TAJ Productions

TAJ Productions Inc.
TAJ Logo.png
TAJ Productions logo
Founded Unknown
Headquarters New York, New York, USA
Type Private
Industry Recording studio
Website

United States: tajproductionsnyc.com (archived)

TAJ Productions was a production company and recording studio involved in the dubbing of the English version of the Pokémon anime. Its president was Larry Juris.

History

TAJ began as a music production company that fell into anime voice and post-production through making original music for projects done by various clients. Through the connections and friendships made via their work, the Pokémon anime found its way to the studio.

TAJ was the first dubbing company to work with 4Kids Entertainment in producing the English dub, and were responsible for several aspects of it such as casting, script adapting, voice recording and mixing. While the studio was not responsible for music, they worked alongside 4Kids staff on the Pokémon Christmas Bash album, with Larry Juris himself writing several songs for it.

From Season 1 of the Pokémon anime (Pokémon - I Choose You! to The Breeding Center Secret), the dub was recorded at Buttons Sound, an independent studio TAJ used before building their own facilities. According to Juris, TAJ was forced to drop Buttons when told not to work with them anymore, beginning with the second season. Starting in Season 2 (starting with Princess vs. Princess), TAJ used its own recording studio; the dub was produced at this location until late 2003, when 4Kids took production to its own in-house studio. The last season dubbed by TAJ was Season 5 (ending with You're a Star, Larvitar), although they also produced the dubs of the first two episodes of Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire (Get the Show on the Road and A Ruin With a View) because those episodes aired as previews in March 2003, several months before TAJ's final dubbed episode would air.

For the first five Pokémon movies, TAJ worked alongside various studios who were well-versed in major film mixing. TAJ worked on the first five films, their accompanying Pikachu shorts, and the Pikachu's Winter Vacations compilations.

Starting with the 2006 special, The Mastermind of Mirage Pokémon, TAJ resumed dubbing operations after 4Kids lost their license for dubbing and distribution. Their first episode was the first episode of Season 9, Fear Factor Phony.

On January 2, 2008, it was revealed by Larry Juris that TAJ Productions would no longer be working on the show, and that DuArt was taking over starting with the tenth movie. TAJ's last season was Season 10 (finishing with Smells Like Team Spirit!). Reflecting on TAJ's time working on the show, Juris has said that when they started it was "fun and meaningful", but when Pokémon became a global phenomenon, it turned into an entirely new job.

It has been reported that TAJ Productions closed down in early 2009, but Juris has said the company still produces and creates original music for various projects as of 2021.

English Projects

Buttons NY

TAJ Productions

Voice directors

External links


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