We finally reach the ground floor where Studio Pierrot runs Pierrot Project, a unique, fully owned subsidiary responsible for all merchandising of their titles. Pierrot Project's own staff designs about 50% of the merchandise available through distributors such as Movic, Broccoli and Yujin. In the US, exclusive Studio Pierrot merchandise is primarily available at anime conventions or on-line.

My tour doesn't end here, though. Iijima and Kaneko lead me down some stairs to the basement. In the subterranean depths of the Pierrot complex lurks the digital processing department, which compiles all digital data - animation, background, computer-generated effects - into a final product. Further into the basement my guides show me a room that holds the server computers for the whole Studio Pierrot operation. And at the far corner of the basement, darkness pours out of another room. I peek inside to find a bleak dormitory lined with beds. Railed curtains suspended from the ceiling separate each one. This is where, after long grueling hours arched over animation cels and story boards, Pierrot employees retire for quick naps before resuming work. And, if needs be, a shower room built into the basement offers a cleansing respite for weary animators to wash away the muck of the long day's work. Iijima hushes us and we scurry out, not wanting to disturb the slumbering animator in one of the beds.

Returning to the ground level and back out to the chilly Mitaka streets, I find myself a little teary-eyed. The company that entertained me as a child had just been dissected and laid before me. However, I was fascinated by the dedication and heartbreaking work that went into creating some of my favorite shows. I hope Studio Pierrot gives us 20 more years of whimsical entertainment.