MTK Inc.

General information

Key people

Masatoshi Takagi^[1]

Founded

April 1, 1966^[1]

Status

Active

Location

1918 Aridamakita-machi, Higashi-ku, Hamamatsu-shi, Shizuoka 431-3121, Japan (Headquarters)
Celcon Square, 2-1-7 Shinkawa, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0033, Japan (Tokyo Sales Office)^[1]

Service

Japan

Type

Business description:^[1]

Planning, production, and licensing of original characters and animation
TV commercials
TV programs
Movies
Promotional videos
Planning and production of visual images and design data for virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), games, amusement machines, etc., and all other operations incidental thereto

Products

Otomachi Una

Affiliation

Internet Co., Ltd.

Website

https://www.mtk-cg.co.jp/

We will continue to pursue "sincerity," "technical capabilities," and "fun."

Company profile^[1]

MTK Inc. (株式会社エム・ティー・ケー), formerly MITAKA Inc. (株式会社ミタカ),^[2] is an animation studio based in Shizuoka, Japan currently specializing in computer-generated (CG) visual effects (VFX) and motion graphics.

History[]

MTK Inc. was originally founded on April 1, 1966 by chairman Shuji Takagi (高木秀治) as a manufacturer of machined motorcycle parts and single-function machines under the name Mitaka Seisakusho Co. Ltd. (有限会社三高製作所). The company relocated its headquarters to its current location in Hanamatsu, Shizuoka in September 1980. The chairman's son, Masatoshi Takagi, later became the company's president; in June 1983, he started to develop computer-graphics (CG) programs in the BASIC language for the NEC PC-8801 family of home computers.^[3]

In April 1993, Masatoshi established the CG Division, MTK CG Production (エムティーケーCG事業部)^[4] or simply MTK (エム・ティー・ケー, by spelling out MiTaKa's consonants in English). It used Commodore AMIGA 2000 computers, the Video Toaster suite of video-editing equipment and software, and Betacam SP professional videotapes to produce CG movies for TV commercials and video productions. In July 1995, its commercial "Factory" received a honorable mention at the NEC Multimedia Grand Prix, and "Happa" won the Excellence Award in the Flying Logo category at the LightWave 3D Contest.^[3]^[5]

In July 1997, the company changed its legal name to MITAKA Inc., with Mitaka (三高) now spelled in katakana as ミタカ. In October 1999, Masatoshi Takagi was formally named as President and Representative Director of the company, a title that he still holds to this day. In November, a TV commercial for which MTK CG Production provided computer graphics was awarded the ACC Encouragement Award at the ACC All Japan CM Festival; more commercials using the company's CGs would win the ACC Encouragement Award (as well as the ACC Award) in subsequent editions of the same annual festival. In April 2002, Yesterday or Tomorrow (イエスタディオアトゥモロー), an animated work MTK co-produced with Locomotion Pictures, Ltd. (有限会社ロコモーションピクチャーズ), was shown at the Hiroshima International Animation Festival; in July, the same production, also known today as Chiffon's Forest (シフォンの森), won the Excellence Award in the CG category at the TBS Digicon Awards, and was later screened at the Kinder Film Festival. In March 2003, MTK exhibited its works at Tokyo Contents Market 2003, where the "Bakugan Kids Ryuichi & Kyohei" project was exhibited for the first time. In September, MTK screened its works at Tokyo International Gift Show, then in November it did the same at LicensingAsia2003. In April 2004, it exhibited at Tokyo International Anime Fair 2004.^[3]^[5] In October 2005, it exhibited at Tokyo Contents Market 2004; also, HD-CAM video equipment was adopted for the first time to support the production of high-definition video content. In December 2007, a new HD editing room was inaugurated on the 2nd floor of MTK's office.^[6]

On November 18, 2009, MITAKA Inc. legally rebranded to its current name of MTK Inc.; also, a new Tokyo Sales Office was inaugurated at 401 Promier Akihabara, 73 Kanda Neribe-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-0022, Japan, where MTK continued to "strive for greater customer satisfaction".^[7] This sales office was since later relocated from Akihabara to its current location at Celcon Square.^[1]