Toei Company

Toei Company, Ltd.
Native name
東映株式会社
Tōei Kabushiki-gaisha
Formerly
  • Tōkyō Eiga Haikyū (1949–1951)
Company typePublic
TYO: 9605
IndustryFilm and television
Video games
PredecessorToyoko Eiga Company
Ōizumi Films
FoundedOctober 1, 1949; 75 years ago (1949-10-01) (as Tōkyō Eiga)
FounderKeita Goto
Headquarters2-17 Ginza 3-chome,
Chūō, Tokyo
,
Japan
Area served
Worldwide, with a focus in Japan
Key people
  • Noriyuki Tada (chairman)
  • Fumio Yoshimura (president and CEO)
ProductsMotion pictures, publicity materials
ServicesFilm and TV distribution and marketing
Revenue¥ 66,300,000,000 (As of March 2006)
Number of employees
343 (As of March 1, 2019)
Subsidiaries
  • Toei Video
  • Toei Animation
  • Toei Advartising
  • Toei Studios Kyoto
  • Toei TV Production
  • Toei CM
  • Toei Labo Tech
  • San-ei Printing
  • T-Joy
  • Toei Hotel Chain
  • Toei Kenko
  • TV Asahi Holdings (8.09%)
Websitewww.toei.co.jp/en/ Edit this at Wikidata
Footnotes / references
[1][2]

Toei Company, Ltd. (東映株式会社, Tōei Kabushiki-gaisha, an acronym for Tōkyō Eiga Haikyū (東京映画配給) lit. 'Tokyo Film Distribution'; /ˈtoʊ.eɪ/), simply known as Toei Company or Toei, is a Japanese entertainment company. Headquartered in Ginza, Chūō, Tokyo, it is involved in film and television production, distribution, video game development, publishing, and ownership of 34 movie theaters. Toei also owns and operates studios in Tokyo and Kyoto and holds shares in several television companies. The company is renowned for its production of anime and live-action dramas known as tokusatsu, which incorporate special visual effects. It is also known for producing period dramas. Toei is the majority shareholder of Toei Animation and is recognized for its franchises such as Kamen Rider and Super Sentai.

Toei is one of the four members of the Motion Picture Producers Association of Japan (MPPAJ 日本映画製作者連盟), and is therefore one of Japan's Big Four film studios, alongside Kadokawa Daiei Studio, Shochiku and Toho.

History

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Toei is a pioneer in the use of "Henshin"/"character transformation" in live-action martial-arts dramas, a technique developed for the Kamen Rider, Metal Hero and Super Sentai series; the genre currently continues with Kamen Rider and Super Sentai.[3][4]

Toei's predecessor, the Toyoko Eiga Company, Ltd. (東横映画, Tō-Yoko Eiga, "Toyoko Films"), was incorporated in 1938. It was founded by Keita Goto, CEO of Tokyo-Yokohama Electric Railway [ja], the direct predecessor to the Tokyu Corporation. It had erected its facilities immediately east of the Tōkyū Tōyoko Line; they managed the prewar Tōkyū Shibuya Yokohama studio system. From 1945 through the Toei merger, Tokyo-Yokohama Films leased from the Daiei Motion Picture Company a second studio in Kyoto.

On October 1, 1950, the Tokyo Film Distribution Company was incorporated as a subsidiary of Toyoko Eiga; in 1951 the company purchased Ōizumi Films. The current iteration of Toei was established on April 1, 1951 with Hiroshi Okawa as the first president. Through the merger, they gained the combined talents and experience of actors Chiezō Kataoka, Utaemon Ichikawa, Ryunosuke Tsukigata, Ryūtarō Ōtomo, Kinnosuke Nakamura, Chiyonosuke Azuma, Shirunosuke Toshin, Hashizo Okawa, and Satomi Oka.[4]

In 1955, Toei purchases the Kyoto studio from Daiei.[5] In 1956, Toei establishes an animation division, Toei Animation Company, Limited at the former Tokyo-Ōizumi animation studio, purchasing the assets of Japan Animated Films (日本動画映画, Nihon Dōga Eiga, often shortened to 日動映画 (Nichidō Eiga)).

Toei also bid on a license to start an education-focused TV station in 1956, which resulted in their part-ownership of Nippon Educational Television Co., now known as TV Asahi.[6]

Shigeru Okada becomes the president & chief executive officer of Toei in 1971 and oversaw the adoptions of Toei's new business venture distributing foreign films in Japan in 1972.[5][4]

In 1975, Toei opens the Toei Kyoto Studio Park. Toei Kyoto Studio's history reaches back to 1926 when Bando Tsumasaburo first developed a studio in what is now Uzumasa. Mitsuo Makino took over the property following the war in partnership with Toyoko Eiga and was absorbed along with Toyoko during Toei's merger.[5][7]

Shigeru Okada becames chairperson as Tan Takaiwa succeeds him as president & chief executive officer in 1993, establishing Toei Satellite TV Co., Ltd. and creates Toei Channel in 1998.[4]

Asahi National Broadcasting Co., Ltd. (currently TV Asahi Holdings Corporation) is listed on the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange in 2000, as shares of Toei Animation Co., Ltd. are listed on the over-the-counter market of the Japan Securities Dealers Association.[4]

In 2011, Shigeru Okada, then chairperson emeritus, passes away, as Yusuke Okada and Noriyuki Tada become chairperson and president & chief executive officer of Toei in 2014.[4]

Osamu Tezuka (no relation to the animator of the same name who also directed films with Toei) became president and chief executive officer of Toei in 2020, as Noriyuki Tada succeeds Okada as chairperson and Toei celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Kamen Rider Series. Tezuka undertakes major structural reorganization in 2022 before passing in 2023, when Fumio Yoshimura became Toei's 7th president & chief executive officer.[8][9]

Branding

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The rocks at Cape Inubō seen at in the title card.

The characters that make up Toei (東映, Tōei, "East Reflection") are the result of a portmanteau of Toei predecessor "Toyoko Eiga", and first seen in Toyoko Eiga's logo of a stylized triangle with the characters of 東 and 映 near the top. The logo was carried over by Toei following its merger of Toyoko and Ōizumi in 1951.

A black & white version of Toei's now iconic Wild Waves and Rocks (荒磯に波) opening credit was first used in 1954 on the Utaemon Ichikawa classic, The Idle Vassal: House of the Mysterious Phantom. It would be first seen in color in 1961 and has since been reshot with several iterations of the same rocks in the 70 years since it was first used.[3][10]

The image features the Toei logo superimposed over a scene from Cape Inubō in Chiba, of three rocks in the surf beyond the beach as waves crash over the rocks. It has been seen in front of most live-action film & television produced and distributed by Toei, such as Street Fighter, Battle Royale, and Power Rangers, as well as in a handful of animated films such as Dragon Ball and Evangelion as well.[11]

Its dynamic image, as opposed to the mostly static logos of its competitors has helped make Toei's logo one of the most recognizable Japanese film company logo around the world.[11]

Film & television

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Toei films

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Toei started producing films in 1953. This list compiles the films by their original release date, their common English titles and Japanese titles. The Japanese titles are not necessarily direct translations of their English counterparts.

For feature films, Toei established itself as a producer of B-movies, that were made to fit into double bills and triple bills.[12][13] It is predominantly known in the west for its series of action films and television series.[13]

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.
Release date English film title Original title Notes Ref(s)
1953 The Sun Nichirin Toei’s first all-color film released. [3]
1954 The Idle Vassal: House of the Mysterious Phantom Hatamoto Taikutsuotoko First use of the iconic Toei "Wild Waves and Rocks" title card [3]
February 27, 1955 Bloody Spear at Mount Fuji Chiyari Fuji Recognized as one of actor Chiezō Kataoka finest roles [14]
March 19, 1959 A Story of Pure Love Jun'ai Monogatari Tadashi Imai won the Silver Bear for Best Director at the 8th Berlin International Film Festival [15]
August 14, 1960 Alakazam the Great Saiyu-ki First film adaptation of a Osamu Tezuka manga. Although credited as director, most of the direction was done by Yabushita Taiji. Also one of the earliest Toei anime films to be released in the United States. [16]
June 9, 1961 Drifting Detective: Tragedy in the Red Valley Fūraibō tantei: akai tani no sangeki First starring role for Sonny Chiba [17]
July 19, 1961 Invasion of the Neptune Men Uchu kaizoku-sen [18]
April 28, 1963 Bushido, Samurai Saga Bushidō zankoku monogatari Won the Golden Bear at the 13th Berlin International Film Festival [19]
July 31, 1963 League of Gangsters Gyangu Dōmei Ryōhei Uchida's first starring role [20]
April 18, 1965 Abashiri Prison Abashiri Bangaichi A remake of the 1958 American film The Defiant Ones, Abashiri Prison starred Ken Takakura and became a popular franchise running for a total of 17 films. [21]
March 5, 1966 The Magic Serpent Kai tatsu daikessen [22]
July 1, 1966 Terror Beneath the Sea Kaitei Daisensō U.S./ Japanese co-production
August 13, 1967 Yongary, Monster from the Deep Dai koesu Yongkari South Korean/Japanese co-production [23][24]
December 1, 1968 The Green Slime Gamma sango uchu dai sakusen U.S./ Japanese co-production [25][26]
1969 Horrors of Malformed Men Kyofu kikei ningen [27]
1970 Voyage Into Space Giant Robo (Johnny Sokko and his Flying Robot)[28] Episodes of the Japanese TV series re-edited into a TV movie for U.S. release [29]
September 23, 1970 Tora! Tora! Tora! Tora! Tora! Tora! An international co-production with Twentieth Century Fox, the film featured an international cast and sought to present a balanced account of the attack on Pearl Harbor for both sides. It was praised for its historical accuracy and was nominated for five Oscars at the 43rd Academy Awards. [30]
1970 Venus Flytrap Akuma no Niwa Based on a 1950s unproduced screenplay by Ed Wood. Later released on video as Revenge of Dr. X. [31]
March 12, 1972 Under the Flag of the Rising Sun Gunki Hatameku Moto ni Submitted by Japan as their entry for the Best Foreign Language Film, but was not selected [32]
August 25, 1972 Female Prisoner 701: Scorpion First of a series of 4 Female Convict Scorpion film franchise [33][34]
January 13, 1973 Battles Without Honor and Humanity Jingi Naki Tatakai The first in a five-film series based on articles by journalist Kōichi Iiboshi, eventually became an 11 film franchise most recently rebooted in 2000. [35]
February 2, 1974 The Street Fighter Gekitotsu Satsujinken starred Sonny Chiba; spawned 2 sequels, Return of the Street Fighter and Street Fighter's Last Revenge [31]
December 28, 1974 New Battles Without Honor and Humanity Shin Jingi Naki Tatakai A continuation of the Battles Without Honor and Humanity franchise expanding beyond the articles written by journalist Kōichi Iiboshi. [31]
April 26, 1975 Cops vs. Thugs Kenkei tai Soshiki Bōryoku Won two Blue Ribbon Awards in 1976 for Best Director (Fukasaku) and Best Actor (Sugawara).Complex named it number 6 on their list of The 25 Best Yakuza Movies. [36]
April 29, 1977 Legend of Dinosaurs & Monster Birds Kyoryu-kaicho no densetsu [37][38]
January 21, 1978 Shogun's Samurai Yagyū Ichizoku no Inbō Adapted into a 39-episode TV series, The Yagyu Conspiracy (1978–1979), also produced by Toei. [39]
April 29, 1978 Message from Space Uchu kara no messeji Starred Sonny Chiba and Vic Morrow [40][41]
November 15, 1980 Shogun's Ninja Ninja Bugeichō Momochi Sandayū Hiroyuki Sanada's first lead role [42]
January 30, 1981 G.I. Samurai (a.k.a. Time Slip) Sengoku jieitai [43][44]
April 29, 1983 The Ballad of Narayama Narayama Bushikō Directed by Shōhei Imamura adaptated from the book by Shichirō Fukazawa. Won the Palme d'Or at the 1983 Cannes Film Festival. [45][46]
May 13, 1989 Black Rain Kuroi ame Won multiple Japanese film awards and critical acclaim by American critics. [47]
October 17, 1998 Dr. Akagi Kanzō-sensei [48]
June 5, 1999 Poppoya Tetsudōin Best Film at the Japan Academy Awards, it was submitted to the 72nd Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film, but was not accepted as a nominee. [49]
November 25, 2000 New Battles Without Honor and Humanity Shin Jingi Naki Tatakai Reboot of the popular franchise from 1973. [50]
December 16, 2000 Battle Royale Battle Royal Embargoed from US distribution due to violence, finally released straight-to-dvd to critical acclaim in 2010 following praise by Quentin Tarantino. [51][52]
May 1, 2008 Partners: The Movie AIBOU: The Movie Based on the television series AIBOU: Tokyo Detective Duo, it was the first in the Aibou (Partners) film series. [53]
December 23, 2011 Admiral Yamamoto Rengō Kantai Shirei Chōkan Yamamoto Isoroku [54]
September 3, 2013 Space Pirate Captain Harlock a.k.a. Harlock: Space Pirate Toei Animation Production [55]
December 5, 2015 125 Years Memory Kainan 1890 Co-produced by Toei, Creators' Union, Böcek Yapım [56]
May 17, 2019 First Love Hatsukoi Distributor, produced by OLM [57][58]
June 25, 2021 The Goldfish Umibe no Kingyō [59]
March 17, 2024 Shin Kamen Rider Reboot of the original 1971 series by Hideaki Anno [60]

Toei animation films

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Main article: Toei Animation

Toei produced/distributed shows

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Year Title
1971–present Kamen Rider franchise
1975–present Super Sentai franchise
1982–present Metal Hero franchise
1993–present Power Rangers franchise
1994–1996 VR Troopers
1995–1996 Masked Rider
1996–1998 Big Bad Beetleborgs (later Beetleborgs Metallix)
2003-2004 Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon (Live action series)
2008–2009 Kamen Rider: Dragon Knight
2022 Kamen Rider Black Sun
2023 Voltes V: Legacy
2024-present Oshi no Ko (Drama)

Shows created with Shotaro Ishinomori

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Video games

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Saburo Yatsude

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See also: Izumi Todo

Saburō Yatsude (八手 三郎, Yatsude Saburō, alternatively read as Saburo Hatte) is a collective pseudonym used by Toei Company television producers, and formerly Toei Animation producers, when contributing to their various anime and tokusatsu series; similar to Bandai Namco Filmworks' Hajime Yatate. The use of the pen name began with The Kagestar and has been used throughout the Super Sentai (in the adapted Power Rangers series starting with Ninja Storm, the credits list Saburo Hatte. Before this, the credits listed "Original Concepts by Saburo Yatsude") and Metal Hero Series as well as for Spider-Man, Choukou Senshi Changéríon, Video Warrior Laserion, Chōdenji Robo Combattler V, Chōdenji Machine Voltes V, Tōshō Daimos, Daltanious, Space Emperor God Sigma, Beast King GoLion and Kikou Kantai Dairugger XV. The name is also used as a contributor to the soundtracks for the series.

Toei Animation stopped using Saburo Yatsude in 1999, and they began to use Izumi Todo instead. The first anime that was created by Izumi Todo was Ojamajo Doremi.

In the Unofficial Sentai Akibaranger series, Saburo Hatte is an actual person who is godlike within the fictional reality that the show takes place in. In fact, his hand appears at the end of the first half of the series to cover the camera lens and end the show, later having the second half be made under Malseena's influence while in the hospital in the real world.

In the Doubutsu Sentai Zyuohger spinoff, Super Animal War's third episode, he is portrayed by Jun Hikasa.

On April 3, 2016, an unknown Toei staff member going by Saburo Yatsude was interviewed while wearing a "Giraffe Zyuman" mask in reference to Zyuohger.[61]

Original creator

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Live action

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Anime

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Script

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Television

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Web series

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Director

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See also

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References

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Footnotes

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  1. ^ "会社概要".
  2. ^ "TOEI GROUP" (in Japanese). toei.co.jp. Retrieved August 16, 2018.
  3. ^ a b c d "Toei History". www.toei.co.jp. Toei Co. Ltd.
  4. ^ a b c d e f "The Journey and Creations of Toei". Toei. Retrieved November 11, 2024.
  5. ^ a b c Osaki, Tad (December 17, 2001). "Toei through the ages". Variety (Toei at 50 ed.). p. A2.
  6. ^ テレビ朝日社史 : ファミリー視聴の25年 [TV Asahi Corporate History: 25 Years of Family Viewing] (in Japanese). TV Asahi. 1984. OCLC 704013841. Archived from the original on September 24, 2023.
  7. ^ "Studio History". Toei Studios Kyoto.
  8. ^ Frater, Patrick (February 15, 2023). "Japan's Toei Unveils Ten-Year Growth Plan After Death of President-CEO Tezuka Osamu". Variety.
  9. ^ Yoshimura, Fumio (June 6, 2024). "Notice of the 101st Ordinary General Meeting of Shareholders" (PDF). Toei Company Ltd.
  10. ^ Nornes, Markus (2021). Brushed in Light: Calligraphy in East Asian Cinema. University of Michigan Press. doi:10.3998/mpub.11373292. ISBN 978-0-472-90243-9.
  11. ^ a b "Toei Company". November 20, 2024.
  12. ^ Galbraith IV 1996, p. 88.
  13. ^ a b Galbraith IV 1996, p. 89.
  14. ^ "Chiyari Fuji (Bloody Spear at Mount Fuji). 1955. Directed by Tomu Uchida". Museum of Modern Art. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  15. ^ "Berlin Film Festival: Prize Winners". berlinale.de. Retrieved January 2, 2010.
  16. ^ Patten, Fred (1996). "A Capsule History of Anime". Animation World Network. Retrieved December 4, 2014.
  17. ^ "千葉真一、深作欣二の初監督の怒号に驚いた". Asagei. Retrieved October 5, 2021.
  18. ^ Galbraith IV 1996, p. 233.
  19. ^ "Berlinale: Prize Winners". berlinale.de. Retrieved February 13, 2010.
  20. ^ "ギャング同盟". December 2017.
  21. ^ Schilling, Mark (2003). The Yakuza Movie Book: A Guide to Japanese Gangster Films. Berkeley, Calif.: Stone Bridge Press. pp. 156–157. ISBN 1-880656-76-0.
  22. ^ Galbraith IV 1996, p. 275.
  23. ^ Galbraith IV 1996, p. 448.
  24. ^ Galbraith IV 1996, p. 449.
  25. ^ Galbraith IV 1996, p. 202.
  26. ^ Galbraith IV 1996, p. 203.
  27. ^ Galbraith IV 1996, p. 218.
  28. ^ Woolery, George W. (1985). Children's Television: The First Thirty-Five Years, 1946-1981, Part II: Live, Film, and Tape Series. The Scarecrow Press. pp. 251–252. ISBN 0-8108-1651-2.
  29. ^ Galbraith IV 1996, p. 431.
  30. ^ Friis, Christian. "Tora! Tora! Tora!, Twentieth Century Fox, 1970". Pearl Harbor in the Movies, what to see..., November 5, 2002. Retrieved: May 5, 2009.
  31. ^ a b c Galbraith IV 1996, p. 373.
  32. ^ "UNDER THE FLAG OF THE RISING SUN (credits)". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Retrieved June 21, 2007.
  33. ^ Female Prisoner Scorpion: The Complete Collection (book). Arrow Video. 2016. p. 5. FCD1338/AV060.
  34. ^ Sharp 2011, p. 120.
  35. ^ "Schlock & Awe: BATTLES WITHOUT HONOR AND HUMANITY". Nerdist Industries. January 7, 2016. Archived from the original on January 1, 2017. Retrieved December 31, 2016.
  36. ^ "Cops vs. Thugs". Kino International. Retrieved August 30, 2014.
  37. ^ Galbraith IV 1996, p. 261.
  38. ^ Galbraith IV 1996, p. 262.
  39. ^ "柳生一族の陰謀". Kinema Junpo. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
  40. ^ Galbraith IV 1996, p. 285.
  41. ^ Galbraith IV 1996, p. 286.
  42. ^ "真田広之だから「ハリウッド」口出しＯＫ". RSS. Retrieved March 19, 2017.
  43. ^ "It's Ninjas Vs. Helicopters in Sonny Chiba's G.I. Samurai". August 30, 2008.
  44. ^ Galbraith IV 1996, p. 396.
  45. ^ O’Donoghue, Darragh (February 2013). "Ballad of Narayama". Cinémathèque Annotations on Film (66). Retrieved August 19, 2016.
  46. ^ "Narayama-Bushi-Ko". Festival de Cannes. Retrieved August 19, 2016.
  47. ^ "Reviews: Black Rain". rogerebert.com. September 24, 1990. Retrieved July 8, 2021.
  48. ^ "カンゾー先生". 東映. Retrieved January 2, 2020.
  49. ^ "List of Japanese films nominated for Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film" (in Japanese). Motion Picture Producers Association of Japan. Retrieved June 22, 2008.
  50. ^ Schilling, Mark (November 21, 2000). "'SHIN JINGI NAKI TATAKAI': Can't keep a good hood down". The Japan Times. Retrieved May 26, 2012.
  51. ^ "Battle Royale Film to Get 1st US Theatrical Run". Anime News Network. December 6, 2011. Retrieved December 30, 2011.
  52. ^ "'Battle Royale'". Quentin Tarantino's Top 20 Favorite Films. Xfinity. Archived from the original on April 18, 2012. Retrieved March 24, 2012.
  53. ^ 相棒 劇場版 絶体絶命！42.195km 東京ビッグシティマラソン. Kinema Junpo Film Database (in Japanese). Archived from the original on September 7, 2012. Retrieved October 13, 2011.
  54. ^ "Yakusho Koji portrays WWII naval commander Yamamoto Isoroku". TokyoGraph. May 14, 2011. Retrieved March 28, 2013.
  55. ^ Elley, Derek (September 7, 2013). "Space Pirate Captain Harlock". Film Business Asia. Archived from the original on December 2, 2013. Retrieved November 11, 2019.
  56. ^ "125 Years Memory". Retrieved May 21, 2020.
  57. ^ Kiang, Jessica (May 30, 2019). "Film Review: 'First Love'". Variety. Retrieved November 11, 2019.
  58. ^ "'First Love' ('Hatsukoi'): Film Review | Cannes 2019". The Hollywood Reporter. May 17, 2019. Retrieved November 11, 2019.
  59. ^ The Goldfish: Dreaming of the Sea (2021) - IMDb, retrieved August 29, 2021
  60. ^ Pineda, Rafael Antonio (April 24, 2023). "Shin Kamen Rider Film Becomes Highest-Earning Kamen Rider Film". Anime News Network. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
  61. ^ "Animal Sentai Zyuohger".

Sources

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