Notable names in anime
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article attempts to list the most influential and notable names in anime. Following each name, you will find a brief listing of notable works, as well as a brief description of why the individual is considered notable.
[edit] Production of anime
Those artists who made an impact through direct contributions to anime as opposed to other artists who were in manga and other fields that had an impact on the development of Japanese animation. They are listed alphabetically by family name (or nom de plume).
- Yoshitoshi Abe is an artist who lent his unique design to progressive works such as Serial Experiments Lain, Haibane Renmei, and Texhnolyze.
- Yoshitaka Amano's flowing artwork has spread widely in the west; as well as being responsible for anime features such as Angel's Egg and Vampire Hunter D, he has produced concept art for Squaresoft, including character designs for the Final Fantasy series of games. He has also collaborated with Neil Gaiman on Sandman: The Dream Hunters.
- Hideaki Anno, a controversial figure, directed the Neon Genesis Evangelion series and three live-action movies. He also directed the first part of the television adaptation of the manga His and Her Circumstances (Kareshi Kanojo no Jijou).
- Yoshiaki Kawajiri is the renowned character designer and director of Demon City Shinjuku, Birdy the Mighty, Ninja Scroll, Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust, X: The Series and Wicked City who has a great ability to direct animes with dark storyline and violence and he won a Yubari Film Festival Award for Ninja Scroll. Not only that, he often uses lines that are slick and a perfect unique action sequences. Most of the movies he directed have characters of high quality detail, thanks to the help of Yutaka Minowa.
- Shōji Kawamori is a renowned mecha designer and story supervisor, having received awards even from Japanese industries and companies. He is best known for such anime as The Super Dimension Fortress Macross and The Vision of Escaflowne.
- Satoshi Kon, director of Perfect Blue and Millennium Actress, is often seen as the most promising young director of anime.
- Leiji Matsumoto is commonly credited for starting the Golden Age of Anime in the late 1970s and early 1980s. He achieved fame for creating several interconnecting space opera series.
- Hayao Miyazaki has achieved general respect as director and producer of many important anime works such as Kaze no Tani no Naushika (Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind), Majo no Takkyuubin (Kiki's Delivery Service), Mononoke Hime (Princess Mononoke), Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi (Spirited Away), and Hauru no Ugoku Shiro (Howl's Moving Castle). His works typically feature elaborate and painterly background drawings combined with animation that has higher framerates (and budgets) than most anime productions.
- Katsuhiro Otomo is often credited with starting the international anime craze with his classic movie, Akira (film). He has also directed a number of other influential movies, including Metropolis (2001 film), the 3-part anthology, Memories (film), and several live-action productions. His most recent creation is Steamboy, which broke the record for the most expensive anime film ever made, formerly held by Akira.
- Monkey Punch wrote the original manga of Lupin III in late 60s/early 70s, arguably the first manga and later, anime, with adult theme. The story revolves around the exploits of Lupin the Third, Grandson of the French gentleman thief, Arsene Lupin.
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Mamoru Oshii gained notoriety and worldwide popularity through his two Ghost in the Shell movies. He also created Dallos, and was a former member of Headgear involved in creation of the Patlabor series. Considered a "genius" by Stanley Kubrick himself, he has directed a number of anime projects and live action films including Avalon in 2001. His film Innocence: Ghost in the Shell (Inosensu: Kokaku Kidotai) was selected to compete at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival.
Still image of Batou from the movie Ghost in the Shell (1995)
- Makoto Shinkai single-handedly wrote, directed, and animated Voices of a Distant Star. He also created directed The Place Promised in Our Early Days.
- Isao Takahata is one of the most respected directors in the anime world. He founded Studio Ghibli with Hayao Miyazaki. His memorable works are Grave of the Fireflies, Only Yesterday, Pom Poko, and My Neighbors the Yamadas.
- Osamu Tezuka directed the first fictional anime television series Astro Boy and pioneered many conventions of the Japanese style of animation. He is also known for his highly acclaimed work in independent animation. His iconic work Kimba the White Lion may have been an influence on Disney's The Lion King.
- Yoshiyuki Tomino was the principle creator of the various Mobile Suit Gundam series which re-defined the giant robot genre in the 1970s and 1980s.
- Shinichi Watanabe, also known as "Nabeshin", directed and appeared in the popular parody anime Excel Saga, and is well known for his gonzo animation style.
- Shinichiro Watanabe is a well-known young director who has overseen such projects as Macross Plus, Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo.
[edit] Manga artists
The work of prominent manga (Japanese comics) artists often has an impact on anime, even when they are not themselves directly involved in anime. They are listed alphabetically by family name (or nom de plume).
- CLAMP is a team of four female manga artists whose distinctive work has contributed to the development of the shōjo genre. Their influential output includes Cardcaptor Sakura, Chobits, X/1999, Magic Knight Rayearth and XXXHOLiC.
- Shotaro Ishinomori, considered the Steve Ditko of Japan, has created some of Japan's most famous superheroes. He is best known for creating Cyborg 009, the first superpowered hero team, and the manga/tokusatsu action series, Masked Rider, which spawned a popular wave of similar "henshin" superheroes since the 70s (Yoshiki Takaya's Guyver, for example, was said to be inspired by Masked Rider). His style is somewhat similar to that of his mentor, Osamu Tezuka.
- Jiro Kuwata has started out as a manga artist at the very young age of 13. Although he started out with a style no different from that of Osamu Tezuka, it wasn't until the 1960s when he developed an exceptional trademark style, one rarely imitated by manga artists. He draws with a pop art comic-book style similar to American artists like Jack Kirby, and uses very sharp lines and angles. He also created superheroes similar to the kind Shotaro Ishinomori would later do, and is best known as the co-creator of the popular manga 8 Man, Japan's earliest cyborg superhero.
- Go Nagai's contributions to anime and manga compare with Jack Kirby's work in comic books. Nagai pioneered several genres and for years many producers imitated his style. His action-packed science fiction series featured among the first anime widely broadcast in the United States (under the American titles Force Five and Tranzor Z). Most of these works were originally written by Nagai as manga. He has also collaborated with Ishinomori.
- Shirow Masamune is the artist behind the original manga of Ghost in the Shell, basis of the renowned film adaptation by Mamoru Oshii. He is also the artist of Appleseed, Dominion and Black Magic M-66.
- Kenichi Sonoda, the creator of Gunsmith Cats, has lent his skills as a character designer to several anime, including Gall Force, Bubblegum Crisis, and Otaku no Video. He was also the production designer on Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honneamise.
- Rumiko Takahashi, one of the wealthiest women of Japan, is the mind behind the popular Maison Ikkoku, Ranma ½, Urusei Yatsura, Mermaid Saga and InuYasha manga. These titles were brought into anime to enjoy even more success. Nearly all of her series are long-running, spanning many volumes and episodes upon television adaptation.
- Akira Toriyama is the author of the Dragon Ball manga, which was later adapted into the incredibly popular Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z anime series. He is also known for his character design in Dragon Quest and Chrono Trigger. His work has also inspired other manga artists in their creations.
- Tatsuo Yoshida, one of the first manga artists to employ a "realistic" drawing style with children's comics, has also revolutionized superheroes in Japan. Besides creating manga and anime such as Speed Racer and Judo Boy, he created Science Ninja Team Gatchaman, a "superhero opera". He created other similar masterpieces (Casshan, etc.) before he died in 1977.
- Yuu Watase - Shojo magaka who has produced series such as Fushigi Yuugi,Fushigi Yuugi Genbu Kaiden, Alice 19th, Ayashi No Ceres, Imadoki, Zettai Kareshi (Absolute Boyfriend is the American release name) and Pajama de Ojama among others.
