Masaaki Osumi
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese director known for his work in television and movie animations.
, Japan
, and graduated from School of Media Science at the Tokyo University of Technology
. He got his start in the entertainment industry as the leader of a puppet theater in Kobe
. This led to an association with Tokyo Movie Shinsha
, one of the first Japanese animation studios.
In 1969, Ōsumi collaborated with animator Yasuo Ōtsuka
in the Moomin TV series, which was an immediate hit. But Finnish author Tove Jansson
, creator of the Moomin
books, objected strongly to the depiction of the characters in the series. According to Jansson, "My Moomin is No car, No fight, and No money." The series was shifted to another studio after 26 episodes.
Also in 1969, he collaborated with Ōtsuka on the classic Lupin III
TV series. This series opened to poor ratings and was cancelled after only 23 episodes. Ōsumi directed the first seven episodes and episodes nine and twelve, with the remaining episodes being directed jointly by Hayao Miyazaki
and Isao Takahata
.
Ōsumi was fired by the studio for refusing to adapt the sophisticated series for a children's audience. He went on to direct film and television animations for a number of other studios, and for the national broadcaster NHK
.
In 1993, he returned to direct one more Lupin episode, entitled Orders to Assassinate Lupin.
, Shinichiro Watanabe
, revealed during an interview with Newtype
Japan that he was heavily influenced by the work of Ōsumi in the first Lupin television series.
Career
Ōsumi was born in Hyōgo PrefectureHyogo 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 :...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, and graduated from School of Media Science at the Tokyo University of Technology
Tokyo University of Technology
is a private university in Hachiōji, Tokyo, Japan. The predecessor of the school was founded in May 1947. After becoming a vocational school in 1953, it was chartered as a university in 1986.-External links:* *...
. He got his start in the entertainment industry as the leader of a puppet theater 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...
. This led to an association with Tokyo Movie Shinsha
Tokyo Movie Shinsha
, formerly known as , is a Japanese animation studio, founded on October 1946. One of the oldest and most prominent anime studios in Japan, it has also produced numerous animated series airing in other countries such as France, the United States, and Italy. The company currently uses "TMS...
, one of the first Japanese animation studios.
In 1969, Ōsumi collaborated with animator Yasuo Ōtsuka
Yasuo Otsuka
is a Japanese animator who worked with Toei Animation and Studio Ghibli.Prior to becoming an animator, Ōtsuka worked in the Kantō-Kōshin'etsu district drug enforcement office at the Ministry of Health and Welfare. As a member of the support staff , he was responsible for the seizure of drugs and...
in the Moomin TV series, which was an immediate hit. But Finnish author Tove Jansson
Tove Jansson
Tove Marika Jansson was a Swedish-Finnish novelist, painter, illustrator and comic strip author. She is best known as the author of the Moomin books.- Biography :...
, creator of the Moomin
Moomin
The Moomins are the central characters in a series of books and a comic strip by Swedish-Finn illustrator and writer Tove Jansson, originally published in Swedish by Schildts in Finland. They are a family of trolls who are white and roundish, with large snouts that make them resemble hippopotamuses...
books, objected strongly to the depiction of the characters in the series. According to Jansson, "My Moomin is No car, No fight, and No money." The series was shifted to another studio after 26 episodes.
Also in 1969, he collaborated with Ōtsuka on the classic Lupin III
Lupin III (anime)
is the first anime made after the manga series of the same name, produced by Tokyo Movie Shinsha. It was directed originally by Masaaki Ōsumi and later by Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata. A pilot film, also directed by Ōsumi, was made in 1969, but a full series was not made until 2 years later....
TV series. This series opened to poor ratings and was cancelled after only 23 episodes. Ōsumi directed the first seven episodes and episodes nine and twelve, with the remaining episodes being directed jointly by Hayao Miyazaki
Hayao Miyazaki
is a Japanese manga artist and prominent film director and animator of many popular anime feature films. Through a career that has spanned nearly fifty years, Miyazaki has attained international acclaim as a maker of animated feature films and, along with Isao Takahata, co-founded Studio Ghibli,...
and Isao Takahata
Isao Takahata
is a Japanese anime filmmaker that have earned critical international acclaim for his work as a director. Takahata is co-founder of Studio Ghibli with long-time collaborative partner Hayao Miyazaki. He has directed films such as the war-themed Grave of the Fireflies, the romantic-drama Only...
.
Ōsumi was fired by the studio for refusing to adapt the sophisticated series for a children's audience. He went on to direct film and television animations for a number of other studios, and for the national broadcaster NHK
NHK
NHK is Japan's national public broadcasting organization. NHK, which has always identified itself to its audiences by the English pronunciation of its initials, is a publicly owned corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television license fee....
.
In 1993, he returned to direct one more Lupin episode, entitled Orders to Assassinate Lupin.
Cowboy Bebop and Lupin III
The director of Cowboy BebopCowboy Bebop
is 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...
, Shinichiro Watanabe
Shinichiro Watanabe
is a Japanese anime filmmaker, screenwriter, and producer. He is known for directing the popular anime series Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo.Watanabe is known for blending together multiple genres in his anime creations...
, revealed during an interview with Newtype
Newtype (magazine)
is a monthly magazine publication originating from Japan, covering anime and manga . It was launched by publishing company Kadokawa Shoten on March 8, 1985 with its April issue, and has since seen regular release on the 10th of every month in its home country...
Japan that he was heavily influenced by the work of Ōsumi in the first Lupin television series.
Filmography
- Obake no Qtarō (TV, movie), 1965–67
- Kaibutsu kun (TV), 1968–69
- Moomin (TV), 1969
- Attack No. 1Attack No. 1is a Japanese manga series by Chikako Urano. It also became the first televised female sports anime series in the shōjo category.The anime is an adaptation of Chikako Urano's 1968 volleyball manga serialized in Weekly Maragaret Magazine under the same name. Chikako was considered one of the...
(movie), 1969–71 - Lupin IIILupin III, also known as Lupin the 3rd, is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Kazuhiko Kato under the pen name of Monkey Punch. The story follows the adventures of a gang of thieves led by Arsène Lupin III, the grandson of Arsène Lupin, the gentleman thief of Maurice Leblanc's series of...
pilot film (movie), 1969 - Lupin IIILupin III, also known as Lupin the 3rd, is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Kazuhiko Kato under the pen name of Monkey Punch. The story follows the adventures of a gang of thieves led by Arsène Lupin III, the grandson of Arsène Lupin, the gentleman thief of Maurice Leblanc's series of...
(TV), 1971 - La Seine no HoshiLa Seine no Hoshiis an anime series by Sunrise, which premiered in Japan on Fuji TV from April 4, 1975 and finished its run on December 26, 1975, spanning a total of 39 episodes...
(TV), 1975 - Robokko Bīton (TV), 1976–77
- The YearlingThe YearlingThe Yearling is a 1946 Technicolor family film drama made by MGM. It was directed by Clarence Brown and produced by Sidney Franklin. The screenplay was by Paul Osborn and John Lee Mahin , adapted from the novel of the same name by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings...
(TV), 1983 - Hashire Merosu (movie), 1992
- Orders to Assassinate Lupin, 1993