Kazuhide Tomonaga
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is a Japanese
director Director may refer to: Literature * ''Director'' (magazine), a British magazine * ''The Director'' (novel), a 1971 novel by Henry Denker * ''The Director'' (play), a 2000 play by Nancy Hasty Music * Director (band), an Irish rock band * ''D ...
, animator, storyboarder, and cartoonist. he has worked at
Toei Animation () is a Japanese animation studio primarily controlled by its namesake Toei Company. It has produced numerous series, including ''Sally the Witch,'' '' GeGeGe no Kitarō,'' '' Mazinger Z'', '' Galaxy Express 999'', '' Cutie Honey'', '' Dr. Slu ...
,
Group TAC was a Japanese animation and computer graphics studio located in Shibuya, Tokyo, and founded in 1968 from former Mushi Pro staff. They worked on movies, videos, TV shows, and commercials, and contributed to all stages of the process, including p ...
,
Oh! Production , sometimes credited as Oh! Pro or Oh-Pro, is an anime production studio in Amanuma, Suginami, Tokyo, Japan. It was established in May 1970 by animators Norio Shioyama, Kōichi Murata, Kazuo Komatsubara, and Kōshin Yonekawa. Former members ...
, and
TMS Entertainment , formerly known as the , also known as or , is a Japanese animation studio established on October 22, 1946. TMS is one of the oldest and most famous anime studios in Japan, best known for numerous anime franchises such as '' Lupin the Third' ...
. He is currently a director at Telecom Animation Film Company (a subsidiary of TMS). He is a member of the
Japanese Animation Creators Association The or JAniCA, is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving working conditions for workers in the anime industry. The group was formed in June 2007. History On October 15, 2007 over 500 animators gathered together to announce the formatio ...
(JAniCA). His style inspired another famous animator, . He is best known for his work on the ''
Lupin the Third , also written as ''Lupin the Third'', ''Lupin the 3rd'', or ''Lupin the IIIrd'', is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Monkey Punch. It follows the endeavors of master thief Arsène Lupin III, the grandson of Arsèn ...
'' franchise; other works he is known for include ''
Galaxy Express 999 is a Japanese manga series. It is written and illustrated by Leiji Matsumoto, later adapted into a number of anime films and television series. It is set in a spacefaring, high-tech future in which humans have learned how to transfer ...
'', '' Castle in the Sky'', '' Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland'', ''
Mazinger Z is a Japanese super robot manga series written and illustrated by Go Nagai. The first manga version was serialized in Shueisha's ''Weekly Shōnen Jump'' from October 1972 to August 1973, and it later was reissued in Kodansha ''TV Magazin ...
'', ''
Space Battleship Yamato is a Japanese science fiction anime series produced and written by Yoshinobu Nishizaki, directed by manga artist Leiji Matsumoto, and produced by Academy Productions. The series aired in Yomiuri TV from October 6, 1974 to March 30, 1975 ...
'', ''
Tiny Toon Adventures ''Tiny Toon Adventures'' is an American animated comedy television series that was broadcast from September 14, 1990, to December 6, 1992. It was the first collaborative effort of Steven Spielberg's Amblin Television and Warner Bros. Animation ...
'', '' Batman: The Animated Series,
Animaniacs ''Animaniacs'' is an American animated comedy musical television series created by Tom Ruegger for Fox Broadcasting Company's Fox Kids block in 1993, before moving to The WB in 1995, as part of its Kids' WB afternoon programming block, until ...
,
Sonic X is a Japanese anime television series based on Sega's '' Sonic the Hedgehog'' video game series. Produced by TMS Entertainment under partnership with Sega and Sonic Team, and directed by Hajime Kamegaki, ''Sonic X'' initially ran for 52 ...
, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, ''the intro to ''
Inspector Gadget ''Inspector Gadget'' is a media franchise that began in 1983 with the DIC Entertainment animated television series '' Inspector Gadget''. Since the original series, there have been many spin-offs based on the show, including additional animated ...
, ''and the video game '' Kingdom Hearts.''


Biography

After graduating high school, he spent six months in
Osaka is a designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the third most populous city in Japan, following Special wards of Tokyo and Yokohama. With a population of ...
working as a
salaryman In Japan, a is a salaried worker. In Japanese popular culture, this is embodied by a white-collar worker who shows overriding loyalty and commitment to the corporation where he works. Salarymen are expected to work long hours, to put in addit ...
before moving to Tokyo.


Career

Tomonaga made his start in animation in 1972 with the animated adaption of Devil Man. During his time at Tiger Production while under animator , Tomonaga worked on the anime ''
Mazinger Z is a Japanese super robot manga series written and illustrated by Go Nagai. The first manga version was serialized in Shueisha's ''Weekly Shōnen Jump'' from October 1972 to August 1973, and it later was reissued in Kodansha ''TV Magazin ...
'' and ''
Space Battleship Yamato is a Japanese science fiction anime series produced and written by Yoshinobu Nishizaki, directed by manga artist Leiji Matsumoto, and produced by Academy Productions. The series aired in Yomiuri TV from October 6, 1974 to March 30, 1975 ...
''. He then worked at
Oh! Production , sometimes credited as Oh! Pro or Oh-Pro, is an anime production studio in Amanuma, Suginami, Tokyo, Japan. It was established in May 1970 by animators Norio Shioyama, Kōichi Murata, Kazuo Komatsubara, and Kōshin Yonekawa. Former members ...
while Komatsubara Kazuo was drawing director, and worked on a number of anime including ''UFO Robo Glendizer'', ''Magnerobo Ga Keen'', and ''Superhuman Squadron Baratak''. He was primarily responsible for the base drawings for Toei Doga's robot anime. In 1979, Tomonaga moved from Oh! Production to Telecom Animation. In 1980, he made his debut as an animation director with the movie '' Sugata Sanshirou.'' and others Chapter.3 The Men Who Made Robot Anime Robot Anime Robot Anime Hall of Fame Staff Gentleman's Record" "The Immortal Super Robot Daizen Mazinger Z to Transformers, Gundam W Thorough Research" , September 25, 1998, , p. 132. Since then, he has worked on both international and domestic works for Telecom Animation Film Company, as well as for their parent company
TMS Entertainment , formerly known as the , also known as or , is a Japanese animation studio established on October 22, 1946. TMS is one of the oldest and most famous anime studios in Japan, best known for numerous anime franchises such as '' Lupin the Third' ...
. He has received particularly positive critical reception on a number of scenes which include the battleship ''Yamato'' flashback scene for the 1974 TV animation ''
Space Battleship Yamato is a Japanese science fiction anime series produced and written by Yoshinobu Nishizaki, directed by manga artist Leiji Matsumoto, and produced by Academy Productions. The series aired in Yomiuri TV from October 6, 1974 to March 30, 1975 ...
'', as well as the Battle of the Rainbow Star Cluster.EYECOM Files Chapter 5 Tech istory of Animation Expression yusuke Hikawa" "SF Anime Is Interesting" , January 7, 1997, , page 169."Dogaoh" Interview and composition of Ryusuke Hikawa" Testimony and The Age of Giant Robot Animation Kaneda Igo Interview", "Video King Vol.1 Decisive Battle- Giant Robot Anime" Kinema Shunposha, 1997, p.188. Other well-received moments are the car chase in the 1979 Telecom Animation anime movie '' Lupin III: Castle of Cagliostro'',Junji Hotta, Gainax "Gainax Interviews" Kodansha, 2005, p.110. as well as the battle scene against the ''Arcadia'' in the climax of the animated film ''Galaxy Railway 999''. In 1984, Tomonaga co-produced with Yoshifumi Kondo the three and a half-minute pilot for Little Nemo, which earned him recognition in the American animation industry, with some saying the pilot was one of his masterpieces. According to fellow animator
Yasuo Otsuka Yasuo is a masculine Japanese given name. Possible writings Yasuo can be written using many different combinations of kanji characters. Here are some examples: *安雄, "tranquil, male" *安男, "tranquil, man" *安夫, "tranquil, husband" *安 ...
, Tomonaga is highly regarded for his skill with action, such as a strong sense of movement and skill with mechanical objects. Animator Yoshinori Kaneda worked with Tomonaga on ''Space Battleship Yamato'' and ''Galaxy Railway 999'', and said of Tomonaga that he was "both a friend and a rival". Production for the TV animation series
Sherlock Hound is an anime television series produced by RAI and Tokyo Movie Shinsha. Based on the character Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle, almost all the characters are depicted as anthropomorphic dogs. The show featured regular appearances of ...
began in 1982, with Tomonaga as animation director. Director
Hayao Miyazaki is a Japanese animator, director, producer, screenwriter, author, and manga artist. A co-founder of Studio Ghibli, he has attained international acclaim as a masterful storyteller and creator of Japanese animated feature films, and is widel ...
modeled the appearance of the character Todd on Tomonaga Tomonaga worked on the show openings for
Inspector Gadget ''Inspector Gadget'' is a media franchise that began in 1983 with the DIC Entertainment animated television series '' Inspector Gadget''. Since the original series, there have been many spin-offs based on the show, including additional animated ...
and Batman: The Animated Series through TMS. He was also an animation supervisor for the video game Kingdom Hearts through Telecom Animation Film Company. He also contributed to a number of
Studio Ghibli is a Japanese animation studio headquartered in Koganei, Tokyo."Studio Ghibli Collection - Madman Entertainment". ''Studio Ghibli Collection - Madman Entertainment''. Retrieved 2020-12-14. It is best known for its animated feature films, and h ...
films when Telecom Animation Film Company was hired by Ghibli for animation support. he was also the animation director, one of the key animators, and even Directed the episode "The Arrogant Palm of a Small Human" on Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood when, once again,
Bones A bone is a rigid organ that constitutes part of the skeleton in most vertebrate animals. Bones protect the various other organs of the body, produce red and white blood cells, store minerals, provide structure and support for the body, a ...
, the studio behind the series, hired Telecom Animation Film Company for animation support. In 2016, Tomonaga was awarded an Animation Lifetime Achievement Award at the 25th Japanese Movie Critics Awards.


Works


Video Games

* '' Kingdom Hearts'' (2002) (animation supervisor) (outside contractors)


TV shows

* ''
Space Battleship Yamato is a Japanese science fiction anime series produced and written by Yoshinobu Nishizaki, directed by manga artist Leiji Matsumoto, and produced by Academy Productions. The series aired in Yomiuri TV from October 6, 1974 to March 30, 1975 ...
'' (1974–1975) (animator) * ''
Lupin the Third Part II ''Lupin the 3rd Part II'' is a Japanese anime television series produced by TMS Entertainment. Part of the ''Lupin III'' franchise, it is the second anime television adaptation of the ''Lupin III'' manga series created by Monkey Punch. Altho ...
'' (1977–1980) (key animator) * ''
Future Boy Conan , also known as ''Conan, The Boy in Future'', is a Japanese post-apocalyptic science fiction anime series. It is an adaptation of American science-fiction writer Alexander Key's 1970 novel ''The Incredible Tide''. It was broadcast for twent ...
'' (1978) (animator) (Oh! Production) * '' Anne of Green Gables'' (1979) (animator) * '' The New Adventures of Gigantor'' (1980–1981) (assistant animation director "The Dreaded Double Robot) * '' Jarinko Chie'' (1981–1983) (animation director, season 1, episode 39) * ''
Inspector Gadget ''Inspector Gadget'' is a media franchise that began in 1983 with the DIC Entertainment animated television series '' Inspector Gadget''. Since the original series, there have been many spin-offs based on the show, including additional animated ...
'' (1982–1986) (animator for the opening sequence) * ''
Sherlock Hound is an anime television series produced by RAI and Tokyo Movie Shinsha. Based on the character Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle, almost all the characters are depicted as anthropomorphic dogs. The show featured regular appearances of ...
'' (1984–1985) (animation director/animator) * ''
Galaxy High is a science fiction animated series that premiered on September 13, 1986 on CBS and ran for 13 episodes until December 6, 1986. The series was created by Chris Columbus (filmmaker), Chris Columbus and featured music and a theme song composed b ...
'' (1986) (directing animator) * ''
DuckTales ''DuckTales'' is an American animated television series produced by Disney Television Animation. The original cartoon series premiered on syndication and on Disney Channel on September 18, 1987 and ran for a total of 100 episodes over four sea ...
'' (1987–1990) (animator "Top Duck") * ''
The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh ''The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh'' is an American animated television series produced by Walt Disney Television Animation. Based on the '' Winnie-the-Pooh'' books by authors A. A. Milne and E. H. Shepard, ''The New Adventures'' was the ...
'' (1988–1991) (animation director "The Great Honey Pot Robbery") * ''
Tiny Toon Adventures ''Tiny Toon Adventures'' is an American animated comedy television series that was broadcast from September 14, 1990, to December 6, 1992. It was the first collaborative effort of Steven Spielberg's Amblin Television and Warner Bros. Animation ...
'' (1990–1992) (animation director) * ''
Fox's Peter Pan & the Pirates ''Fox's Peter Pan and the Pirates'' (known in international markets as ''20th Century Fox's Peter Pan & the Pirates'') is an American animated television series based on J.M. Barrie's Peter Pan that aired on Fox Kids from September 8, 1990, to Se ...
'' (1990–1991) (animation director) (TMS) * '' Batman: The Animated Series'' (1992–1995) (animation director/key animator/layout artist/animator) * ''
Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog ''Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog'' is an animated series that was based on the ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' video game series produced by Sega of America, DIC Animation City, Bohbot Entertainment and the Italian studio Reteitalia S.p.A. in associati ...
'' (1993) (animation director) * ''
Animaniacs ''Animaniacs'' is an American animated comedy musical television series created by Tom Ruegger for Fox Broadcasting Company's Fox Kids block in 1993, before moving to The WB in 1995, as part of its Kids' WB afternoon programming block, until ...
'' (1993) (key animator/animation director) (Tokyo Movie Shinsha Co. Ltd.) * '' Superman: The Animated Series'' (1996–2000) (Director/storyboard artist/key animator/background key designer) * ''
The New Batman Adventures ''The New Batman Adventures'' (often shortened as ''TNBA'') is an American superhero animated television series based on the DC Comics superhero Batman, which aired on Kids' WB from September 13, 1997 to January 16, 1999. Produced by Warner Br ...
'' (1997–1999) (key animator) * '' Cybersix'' (1999) (Director/key animator/animation director) * ''
Sonic X is a Japanese anime television series based on Sega's '' Sonic the Hedgehog'' video game series. Produced by TMS Entertainment under partnership with Sega and Sonic Team, and directed by Hajime Kamegaki, ''Sonic X'' initially ran for 52 ...
'' (2003–2005) (storyboard artist/key animator) * '' Uninhabited Planet Survive!'' (2003–2004) (storyboard artist) * '' Muteki Kanban Musume'' (2006) (key animator "Invincible Delivery Girl / Another Delivery Girl") * '' Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood'' (2009–2010) (Director "The Arrogant Palm of a Small Human"/key animator/animation director) * '' Lupin the 3rd Part IV: The Italian Adventure'' (2015–2016) (Director-2 episodes)


TV Movie

* ''Sugata Sanshirô'' (1981) (animation director) * ''The Blinkins: The Bear and the Blizzard'' (1986) (key animator) * ''Lupin the III: Blood Seal ~Eternal Mermaid~'' (2011) (key animator)


OVA

* '' The Fuma Conspiracy'' (1987) (animation director) * '' Ozanari Dungeon'' (1991) (key animator) * '' Tiny Toon Adventures: How I Spent My Vacation'' (1992) (animation director) (TMS) * '' The Batman/Superman Movie: World's Finest'' (1997) (storyboard artist/background key designer/character and prop designer/key animator) * '' Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker'' (2000) (key animator) * '' Green Lantern: First Flight'' (2009) (director) (Telecom Animation Film) * '' Justice League: Doom'' (2012) (storyboard artist) * '' Superman vs. The Elite'' (2012) (key animator)


Shorts

* ''Little Nemo Pilot'' (1984/II) (animation director/key animator) * ''Soreike! Anpanman: Tsumikijô no himitsu'' (1992) (animator) * '' Buta'' (2012) (Director/Writer)


Films

* ''
Farewell to Space Battleship Yamato , also called ''Farewell to Space Battleship Yamato'' or ''Arrivederci Yamato'', is the second film based on the classic manga and anime series ''Space Battleship Yamato'' (known as ''Star Blazers'' in the United States) and the sequel to ''Space ...
'' (1978) (animator) * ''
The Mystery of Mamo ''The Mystery of Mamo'', also known as ''The Secret of Mamo'', is a 1978 Japanese animated science fiction adventure action comedy film; it is the first animated film of the '' Lupin III'' franchise created by manga author Monkey Punch. The film w ...
'' (1978) (animator) (Oh! Production) * ''
Galaxy Express 999 is a Japanese manga series. It is written and illustrated by Leiji Matsumoto, later adapted into a number of anime films and television series. It is set in a spacefaring, high-tech future in which humans have learned how to transfer ...
'' (1979) (animator) * ''
The Castle of Cagliostro is a 1979 Japanese animated action-adventure comedy film co-written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki, with animation produced by Tokyo Movie Shinsha (TMS). It is the second feature film featuring Monkey Punch's master thief Arsène Lupin III, ...
'' (1979) (design supervisor/key animator) * '' Jarinko Chie'' (1981) (animator) * '' Castle in the Sky'' (1986) (key animator) (Telecom Animation Film) * '' Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland'' (1989) (design development/story sketches/storyboard artist/animation director) * ''
Pom Poko Pom or POM may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Pom (comics) (1919–2014), a Belgian comic strip writer and artist * Baby Pom, a fictional character in the British television programme ''Fimbles'' * Pom, a character in the video game ''Them's F ...
'' (1994) (animator) (Telecom Animation Film) * ''
Farewell to Nostradamus , sometimes also referred to as ''To Hell With Nostradamus,'' is a 1995 Japanese animated film. It is the fourth theatrical feature film in the ''Lupin III'' franchise, and the first time Lupin's voice is provided by Kanichi Kurita, following the d ...
'' (1995) (storyboard artist) * '' WXIII: Patlabor the Movie 3'' (2002) (animator) * ''
The Cat Returns is a 2002 Japanese animated fantasy film directed by Hiroyuki Morita, produced by Toshio Suzuki and Nozomu Takahashi, written by Reiko Yoshida, based on the manga '' The Cat Returns'' by Aoi Hiiragi, with music by Yuji Nomi, animated by Stud ...
'' (2002) (key animator) (Telecom Animation Film) * '' Forest of Piano'' (2007) (key animator) * ''
The Wind Rises is a 2013 Japanese animated historical drama film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki, animated by Studio Ghibli for the Nippon Television Network, Dentsu, Hakuhodo DY Media Partners, Walt Disney Japan, Mitsubishi, Toho and KDDI. It was rele ...
'' (2013) (key animator) * '' Young Animator Training Project'' (2013) (Director) * '' Lupin the 3rd vs. Detective Conan: The Movie'' (2013) (key animator) * '' Lupin the Third: The Gravestone of Daisuke Jigen'' (2014) (key animator) * ''Lupin III: The Italian Game'' (2016) (Director/key animator) * '' Lupin the Third: The Blood Spray of Goemon Ishikawa'' (2017) (key animator) * '' Lupin the Third: Fujiko Mine's Lie'' (2019) (key animator)


References


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Tomonaga, Kazuhide 1952 births Living people Japanese animators Lupin the Third Anime character designers People from Fukuoka Prefecture