Anime studio Shaft has been getting ready to kick off the celebration of their 40th anniversary on September 1, and to prepare for the occasion, the animators of series like Madoka Magica, Monogatari and Nisekoi has been running a series of countdown crossover illustrations from the staff. 

Check out the results!

animator Ryo Imamura (openings for Madoka Magica, Maria Holic, parts 3-5 of Bakemonogatari)

「１！」 （イラスト：今村亮） pic.twitter.com/8Yp4N8A85P

— シャフト (@shaft_official) August 31, 2015

character designer Nobuhiro Sugiyama (Nisekoi, EF, Arakawa Under the Bridge)

「２！」 （イラスト：杉山延寛） pic.twitter.com/MbxDJ6zWFq

— シャフト (@shaft_official) August 30, 2015

animation director Hiroki Yamamura (Madoka Magica movies, Nisemonogatari, Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei )

「3！」 (イラスト:山村洋貴) pic.twitter.com/O1XxE1dnuu

— シャフト (@shaft_official) August 29, 2015

animator Genki Matsumoto (Maria Holic op, Hidamari Sketch × Hoshimittsu op, [email protected])

「４！」 （イラスト：松本元気） pic.twitter.com/esNgRTk07Z

— シャフト (@shaft_official) August 28, 2015

Character designer/animation director Kazuya Shiotsuki (Gourmet Girl Graffiti)

「５！」 （イラスト：潮月一也） pic.twitter.com/5sXSR1LyuJ

— シャフト (@shaft_official) August 26, 2015

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Scott Green is editor and reporter for anime and manga at geek entertainment site Ain't It Cool News. Follow him on Twitter at @aicnanime.