TAJ Productions: Difference between revisions

TAJ Productions

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 who 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 original 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 wasn't responsible for music, they worked alongside 4Kids staff on the Pokémon Christmas Bash album, with Larry Juris himself writing several songs for it.

From 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 with Riddle Me This*, TAJ was using its own recording studio where the dub was produced until late 2003, when 4Kids took production to its own in-house studio. Their last original episode was You're a Star, Larvitar, however they did dub Get the Show on the Road and A Ruin With a View, as they 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 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 episode was 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's said 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.

Voice directors

• Michael Haigney (EP001-EP126, Mewtwo Returns, PK01, PK04-PK07, Pichu Bros. in Party Panic, Pokémon Channel)
• Jim Malone (EP001-EP209, M04, PK05-PK06, PK10-PK11)
• Anthony Salerno (EP018, EP052-EP053, EP058-EP126, EP169-EP174, M05, Mewtwo Returns)
• Jason Bergenfeld (EP117-EP262, AG001-AG002, M01-M03, PK02-PK03, The Uncut Story of Mewtwo's Origin, Mewtwo Returns)
• Eric Stuart (EP127-EP206, EP210-EP262, Pichu Bros. in Party Panic, Pokémon Channel)
• Ted Lewis (EP210-EP262)
• Armen Mazlumian (AG146-DP052, M09, The Mastermind of Mirage Pokémon, Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Team Go-Getters Out of the Gate!, Pokémon Learning League, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Pokémon Battle Revolution)

External links

• TAJ Productions home page (Nov. 1, 2008)

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