Mushi Production in the context of "Kimba the White Lion"

Astro Boy, known in Japan as Mighty Atom (Japanese: 鉄腕アトム, Hepburn: Tetsuwan Atomu; lit. 'Iron-Armed Atom'), is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Osamu Tezuka. It was serialized in Kobunsha's Shōnen from 1952 to 1968. The 112 chapters were collected in 23 tankōbon volumes by Akita Shoten. Dark Horse Comics published an English translation in 2002. The story follows the eponymous Astro Boy, an android young boy with human emotions who is created by scientist Umataro Tenma in the likeness of his son Tobio after the latter's death in an accident. Eventually, Astro is sold to a robot circus run by ringleader Hamegg, but is saved from his servitude by Professor Ochanomizu. Astro becomes a surrogate son to Ochanomizu who creates a robotic family for Astro and helps him to live a normal life like an average human boy, while accompanying him on his adventures.

The series has been adapted into three anime series produced respectively by the first incarnation of Mushi Production and its direct successor Tezuka Productions, with a fourth in development. The manga was originally adapted for television in 1963 as Astro Boy, the first popular Japanese animated television series, which pioneered and embodied the aesthetics that have characterized anime in general. After enjoying success abroad, Astro Boy was remade in the 1980s as New Mighty Atom, known as Astroboy in other countries, and again in 2003. In November 2007, the titular character was named Japan's envoy for overseas safety.

Princess Knight, also known as Ribon no Kishi, is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Osamu Tezuka. This manga follows the adventures of Sapphire, a girl who was born accidentally with the blue heart of a boy and the pink heart of a girl. She pretends to be a prince to prevent the evil Duke Duralumin from taking over the kingdom through his son, Plastic. The gender-bending main character was inspired by the all-female musical theater group Takarazuka Revue in which women performed both female and male roles.

The story was ordered by an editor of Kodansha's magazine Shōjo Club who wanted Tezuka to produce a manga aimed towards a female audience that could replicate the success of his former boy-aimed stories. The author then created Princess Knight, originally serialized in that magazine from 1953 to 1956. The manga's popularity resulted into a radio dramatization in 1955, three other serializations between 1958 and 1968, and a 52-episode television anime series by Mushi Production that aired on Fuji TV from 1967 to 1968. It has also influenced several stage musicals since the 1980s and inspired remakes of the work by other authors.

Kyoto Animation Co., Ltd. (Japanese: 株式会社京都アニメーション, Hepburn: Kabushiki-gaisha Kyōto Animēshon), often abbreviated KyoAni (京アニ, Kyōani), is a Japanese animation studio and light novel publisher located in Uji, Kyoto Prefecture. It was founded in 1981 by husband and wife Hideaki and Yoko Hatta, who remain its president and vice-president respectively, along with a number of Mushi Production staff members; although the present enterprise dates to July 12, 1985.

Kyoto Animation has produced anime films and series including The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (2006), Clannad (2007), K-On! (2009), Nichijou (2011), Free! (2013), Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions (2014), Sound! Euphonium (2015), A Silent Voice (2016), Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid (2017) and Violet Evergarden (2018).