From Original to 1976
Topcraft was established in February 1972 in Koenji (Tokyo) by several ex-members of Toei. Their President, Toru Hara, had already worked on the planning of Toei's TAIYO NO OJI HOLS NO DAIBOKEN directed by colleague and friend Isao Takahata: this film, thanks to innovative layout of a young Hayao Miyazaki, has now considered as the true beginning of Japanese animation (which collected only pale attempts by western schools). 
After a few episodes of MAZINGER Z (sole collaboration with Toei Doga), Topcraft was called by Rankin/Bass Production (an American company well-known for stop-motion technique charged by ABC to produce a TV cell-animated-series) in order to made a pilot film named KID POWER. The definitive series counted 15 episodes, which were mainly designed by Akio Hosotani, Minoru Kibata and Katsumi Onishi. Each episode were supervised by Tsuguyuki Kubo, known to the American audience since he did opening sequence on Tatsunoko's SPEED RACER. A few some episodes were directed by rookie Katsuhisa Yamada. Despite of his young age, he was highly regarded as a strong creative force. In 1972, Topcraft made another three TV-special for Rankin/Bass: 20.000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA, TOM SAWYER and WILLIE MAYS AND HEY-SAY KID. Later, along with failure of Tezuka's Mushi Prouctions and Toei's momentary standstill in overseas works, Topcraft became the only production source of Rankin/Bass. Unfortunately, during 1973 and 1974, no screenplay arrived from U.S. Topcraft, which couldn't be inactive, worked on several Eiken's TV-series (check database for details). Topcraft was also very helpful in realizing some episodes of KAGAKU NINJATAI GACHTAMAN under Tatsunoko's commission. There was also a pilot film for an unaired sequel of 20.000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA. 
Finally, in december 1974 was produced a TV special entitled TWAS' THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS. Jerome Coopersmith did screenplay (even if it was accredited to Romeo Muller by Japanese fonts, I prefer to use official info by Rich Goldschmidt). During 1975 Topcraft made a short-lenght tv-special written by Julian P.Gardner entitled THE FIRST EASTER RABBIT. It was premiered by NBC. In 1975 was also assumed an ex-employee of bankrupted Zuiyo named Kiyoshi Sakai, who started as production assistant and then became studio's manager. Frosty, a nice snowman originally created by cartoonist Paul Coker Jr and redesigned for animation by Tsuguyuki kubo, was the main character of next TV special, titled WINTER WONDERLAND. It was animated by Hidemi Kubo, Yoshiko Sasaki and Tadakatsu Yoshida. Frosty appeared for the first time in a tv-special dated 1969, which was made in Japan (precisely by Mushi). Hidemi Kubo also did the continuity design and layouts for two of the most popular Tatsunoko's TV series, such as TIME BOKAN and PAUL NO MIRACLE DAISAKUSEN. A young man named Kazuyuki Kobayashi, took care of the continuity design on these three TV specials. He become animation supervisor after only two years (usually it need at least five years in order to fullfill such a practice).
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