Tatsuo Yoshida
Encyclopedia
was a Japanese cartoonist, writer and anime
pioneer who founded the anime studio Tatsunoko Productions.
Born in 1932, Yoshida grew up in the hardship of war-torn Japan
. A self-taught artist, his first job was as working for local newspapers in Kyoto
. After finding success as a manga
artist in Tokyo
, including winning the Shogakukan Manga Award
in 1972 for Minashigo Hutch, in 1962 he founded Tatsunoko with his two younger brothers, Kenji (who took over Tatsuo's position as producer after he died) and Toyoharu (a.k.a. Ippei Kuri). The studio's name has a double Japanese meaning of "Tatsu's child" and "sea dragon" which was the inspiration for its seahorse
logo.
Yoshida made the jump from print to the screen and found modest success with the anime racing series Mach Go Go Go. Once adapted to the English language
market, it achieved resounding, worldwide success as Speed Racer
. Yoshida also created the action series Gatchaman (also known as Battle of the Planets
), Casshan
(also known as Neo-Human Casshern, now remade as the live-action film Casshern
and the continuity reboot Casshern Sins
), Hurricane Polymar
and Tekkaman: The Space Knight
.
Though Tatsuo Yoshida's career was cut short by his untimely death from liver cancer
in 1977, Tatsunoko Productions has continued to partner with top creators to create additional hit series such as Macross
(Robotech
), Mospeada, Generator Gawl
, Time Bokan
, and Karas
.
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
pioneer who founded the anime studio Tatsunoko Productions.
Born in 1932, Yoshida grew up in the hardship of war-torn 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...
. A self-taught artist, his first job was as working for local newspapers in Kyoto
Kyoto
is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...
. After finding success as a manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
artist in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, including winning the Shogakukan Manga Award
Shogakukan Manga Award
The is one of Japan's major manga awards, sponsored by Shogakukan Publishing. It has been awarded annually for serialized manga since 1955 and features candidates from a number of publishers.The current award categories are:...
in 1972 for Minashigo Hutch, in 1962 he founded Tatsunoko with his two younger brothers, Kenji (who took over Tatsuo's position as producer after he died) and Toyoharu (a.k.a. Ippei Kuri). The studio's name has a double Japanese meaning of "Tatsu's child" and "sea dragon" which was the inspiration for its seahorse
Seahorse
Seahorses compose the fish genus Hippocampus within the family Syngnathidae, in order Syngnathiformes. Syngnathidae also includes the pipefishes. "Hippocampus" comes from the Ancient Greek hippos meaning "horse" and kampos meaning “sea monster”.There are nearly 50 species of seahorse...
logo.
Yoshida made the jump from print to the screen and found modest success with the anime racing series Mach Go Go Go. Once adapted to the English language
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
market, it achieved resounding, worldwide success as Speed Racer
Speed Racer
Speed Racer is an English adaptation name of the Japanese manga and anime, which centered on automobile racing. Mach GoGoGo was originally serialized in print form in Shueisha's 1958 Shōnen Book, and was released in tankōbon book form by Sun Wide Comics, re-released in Japan by Fusosha...
. Yoshida also created the action series Gatchaman (also known as Battle of the Planets
Battle of the Planets
Battle of the Planets is an American animated television adaptation of the Japanese anime series Science Ninja Team Gatchaman . Of the 105 original Gatchaman episodes, 85 were used in the Battle of the Planets adaptation, produced by Sandy Frank Entertainment...
), Casshan
Casshan
Casshan also known as in Japan, is an anime series created by animation studio Tatsunoko Productions in 1973, which was based on a serialization in Kodansha’s Terebi Magazine and Akita Shoten’s “Boken Oh” ....
(also known as Neo-Human Casshern, now remade as the live-action film Casshern
Casshern
is a 2004 Japanese tokusatsu film adaptation of the anime series of the same name. It was written and directed by Kazuaki Kiriya. It stars Yusuke Iseya as Tetsuya Azuma/Casshern, Kumiko Aso as Luna Kozuki, Toshiaki Karasawa as Burai, Mayumi Sada as Saguree, and Jun Kaname as Barashin.-Plot:A...
and the continuity reboot Casshern Sins
Casshern Sins
is a reboot of the classic anime series Casshan, animated by Madhouse. It premiered in Japan on October 1, 2008, following a sneak preview of the first episode at Otakon 2008 in Baltimore, Maryland....
), Hurricane Polymar
Hurricane Polymar
is a Japanese anime series produced by Tatsunoko Productions. The show was created by Tatsuo Yoshida, who had produced many of Tatsunoko's series. Other romanizations of the name include Hurricane Polymer, and Hariken Polymar .Hurricane Polymar is the secret identity of...
and Tekkaman: The Space Knight
Tekkaman: The Space Knight
is an anime produced by Tatsunoko Productions in 1975. A short-lived English adaptation aired in the US in 1984.Two decades later, it was followed by the much more popular Tekkaman Blade, which was dubbed in the U.S. by Saban as Teknoman....
.
Though Tatsuo Yoshida's career was cut short by his untimely death from liver cancer
Hepatocellular carcinoma
Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most common type of liver cancer. Most cases of HCC are secondary to either a viral hepatitide infection or cirrhosis .Compared to other cancers, HCC is quite a rare tumor in the United States...
in 1977, Tatsunoko Productions has continued to partner with top creators to create additional hit series such as Macross
Macross
is a series of science fiction mecha anime, directed by Shōji Kawamori of Studio Nue in 1982. The franchise features a fictional history of Earth/Humanity after the year 1999. It consists of three TV series, four movies, six OVAs, one light novel and five manga series, all sponsored by Big West...
(Robotech
Robotech
Robotech is an 85-episode science fiction anime adaptation produced by Harmony Gold USA in association with Tatsunoko Production Co., Ltd. and first released in the United States in 1985...
), Mospeada, Generator Gawl
Generator Gawl
is a 1998 12-part anime series. The story is set in 2007, when Professor Takuma Nekasa uncovers a gene code that will unlock the human body's greatest mystery and expose mankind to its greatest threat. As a result, Gawl, Koji, and Ryo—three young scientists from a future period—have traveled back...
, Time Bokan
Time Bokan
is a Japanese anime series first aired on Fuji TV from October 4, 1975 to December 25, 1976 throughout Japan every Saturday at 6:30pm, with a total of 61 30-minute episodes. It was produced by Tatsunoko Productions, who later produced a number of spinoff programs as part of the "Time Bokan...
, and Karas
Karas (anime)
is a six-part original video animation. Tatsunoko Production produced it to commemorate its 40th anniversary of anime production. Each Karas episode was first televised in Japan as a pay-per-view program from March 25, 2005, to August 3, 2007, before being released onto DVDs...
.
Anime credits
- Ninja Squad MoonlightPhantom AgentsThe Phantom Agents , 1964-1966, was a Japanese action television series of 130 black and white episodes.The series was created by Tatsuo Yoshida. The Phantom Agents were modern day ninjas working for the Japanese government, mostly against the dastardly "Black Flag" organization...
(1964, also known as Phantom AgentsPhantom AgentsThe Phantom Agents , 1964-1966, was a Japanese action television series of 130 black and white episodes.The series was created by Tatsuo Yoshida. The Phantom Agents were modern day ninjas working for the Japanese government, mostly against the dastardly "Black Flag" organization...
) - Space AceSpace Ace (anime)is a Japanese animated television program created by Tatsunoko Production. The series aired on Fuji TV from May 8, 1965 to April 28, 1966, for a total of 52 episodes...
(1965) - Mach Go Go Go (1967, also known as Speed Racer)
- Judo BoyJudo Boyis a Japanese anime television series created by Tatsuo Yoshida and directed by Ippei Kuri. The series aired on Fuji TV from April 2, 1969 to September 24, 1969, totaling 26 episodes....
(1969) - Hakushon Daimaō (1969, also known as Bob in the Bottle or The Genie Family)
- Kagaku Ninja Tai GatchamanScience Ninja Team Gatchamanis a 5-member superhero team that is composed of the main characters in several Japanese anime created by Tatsuo Yoshida and originally produced in Japan by Tatsunoko Productions and later adapted into several English-language versions...
(1972, also known as Battle of the Planets) - Shinzo Ningen Casshan (1973)
- Hurricane PolymarHurricane Polymaris a Japanese anime series produced by Tatsunoko Productions. The show was created by Tatsuo Yoshida, who had produced many of Tatsunoko's series. Other romanizations of the name include Hurricane Polymer, and Hariken Polymar .Hurricane Polymar is the secret identity of...
(1974) - Time BokanTime Bokanis a Japanese anime series first aired on Fuji TV from October 4, 1975 to December 25, 1976 throughout Japan every Saturday at 6:30pm, with a total of 61 30-minute episodes. It was produced by Tatsunoko Productions, who later produced a number of spinoff programs as part of the "Time Bokan...
(1974) - Tekkaman: The Space KnightTekkaman: The Space Knightis an anime produced by Tatsunoko Productions in 1975. A short-lived English adaptation aired in the US in 1984.Two decades later, it was followed by the much more popular Tekkaman Blade, which was dubbed in the U.S. by Saban as Teknoman....
(1975) - Yattaman (1977)