Today we’re going to cover a few more anime directors as we did in the first Key Frames post.
Key Frames #5: Animators
Hideaki Anno
Born: May 22, 1960
Age: 58
Major Works: Neon Genesis, Evangelion, Gunbuster, His and Her Circumstances
Biography: Born in Ube, Anno was kicked out of Osaka University of Arts along with other students more involved with the production of the Daicon III and IV animations than with their studies. After being kicked out of school, Anno would find work on Miyazaki’s Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind and later on Takahata’s Grave of the Fireflies. While working for the Ghibli founders, Anno would co-found the studio that became Gainax. While primarily known for his work as creator and director of Neon Genesis Evangelion in the mid ’90s, Anno has a fairly varied filmography. In addition to his work as a director, he has provided his voice for multiple roles including the lead character in Miyazaki’s The Wind Rises.
Shinichirō Watanabe
Born: May 24, 1965
Age: 53
Major Works: Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo, Space Dandy
Biography: Born in Kyoto, Watanabe got his start with Sunrise where he made his directorial debut on Macross Plus. Watanabe’s work is notable for his unique and complex genre blending and for its stellar use of music.
Yoshiyuki Tomino
Born: November 5, 1941
Age: 76
Major Works: Mobile Suit Gundam
Biography: The Odawara-born father of the Real Robot genre got his start at Mushi Pro, working on Osamu Tezuka’s Astro Boy in 1963. Tomino wouldn’t make his directorial debut until 1972’s Triton of the Sea. In 1979, his best known and most influential work, Mobile Suit Gundam, created a frnachise that is still receiving new installments today and an entirely new sub-genre of mecha anime.
Sayo Yamamoto
Born: April 13, 1977
Age: 41
Major Works: Lupin the Third: The Woman Called Fujiko Mine, Michiko & Hatchin, Yuri on Ice
Biography: Born in Tokyo, Yamamoto graduated from the College of Art and Design and began work at Studio Madhouse. At Manglobe, she would work on Watanabe’s Samurai Champloo, leading to frequent collaborations between the two throughout her career. She has also worked on projects like Redline and Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance. She was also scouted by director Satoshi Kon to work on his Millennium Actress when she was just out of college, but this fell through due to studio politics.
Kazuko Nakamura
Born: ?
Age: ?
Major Works: Princess Knight
Biography: It’s unfortunately difficult to find any info (at least in English) on Nakamura. She was one of the first women to make a major impact in Japanese animation. She joined Toei before it was Toei, and was the first woman to work at the studio as an animator. She jumped to Mushi Pro in the 1960s where she would become the first woman to serve as an anime series director on Princess Knight.
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