Editing Bandai Namco Filmworks (section)

==History==
According to an interview with Sunrise members, the studio was founded by former members of [[Mushi Production]] in 1972 as Sunrise Studio. Rather than having anime production revolve around a single creator (like Mushi, headed by [[Osamu Tezuka]]), Sunrise decided that production should focus on the producers. The market for mainstream anime (such as manga adaptations, sports shows, and adaptations of popular children's stories) was already dominated by existing companies, so Sunrise decided to focus on robot (mecha) anime, known to be more difficult to animate but which could be used to sell toys.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/video/17634/#play-1|title=ANNtv Inside Sunrise|work=Anime News Network|date=17 May 2011|access-date=5 June 2016}}</ref>

Sunrise has been involved in many popular and acclaimed anime television series, including ''Mobile Suit Gundam'' (and its spin-offs and sequels since 1979), the ''[[Mashin Hero Wataru]]'' series (1988–1997), the ''[[Brave series|Brave]]'' (1990–1997) and ''[[Eldran series|Eldran]]'' series (1991–1993), both of which were co-produced with [[Tomy|Takara Tomy]], and the ''[[Crest of the Stars]]'' series (1999–2001). They produced the apocalyptic ''[[Space Runaway Ideon]]'' in 1980.

The company have co-produced a number of series with [[Toei Company]], including ''[[Majokko Tickle]]'' (1978), the ''[[Robot Romance Trilogy]]'' (''[[Chōdenji Robo Combattler V|Combattler V]]'' (1976), ''[[Chōdenji Machine Voltes V|Voltes V]]'' (1977), ''[[Tōshō Daimos]]'' (1978)), ''[[Mirai Robo Daltanious|Daltanious]]'' (1979), and ''[[Cyborg 009]]'' (1979). Sunrise is well known for their [[mecha]] anime series (including ''Gundam''), such as ''[[Invincible Steel Man Daitarn 3]]'' (1978), ''[[Fang of the Sun Dougram]]'' (1981), the ''Armored Trooper Votoms'' and ''[[Aura Battler Dunbine]]'' series (1983), ''[[Blue Comet SPT Layzner]]'' (1985), ''[[Patlabor: The TV Series|Patlabor]]'' (1989), ''[[The Vision of Escaflowne]]'' (1996), ''[[The Big O]]'' (1999/2003), ''[[Overman King Gainer]]'' (2002), ''[[Zegapain]]'' (2007), ''Code Geass'' (2006/2008), ''[[Tiger & Bunny]]'' (2011), and ''[[Valvrave the Liberator]]'' (2013), and worked with [[Tsuburaya Productions]] to animate ''[[The Ultraman]]'' (1979).

In February 1994, Sunrise Inc. became part of the Bandai Group.<ref name="SunHistory" />

On April 1, 2022, Bandai Namco Holdings adopted a new logo that had been initially revealed in October 2021, and with it, a major organization shuffle occurred, resulting in Sunrise subsuming the visual arts division of Bandai Namco Arts, which was dissolved that same day. Following this, the company has adopted the same logo as its parent, and adopted the name of '''Bandai Namco Filmworks'''.<ref name="restructuring">{{cite web|last=Hodgkins |first=Crystalyn|date=February 8, 2022|title=Bandai Namco Details Restructuring of Sunrise, Other IP Production Operations|website=[[Anime News Network]] |url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2022-02-08/bandai-namco-details-restructuring-of-sunrise-other-ip-production-operations/.182390|access-date=August 3, 2023}}</ref> Its music division, Sunrise Music, has similarly subsumed Bandai Namco Arts' music operations, including [[Lantis (company)|Lantis]], and changed its name to '''[[Bandai Namco Music Live]]'''.<ref>{{Cite web|title=サンライズが社名変更 4月から「バンダイナムコフィルムワークス」に|url=https://www.itmedia.co.jp/news/articles/2202/08/news119.html|access-date=2022-02-12|website=ITmedia NEWS|language=ja}}</ref> The Sunrise name has been kept as one of the major brands of the company as of August 2023.<ref>{{cite web |title=International|website=Sunrise Inc.|url=https://www.sunrise-inc.co.jp/international/|access-date=August 3, 2023}}</ref>

On March 1, 2024, Bandai Namco Filmworks announced the acquisition of anime studio [[Eight Bit (studio)|Eight Bit]], making it a wholly owned subsidiary.<ref>{{Cite web |date=March 1, 2024 |title=株式会社エイトビット 完全子会社化のお知らせ {{!}} 主力 IP のさらなる拡大と制作ライン拡充による継続的な IP 創出を促進 |url=https://img.sunrise-inc.co.jp/images/news/21315_6y91axwvzncr_pdf.pdf |access-date=March 1, 2024 |website=Bandai Namco Filmworks, Inc.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-03-01 |title=Bandai Namco Filmworks Makes Anime Studio 8-Bit Into Wholly Owned Subsidiary |url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2024-03-01/bandai-namco-filmworks-makes-anime-studio-8-bit-into-wholly-owned-subsidiary/.208190 |access-date=2024-03-01 |website=Anime News Network |language=en}}</ref>

On February 4, 2025, Bandai Namco Holdings USA announced the establishment of Bandai Namco Filmworks America to handle the company's licensing and brand management activities internationally, which will take effect on April 1st. The announcement coincided with the start of the co-financing and co-production of the ''Gundam'' film with [[Legendary Entertainment|Legendary Pictures]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2025-02-04/bandai-namco-holdings-usa-establishes-bandai-namco-filmworks-america-subsidiary/.220849|title=Bandai Namco Holdings USA Establishes Bandai Namco Filmworks America Subsidiary|date=2025-02-04|access-date=2025-02-05|first=Rafael|last=Antonio Pineda|work=Anime News Network}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://en.gundam.info/news/hot-topics/01_16574.html|title=LEGENDARY and Bandai Namco Filmworks Sign Agreement to Co-Finance First-Ever Live Action “Gundam” Film!|work=en.GUNDAM.info|date=2025-02-05|access-date=2025-02-05}}</ref>