Hiroshi Osaka
Encyclopedia
was a Japanese animator
, character designer and illustrator
, born in Neyagawa
, Osaka Prefecture
. He was a graduate of the Kyoto Saga University of Arts
. He was the co-founder of Bones Animation Studio
.
of the noted animator Moriyasu Taniguchi, working on numerous Sunrise
productions during this period in college.
At his time at the studio, Ōsaka worked with numerous noted animators, including Kazuaki Mōri, Masahiro Kase, Tōru Yoshida
, Hiroyuki Okiura
and Kazuchika Kise, many of whom who went on to found Production I.G, and also supervised Takahiro Kimura
. He left Anime R in 1991 to work as a freelance animator, going on to work on several Sunrise shows as well as other productions. Ōsaka, along with fellow animator Toshihiro Kawamoto
and producer Masahiko Minami
, co-founded the studio Bones
in 1998.
In 1999, Ōsaka lectured on an animation workshop at the 4th Animation Kobe
event, held in Kobe
, Hyōgo Prefecture
. An anime fan, he had wanted to be an animator since his high school days, being inspired by Sunrise's iconic 1978 series Mobile Suit Gundam
and the works of the manga artist
Mitsuru Adachi
.
During the spring of 2007, Ōsaka's health had deteriorated further and spent his remaining days in his hometown of Neyagawa
, Osaka Prefecture
, where he had been staying at his family residence. He had been recuperating in a hospital in the city, where he later died of cancer
on September 24, aged 44. His death was reported on several news outlets, including the blogs of his animator colleagues and major national newspapers, with numerous fans paying condolences.
Animator
An animator is an artist who creates multiple images that give an illusion of movement called animation when displayed in rapid sequence; the images are called frames and key frames. Animators can work in a variety of fields including film, television, video games, and the internet. Usually, an...
, character designer and illustrator
Illustrator
An Illustrator is a narrative artist who specializes in enhancing writing by providing a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the associated text...
, born in Neyagawa
Neyagawa, Osaka
is a city located in Osaka, Japan.As of 2010, the city has an estimated population of 238,549 and the density of 9,650 persons per km². The total area is 24.73 km².The city was founded on May 3, 1951....
, Osaka Prefecture
Osaka Prefecture
is a prefecture located in the Kansai region on Honshū, the main island of Japan. The capital is the city of Osaka. It is the center of Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto area.- History :...
. He was a graduate of the Kyoto Saga University of Arts
Kyoto Saga University of Arts
is a private university in Ukyo-ku, Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan. The school first opened as a junior college in 1971 and became a four-year college in 2001.-External links:*...
. He was the co-founder of Bones Animation Studio
Bones (studio)
is a Japanese anime studio. It has produced numerous series, including RahXephon, Wolf's Rain, Scrapped Princess, Eureka Seven, Angelic Layer, Darker than Black, Soul Eater, Ouran High School Host Club and two adaptions of the Fullmetal Alchemist manga along with Star Driver: Kagayaki no Takuto and...
.
Profile
Ōsaka, while studying in the Kyoto Saga University of Arts, joined the animation subcontracting studio Anime R in 1983 on a part time basis under the apprenticeshipApprenticeship
Apprenticeship is a system of training a new generation of practitioners of a skill. Apprentices or protégés build their careers from apprenticeships...
of the noted animator Moriyasu Taniguchi, working on numerous Sunrise
Sunrise (company)
is a Japanese animation studio and production enterprise. It is a subsidiary of Namco Bandai Holdings. Its former name was Nippon Sunrise, and prior to that, Sunrise Studios...
productions during this period in college.
At his time at the studio, Ōsaka worked with numerous noted animators, including Kazuaki Mōri, Masahiro Kase, Tōru Yoshida
Toru Yoshida
is a Japanese football manager and a former player. As a player, he has played for Furukawa Electric Soccer Club/JEF United Ichihara and Brummell Sendai . He became a football manager after retirement. He currently coaches Grulla Morioka....
, Hiroyuki Okiura
Hiroyuki Okiura
is a Japanese animation director and animator.Okiura, who entered the industry at the age of 16 with no academic background , is known for his detailed effects animation in, for example, the chopper attack scene in Patlabor The Movie 2, and more recently his highly realistic character animation in...
and Kazuchika Kise, many of whom who went on to found Production I.G, and also supervised Takahiro Kimura
Takahiro Kimura
is a Japanese animator, illustrator and character designer.-TV anime:*City Hunter 3 *Idol Tenshi Yokoso Yōko *Mobile Fighter G Gundam...
. He left Anime R in 1991 to work as a freelance animator, going on to work on several Sunrise shows as well as other productions. Ōsaka, along with fellow animator Toshihiro Kawamoto
Toshihiro Kawamoto
is a Japanese animator. He is co-founder and director of the anime studio Bones. He was character designer and animation director of Cowboy Bebop.-Early period:...
and producer Masahiko Minami
Masahiko Minami
is a Japanese anime producer and president of Bones.-Career:A graduate of the Osaka University of Arts's department of arts, Minami began his career with noted anime studio Sunrise as one of its producers...
, co-founded the studio Bones
Bones (studio)
is a Japanese anime studio. It has produced numerous series, including RahXephon, Wolf's Rain, Scrapped Princess, Eureka Seven, Angelic Layer, Darker than Black, Soul Eater, Ouran High School Host Club and two adaptions of the Fullmetal Alchemist manga along with Star Driver: Kagayaki no Takuto and...
in 1998.
In 1999, Ōsaka lectured on an animation workshop at the 4th Animation Kobe
Animation Kobe
The is an event created by Kobe city in 1996, to promote anime and other visual media. In the event, the are awarded annually by Kobe and the Organizing Committee of the event, to creators and creations.-Event:...
event, held in Kobe
Kobe
, pronounced , is the fifth-largest city in Japan and is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture on the southern side of the main island of Honshū, approximately west of Osaka...
, Hyōgo Prefecture
Hyogo Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region on Honshū island. The capital is Kobe.The prefecture's name was previously alternately spelled as Hiogo.- History :...
. An anime fan, he had wanted to be an animator since his high school days, being inspired by Sunrise's iconic 1978 series Mobile Suit Gundam
Mobile Suit Gundam
is a televised anime series, created by Sunrise. Created and directed by Yoshiyuki Tomino, it premiered in Japan on Nagoya Broadcasting Network on April 7, 1979, and lasted until January 26, 1980, spanning 43 episodes...
and the works of the manga artist
Mangaka
is the Japanese word for a comic artist or cartoonist. Outside of Japan, manga usually refers to a Japanese comic book and mangaka refers to the author of the manga, who is usually Japanese...
Mitsuru Adachi
Mitsuru Adachi
is a Japanese manga artist. After graduating from Gunma Prefectural Maebashi Commercial High School in 1969, Adachi worked as an assistant for Isami Ishii. He made his manga debut in 1970 with Kieta Bakuon, based on a manga originally created by Satoru Ozawa...
.
During the spring of 2007, Ōsaka's health had deteriorated further and spent his remaining days in his hometown of Neyagawa
Neyagawa, Osaka
is a city located in Osaka, Japan.As of 2010, the city has an estimated population of 238,549 and the density of 9,650 persons per km². The total area is 24.73 km².The city was founded on May 3, 1951....
, Osaka Prefecture
Osaka Prefecture
is a prefecture located in the Kansai region on Honshū, the main island of Japan. The capital is the city of Osaka. It is the center of Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto area.- History :...
, where he had been staying at his family residence. He had been recuperating in a hospital in the city, where he later died of cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
on September 24, aged 44. His death was reported on several news outlets, including the blogs of his animator colleagues and major national newspapers, with numerous fans paying condolences.
TV anime
- Armored Trooper VotomsArmored Trooper Votomsis a 52-episode anime television series, created by Ryosuke Takahashi and Sunrise, featuring mechanical designs by Kunio Okawara. The series originally aired in Japan from April 1, 1983 to March 23, 1984 on TV Tokyo...
(in-between animation) - Kikōkai Galient (in-between animation)
- Sei Jūshi BismarckSei Jushi BismarckBismark, full title as is a Japanese animated television series created by Studio Pierrot.The series aired on Nippon Television from October 7, 1984 to September 25, 1985, totaling 51 episodes. In 1986, the rights to Bismark were sold to the United States company World Events Productions...
(animation director and key animation) - Seikimatsu Kyūseishu Densetsu: Hokuto no KenFist of the North Staris a Japanese manga series written by Buronson and drawn by Tetsuo Hara that was serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump from 1983 to 1988, spanning 245 chapters, which were initially collected in a 27-volume tankōbon edition by Shueisha...
(key animation) - Ninja Senshi TobikageNinja Senshi Tobikage, also known as Ninja Robot Tobikage and Ninja Robots, is a Japanese anime television series, produced by Studio Pierrot, which aired from 6 October 1985 to 13 July 1986 on the Nippon Television network....
(key animation) - Blue Comet SPT LayznerBlue Comet SPT Layzner, sometimes translated as Blue Meteor SPT Layzner, is an anime series produced by Sunrise between 1985 and 1986. Its original creator was Ryousuke Takahashi of Armored Trooper Votoms fame who served as the writer and wrote the scripts for such shows as Panzer World Galient, Tetsuwan Atom, Zero...
(key animation) - City HunterCity Hunteris a hardboiled manga series written and illustrated by Tsukasa Hojo, published by Shueisha in the Weekly Shōnen Jump from 1985 to 1991. The manga was adapted into an animated television series by Sunrise Studios in 1987...
(key animation) - Lemon Angel (animation director)
- Yoroiden Samurai Troopers (animation director and key animation)
- Jūshin LigerJushin Liger (anime)is an anime superhero TV series created by Go Nagai. Produced by Sunrise Inc. with cooperation of Dynamic Planning , the series was originally broadcast on Nagoya Broadcasting Network /TV Asahi from to with a total of 43 episodes....
(animation director) - City Hunter 3 (animation director)
- YawaraYawaraThe yawara is a Japanese weapon used in various martial arts. It is also the specific weapon of Yawara-Jitsu....
(animation director and key animation) - Dragon QuestDragon Quest, published as Dragon Warrior in North America until 2005,Due to the inconsistent usage by sources since Square Enix obtained the naming rights to Dragon Quest in North America. Dragon Quest has been used by sources to refer to games released solely under the Dragon Warrior titles...
(animation director and key animation) - ObatarianObatarianis a yonkoma manga series by Katsuhiko Hotta which was published by Takeshobo in Manga Life from 1988 through 1998. An anime series was adapted from the manga in 1990 by Sunrise, which aired on TV Asahi. The title Obatarian is a Japanese buzzword from 1988 meaning "Battalion of Middle-age Women"....
(animation director) - Mobile Suit V Gundam (character design, animation director, key animation, OP)
- Shippū! Iron Leaguer (key animation)
- Mobile Fighter G GundamMobile Fighter G GundamMobile Fighter G Gundam, known in Japan as , is a Japanese animated television series directed by Yasuhiro Imagawa . Created to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the franchise in 1994, it is the first of the Gundam series to be set in an alternate continuity from the original "Universal Century"...
(character design, animation director, key animation, in-between animation, OP) - Ōgon Yūsha Goldran (animation director)
- Fushigi YūgiFushigi Yūgi, also known as Curious Play, is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Yu Watase. Shogakukan published Fushigi Yûgi in Shōjo Comic in its original serialized form from May 1992 through June 1996. Viz Media released the manga series in English in North America starting in 1999...
(animation director) - City Hunter Special: The Secret Service (key animation)
- The Vision of EscaflowneThe Vision of Escaflowneis a 26-episode Japanese anime television series produced by Sunrise Studios and directed by Kazuki Akane. It premiered in Japan on April 2, 1996 on TV Tokyo, with the final episode airing on September 24, 1996. Sony's anime satellite channel, Animax also aired the series, both in Japan and on its...
((chief) animation director, key animation, OP) - Master Mosquiton (key animation)
- Bakusō Kyōdai Let's & Go!! (key animation)
- Cowboy BebopCowboy Bebopis a critically acclaimed and award-winning 1998 Japanese anime series directed by Shinichirō Watanabe, written by Keiko Nobumoto, and produced by Sunrise. Its 26 episodes comprise a complete storyline: set in 2071, the series follows the adventures, misadventures and tragedies of five bounty...
(animation director, animation direction coordination, key animation, ED) - Karakuri Kiden Hiwō Senki (Character design, chief animation director, animation director, OP/ED)
- Angelic LayerAngelic Layeris a manga series released by Clamp. The manga is published in Japan by Kadokawa Shoten, and in English originally by Tokyopop, but has since been re-licensed by Dark Horse Comics. It is the group's first work to use a quite different art style unseen in any other CLAMP series, which uses a more...
(animation director, animation direction assistance, key animation, OP/ED) - Hajime no Ippo (animation director)
- RahXephonRahXephonis a Japanese anime series about 17-year-old Ayato Kamina, his ability to control a godlike mecha known as the RahXephon, and his inner journey to find a place in the world...
(animation director, animation direction assistance, key animation) - Scrapped PrincessScrapped Princessis a Japanese light novel series by Ichiro Sakaki and illustrated by Nakayohi Mogudan, a popular adult dōjin artist. In 2003, it was adapted into an anime series produced by Bones...
(key animation) - Fullmetal AlchemistFullmetal Alchemist, is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Hiromu Arakawa. The world of Fullmetal Alchemist is styled after the European Industrial Revolution...
(animation direction assistance) - Wolf's RainWolf's Rainis an anime series created by writer and story editor Keiko Nobumoto and produced by Bones Studio. The series was directed by Tensai Okamura and featured character designs by Toshihiro Kawamoto with a soundtrack produced and arranged by Yoko Kanno. It focuses on the journey of four lone wolves...
(animation director, animation direction coordination, key animation, OP) - Kenran Butōsai: The Mars DaybreakKenran Butohsaiis a science-fiction anime series that aired on TV Tokyo from April 1 to September 23, 2004. Directed by Kunihiro Mori and co-produced by TV Tokyo, Dentsu and Bones. The anime series is licensed by Bandai Entertainment...
(character design, animation director, storyboards, key animation, OP) - Kurau Phantom MemoryKURAU Phantom Memoryis a 2004 science fiction anime series, produced by Bones and Media Factory, which was broadcast in Japan by the anime television networks Animax and TV Asahi. Set primarily in the year 2110, it explores themes such as inter-familial relationships and ethics in science. The series was licensed by...
(key animation) - Jyu Oh SeiJyu Oh Seiis a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Natsumi Itsuki. An 11-episode anime adaptation was animated by Bones and premiered April 13, 2006 in Japan as part of Fuji TV's Noitamina programming block....
(character design, chief animation director, OP/ED) - Ouran High School Host ClubOuran High School Host Clubis a manga series by Bisco Hatori, serialized in Hakusensha's LaLa magazine since August 5, 2003. The series follows Haruhi Fujioka, a scholarship student at Ouran High School, and the other members of the popular host club. The romantic comedy focuses on the relationships within and without the...
(layout animation director, key animation) - Tenpō Ibun Ayakashi AyashiAyakashi Ayashiis a Japanese anime series, created and written by Shō Aikawa and produced by Bones. Directed by Hiroshi Nishikiori, it featured character designs by Toshihiro Kawamoto and premiered across Japan on October 7, 2006 on TBS's 6:00 pm doroku timeslot, which has previously occupied other noted anime...
(guest character design, character supervision, animation director, animation direction coordination, key animation, OP)
OVA
- Dream Hunter RemDream Hunter Remis an anime OVA series released from 1985 to 1992. Rem Ayanokōji is a "dream hunter," a person capable of entering the dreams of sleeping people and fighting the demons causing nightmares. The stories have their base in supernatural and standard horror, with action scenes and mystery thrown in...
(key animation) 18+Hentaiis a Japanese word that, in the West, is used when referring to sexually explicit or pornographic comics and animation, particularly those of Japanese origin such as anime, manga, and computer games. The word hentai is a kanji compound of 変 and 態... - Dream Hunter Rem Special Version (key animation)
- Dream Hunter Rem II (animation director)
- Kikō Kai Galient: Tetsu no Monshō (key animation)
- Aoki Ryūsei SPT Layzner: ACT-III Kokuin 2000 (key animation)
- Black Magic M-66Black Magic M-66is a cyberpunk manga written and illustrated by Masamune Shirow. It was first published as a dōjinshi in 1983, and was later reprinted in tankōbon format by Seishinsha in 1985....
(key animation) - Captain Power: Battle Training Video Type 2, 3 (key animation)
- Pony Metal U-Gaim (key animation)
- Dream Hunter Rem III (animation director)
- Cream Lemon: Special DarkCream Lemonis an erotic anime series with some in-depth storylines and classic artwork. The first Cream Lemon OVA was released in 1984, though Cream Lemon was not the first hentai OVA...
(character design, animation director) 18+ - New Cream Lemon (key animation) 18+
- Good Morning Althea (mecha animation director)
- Yoroiden Samurai Troopers: Gaiden (key animation)
- Record of Lodoss WarRecord of Lodoss Waris a franchise of fantasy novels by Ryo Mizuno based around the work he originally created for a world called Forcelia for role-playing games . There have since been multiple manga, anime and computer game adaptations, several of which have been translated into English...
(key animation) - Mobile Suit Gundam 0083 Stardust Memory (animation director, key animation)
- Bastard!! Ankoku no Hakai ShinBastard!!is a manga by Kazushi Hagiwara. It first appeared in Weekly Shōnen Jump, in 1988, and continues to be published irregularly today in Ultra Jump. Currently, it spans 26 volumes....
(key animation) - The CockpitThe Cockpit (film)is a World War II anthology film based on Leiji Matsumoto's Battlefield manga. The animated shorts are written and directed by Yoshiaki Kawajiri, Takashi Imanishi and Ryousuke Takahashi....
(key animation) - Oira Uchū no Tankōfu (key animation)
- Macross PlusMacross Plusis a four-episode anime OVA and theatrical movie in the Macross series. It was the first sequel to the original Macross television series that took place in the official timeline...
(animation direction assistance, key animation) - Yamato Takeru ~After War~Yamato Takeru, originally Prince Ousu was a Japanese legendary prince of the Yamato dynasty, son of Keikō of Yamato, a legendary monarch who is traditionally counted as the 12th Tennō or Emperor of Japan. The tragic tale of this impressive figure is told in the Japanese chronicles Kojiki and Nihon Shoki...
(animation director) - Golden Boy: Sasurai no O-Benkyō Yarō (animation director, key animation)
- Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS TeamMobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Teamis an original video animation anime series in the Gundam franchise. Released from January 25, 1996, to April 25, 1999, the 11-episode series details the adventures of an Earth Federation Space Force ground unit during the One Year War - specifically before the original 1979 Gundam series and into...
(animation direction coordination, key animation, ED) - Fullmetal Alchemist: Premium Collection (animation direction coordination)
Films
- Five Star Monogatari (key animation)
- City Hunter: Ai to Shukumei no Magnum (key animation)
- City Hunter: Bay City Wars (key animation)
- Garaga (key animation)
- MemoriesMemories (film)Memories is an anime produced in 1995 by artist/director Katsuhiro Otomo which were based on three of his manga short stories. The film is composed of three episodes: , and...
(key animation) - Mobile Suit Gundam 0083 Zeon no Zankō (animation director, key animation)
- kidou senshi SD gan damu matsuri SD sengoku den tenka taihei hen ( genga )
- Macross Plus: Movie Edition (animation direction assistance, key animation)
- New Kimagure Orange Road: Summer's BeginningKimagure Orange Road, usually abbreviated as KOR, is a popular shōnen romantic comedy manga and anime series from the 1980s.Written by Izumi Matsumoto and serialized in Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump, it was later adapted into an anime series broadcast on Nippon Television, animated by Studio Pierrot and directed by...
(key animation) - SprigganSpriggan (manga)is a manga series written by Hiroshi Takashige and illustrated by Ryōji Minagawa during the early 1990s. It was initially released as Striker in the North American English translation, as it is the English translation of the word Spriggan from Celtic.Spriggan takes places in the last years of the...
(key animation) - EscaflowneEscaflowne (film)is an anime film produced by Sunrise and animated by Studio BONES. Directed by Kazuki Akane, the film is a re-telling of the twenty-six episode anime television series The Vision of Escaflowne...
(animation director, key animation) - Jin-RohJin-Rohis a 1999 Japanese animated feature film directed by Hiroyuki Okiura. The film is the third adaptation of Mamoru Oshii's Kerberos saga manga, Ken-Roh Densetsu, after The Red Spectacles released in 1987 and StrayDog: Kerberos Panzer Cops released in 1991 in Japanese theaters.The film takes place in...
(key animation) - Cowboy Bebop: Knockin' on Heaven's Door (animation director)
- RahXephon Tagen Hensōkyoku (animation director)
- Fullmetal Alchemist: Conqueror of Shamballa (animation director)
Games
- Zoids: Full Metal Crash (character design)
- Mobile Suit Gundam: EX Revue (character design)
- Mobile Suit Gundam: Lost War ChroniclesMobile Suit Gundam: Lost War Chroniclesis a Sci-Fi Mech Shooter/Mech Simulator Game for the Sony PlayStation 2. This game allows you to play as a regular soldier on either the EFSF or the Principality of Zeon, witnessing events from the One Year War on a grunt unit's point of view. You will be able to fight side by side with the Ace...
(character design) - Mobile Suit Gundam: Meguriai Sora (character design)
- Psychic Force 2012Psychic Force 2012is the sequel to Taito Corporation's 1997 fighting arcade game, Psychic Force. It was then ported to Dreamcast and was one of Sega's first games to be released onto the console in 1999...
(character design)