Masaru Kitao
Encyclopedia
is a Japan
ese animator
known for his work with Madhouse
.
Primarily a key animator and animation director for TV anime, Kitao has also on occasion done character designs. Recently, he has won much praise for his adaptated character designs for the popular Death Note
TV series. Consequently, Death Note has become his best known work. Along with Death Note director Tetsurō Araki
, he was a Guest of Honor at Anime Expo 2007
.
When asked by fans at Anime Expo 2007, he revealed that L from Death Note is his favorite character, both to empathize with and to draw. He also stated that he would like to work on an L-themed spin-off
anime, and that fans in America and Japan should request one if they too are interested.
, Kitao revealed some of the sequences he had been personally responsible for on several of his television and theatrical works. On the X Movie
from 1996, he animated scenes of the character Hinoto, as well as drawing special-effects animation of collapsing buildings. In 1999's Cardcaptor Sakura The Movie
, as assistant animation director he supervised the sequence where Sakura
and Tomoyo spend the night at Syaoran's home in Hong Kong
. And as a chief animator on the Cardcaptor Sakura Movie 2: The Sealed Card
in 2000, he was responsible for the Mirror House sequence. Most recently, on the 2006 TV series NANA
, he animated shots of the crowd dancing at Nana Osaki
's concert during the opening credits.
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...
ese animator
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...
known for his work with Madhouse
Madhouse (company)
is a Japanese animation studio, founded in 1972 by ex–Mushi Pro animators including Masao Maruyama, Osamu Dezaki, Rintaro, and Yoshiaki Kawajiri. It has created and helped to produce many well known shows, starting with TV anime series Ace o Nerae! in 1973, and including western favourites Ninja...
.
Primarily a key animator and animation director for TV anime, Kitao has also on occasion done character designs. Recently, he has won much praise for his adaptated character designs for the popular Death Note
Death Note
is a manga created by writer Tsugumi Ohba and manga artist Takeshi Obata. The main character is Light Yagami, a high school student who discovers a supernatural notebook, the "Death Note", dropped on Earth by a god of death, or a shinigami, named Ryuk...
TV series. Consequently, Death Note has become his best known work. Along with Death Note director Tetsurō Araki
Tetsuro Araki
is a Japanese anime director. He was born in Sayama City, Saitama Prefecture, Japan.Araki is a graduate at Senshu University and works with Madhouse. His directorial debut was 2005's Otogi-Jūshi Akazukin. He is best known as the director of the Death Note anime adaptation...
, he was a Guest of Honor at Anime Expo 2007
Anime Expo
Anime Expo, abbreviated AX, is an American anime convention held in Los Angeles, California and organized by the non-profit Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation . With rare exceptions, the convention is traditionally held on the July 4th weekend and lasts for four days...
.
When asked by fans at Anime Expo 2007, he revealed that L from Death Note is his favorite character, both to empathize with and to draw. He also stated that he would like to work on an L-themed spin-off
Spin-off (media)
In media, a spin-off is a radio program, television program, video game, or any narrative work, derived from one or more already existing works, that focuses, in particular, in more detail on one aspect of that original work...
anime, and that fans in America and Japan should request one if they too are interested.
Sequences as an Animator
At Anime Expo 2007Anime Expo
Anime Expo, abbreviated AX, is an American anime convention held in Los Angeles, California and organized by the non-profit Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation . With rare exceptions, the convention is traditionally held on the July 4th weekend and lasts for four days...
, Kitao revealed some of the sequences he had been personally responsible for on several of his television and theatrical works. On the X Movie
X (manga)
, also known as X/1999, is a Japanese shōjo manga series created by Clamp, a creative team made up by Satsuki Igarashi, Nanase Ohkawa, Tsubaki Nekoi, and Mokona. It premiered in Monthly Asukas May 1992 issue and ran there until the magazine's editors showed concern with the increasingly violent...
from 1996, he animated scenes of the character Hinoto, as well as drawing special-effects animation of collapsing buildings. In 1999's Cardcaptor Sakura The Movie
Cardcaptor Sakura
, abbreviated as CCS and also known as Cardcaptors, is a Japanese shōjo manga series written and illustrated by the manga artist group Clamp. The manga was originally serialized monthly in Nakayoshi from the May 1996 until the June 2000 issue, and later published in 12 tankōbon volumes by Kodansha...
, as assistant animation director he supervised the sequence where Sakura
Sakura Kinomoto
is a fictional character, the heroine of Clamp's manga series Cardcaptor Sakura. In the English anime adaptation of the series, Cardcaptors, her name is changed to Sakura Avalon. For all Japanese-language productions of the anime , Sakura is voiced by Sakura Tange...
and Tomoyo spend the night at Syaoran's home in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
. And as a chief animator on the Cardcaptor Sakura Movie 2: The Sealed Card
Cardcaptor Sakura Movie 2: The Sealed Card
is the second anime film, sequel, and the finale to the anime television series adaptation of Clamp's Cardcaptor Sakura. The animation was produced by Madhouse, while it was directed by Morio Asaka and written by Nanase Ōkawa . It won the Feature Film Award at the 2000 Animation Kobe.. The film was...
in 2000, he was responsible for the Mirror House sequence. Most recently, on the 2006 TV series NANA
Nana (manga)
is a Japanese shōjo manga series written and illustrated by Ai Yazawa, serialized in Cookie published by Shueisha. The manga derives its title from the name of the two main characters, both of whom are called Nana. Nana Komatsu is a small town girl who goes to Tokyo to follow her boyfriend and...
, he animated shots of the crowd dancing at Nana Osaki
Nana Osaki
is a fictional character in the manga/anime series Nana, by Ai Yazawa. She is the titular "Nana" of the series, along with Nana Komatsu.To disambiguate between the girls, the English-language publisher of the manga, VIZ Media, uses Nana O. to refer to Nana Osaki.-Character history:Nana O. was born...
's concert during the opening credits.
Television Series
- Azuki-chanAzuki-chanis an anime series about a young schoolgirl named Azusa Noyama, nicknamed Azuki-chan because when she was younger she was accidentally called Azuki.-Plot summary:...
(1995–1998) - Animation Director, Animation Supervisor, Storyboard Artist - Cardcaptor SakuraCardcaptor Sakura, abbreviated as CCS and also known as Cardcaptors, is a Japanese shōjo manga series written and illustrated by the manga artist group Clamp. The manga was originally serialized monthly in Nakayoshi from the May 1996 until the June 2000 issue, and later published in 12 tankōbon volumes by Kodansha...
(1998–2000) - Episode Director (episode 15), Storyboard Artist (episode 67) - Galaxy AngelGalaxy AngelIn the video game universe, the Galaxy Angels are from the "Special Guardian Division" and they work closely with the "Imperial Special Guards" and the "Satellite Defense Teams". They are the guardians of the White Moon, the sacred planet of the Transbaal Empire, and the personal protectors of the...
(2001–2004) - Animation Director, Storyboard Artist (season 1) - ChobitsChobitsis a Japanese manga created by the Japanese manga collective Clamp. It was published by Kodansha in Young Magazine from February 2001 to November 2002 and collected in eight bound volumes....
(2002) - Animation Director (episodes 15, 21) - GungraveGungrave (anime)is a Japanese animated television series based on the video game of the same name, created by Yasuhiro Nightow. The series is directed by Toshiyuki Tsuru, from a screenplay by Yousuke Kuroda, and produced by Madhouse Studios....
(2003–2004) - Animation Director - GokusenGokusenis a manga series by Kozueko Morimoto. The story follows Kumiko Yamaguchi, the granddaughter of a Yakuza boss and teacher at an all-male private high school. In 2008, a SP manga was out, featuring some of Yankumi's old students who are by now working adults.In 2002, the manga was adapted into a...
(2004) - Animation Director, Key Animator - Rozen MaidenRozen Maidenis a manga series created by Peach-Pit. The story centers on Jun Sakurada, a young hikikomori boy that forms a bond with Shinku, a living doll of the "Rozen Maiden" series, who was created by the mysterious dollmaker Rozen hundreds of years ago...
(2004) - Animation Director (episodes 3, 10) - NANANana (manga)is a Japanese shōjo manga series written and illustrated by Ai Yazawa, serialized in Cookie published by Shueisha. The manga derives its title from the name of the two main characters, both of whom are called Nana. Nana Komatsu is a small town girl who goes to Tokyo to follow her boyfriend and...
(2006–2007) - Apparel Designer, Key Animator (opening credits) - Death NoteDeath Noteis a manga created by writer Tsugumi Ohba and manga artist Takeshi Obata. The main character is Light Yagami, a high school student who discovers a supernatural notebook, the "Death Note", dropped on Earth by a god of death, or a shinigami, named Ryuk...
(2006–2007) - Character Designer, Chief Animation Director
Feature films
- Yawara! Soreyuke Koshinuke Kiss!!Yawara! A Fashionable Judo GirlYAWARA!, also known as Yawara! A Fashionable Judo Girl, is a Japanese manga series by Naoki Urasawa which ran in Big Comic Spirits from 1986 to 1993...
(1992) - Key Animator - X (1996) - Key Animator
- Cardcaptor Sakura: The MovieCardcaptor Sakura: The Movieis a Japanese anime film directed by Morio Asaka and produced by Madhouse and Bandai Visual. The film is based on the anime TV series adaptation of Clamp's Cardcaptor Sakura manga series. Written by Nanase Ohkawa, Clamp's head writer, it was released in Japanese theaters on August 21, 1999. It was...
(1999) - Assistant Animation Director, Chief Animator - Cardcaptor Sakura Movie 2: The Sealed CardCardcaptor Sakura Movie 2: The Sealed Cardis the second anime film, sequel, and the finale to the anime television series adaptation of Clamp's Cardcaptor Sakura. The animation was produced by Madhouse, while it was directed by Morio Asaka and written by Nanase Ōkawa . It won the Feature Film Award at the 2000 Animation Kobe.. The film was...
(2000) - Chief Animator - MetropolisMetropolis (anime)Metropolis is a 2001 [anime] film and loosely based on the 1949 Metropolis manga created by the late Osamu Tezuka, itself inspired by the 1927 German silent film of the same name, though the two do not share plot elements. The anime, however, does draw aspects of its storyline directly from the...
(2001) - Key Animator
OVAs
- GunbusterGunbusterGunbuster, known in Japan as is a six episode anime OVA series created by Gainax in 1988. It was the directorial debut of Hideaki Anno, best known as the director of Neon Genesis Evangelion. The title is a combination of the titles of classic tennis anime Aim for the Ace!, whose plot inspired...
(1988) - Animator - A-GirlA-Girlis a shōjo romance manga written by Fusako Kuramochi and serialized in Bessatsu Margaret from July 1984 until December 1984. The individual chapters were published in two tankōbon volumes by Shueisha, published in November and December 1985, respectively. On January 16, 1998, Shueisha re-released...
(1993) - Key Animator - PopsPops-People:* Louis Armstrong, has the nickname "Pops"* Pops Fernandez , Maria Cielito Lukban Fernandez, a Filipina singer* Pops Foster , a jazz musician* Father Emmett Johns, * Pops Staples , a Gospel and R&B musician...
(1993) - Character Designer, Animation Director - Oedo wa Nemurenai! (1993) - Key Animator
- Final Fantasy: Legend of the CrystalsFinal Fantasy: Legend of the Crystalsis an anime OVA based on the Final Fantasy series of console role-playing games. It was released in Japan in 1994 and distributed by Urban Vision in 1998 in North America. Urban Vision does not have the license to this series now, and it has not been relicensed in North America.Legend of the...
- Key Animator - Phantom Quest CorpPhantom Quest Corpis a comedy/horror anime produced by Madhouse. It was originally released as a four-episode original video animation in Japan between August 25, 1994 and February 25, 1995. An English-dubbed version was released in North America by Pioneer shortly thereafter...
(1994–1995) - Key Animator - Ichigo 100% (2004) - Chief Animation Director