Sunrise is an animation production brand name of Bandai Namco Filmworks. Sunrise was a sub-division of Namco Bandai Holdings, initially founded in 1972, but has operated with its current name since 1987. Its previous names have been Nippon Sunrise (since 1976) and Sunrise Studio (since 1972). In April 2022, Sunrise merged with the film business of Bandai Namco Arts and Bandai Namco Rights Marketing to start anew as Bandai Namco Filmworks. Among Japan's largest and most famous studios, Sunrise is renowned for several critically-lauded and popular original anime series, such as Gundam, Armored Trooper Votoms, Vision of Escaflowne, Cowboy Bebop, Witch Hunter Robin, Mai-HiME, Mai-Otome, Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion, as well as its numerous adaptations of acclaimed manga and light novels such as Dirty Pair, City Hunter, InuYasha, Outlaw Star, Yakitate!! Japan, Planetes, Keroro Gunso, Gintama and several others. Because of the fluidity of much of their work, some fans refer to some of their animation as "Sunrise Smooth."