（Japanese)" (in Japanese). Marza（Japanese). 2019-11-18. Retrieved 2026-04-30.
  24. ^ "Sonic Frontiers | MARZA ANIMATION PLANET" (in ja-JP). November 18, 2022. Archived November 17, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved November 18, 2022.
  25. ^ Robson, Daniel (1 October 2014). "If You Don't Go See Virtual Pop Star Hatsune Miku in Concert, You're Insane". Vice
  26. ^ "ペーパーマリオ オリガミキング" (in ja-JP). December 4, 2024. Archived December 4, 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
  27. ^ "ペーパーマリオRPG" (in ja-JP). May 23, 2024. Archived May 23, 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 23, 2024.