was 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 ...

and

animator An animator is an artist who creates multiple images, known as frames, which give an illusion of movement called animation when displayed in rapid sequence. Animators can work in a variety of fields including film, television, and video gam ...

, best known for directing the landmark anime series ''

Serial Experiments Lain ''Serial Experiments Lain'' (stylized as ''serial experiments lain'') is a Japanese anime television series created and co-produced by Yasuyuki Ueda, written by Chiaki J. Konaka and directed by Ryūtarō Nakamura. Animated by Triangle Staff ...

'', and for his collaboration with

Masamune Shirow , better known by his pen name , is a Japanese manga artist. Shirow is best known for the manga '' Ghost in the Shell'', which has since been turned into three theatrical anime films, two anime television series, an anime television movie, an a ...

and

Chiaki J. Konaka is a Japanese writer and novelist. He was the head writer of the anime series ''Serial Experiments Lain'', ''Digimon Tamers'', and ''Hellsing'', as well as the television drama ''Ultraman Gaia''. Personal life Konaka gave himself the middle ini ...

on ''

Ghost Hound is an anime television series, created by Production I.G and Masamune Shirow, noted for being the creator of the '' Ghost in the Shell'' series. The original concept and design was first developed by Shirow in 1987. It is Production I.G's 2 ...

''.

Death

In 2009, it was announced that he would be working on a new project: ''

Despera is a planned anime series, written by Chiaki J. Konaka and featuring character designs by Yoshitoshi Abe. It is Abe and Konaka's third collaboration, following ''Texhnolyze'' and '' Serial Experiments Lain''. Ryūtarō Nakamura, who directed ...

''. Production was put on hold due to Nakamura suffering from an unspecified illness. Following several months of hospitalization due to

pancreatic cancer Pancreatic cancer arises when cell (biology), cells in the pancreas, a glandular organ behind the stomach, begin to multiply out of control and form a Neoplasm, mass. These cancerous cells have the malignant, ability to invade other parts of t ...

, he died on June 29, 2013. His death was announced nearly a month after.

Filmography

Director

*1992: ''Tomcat's Big Adventure'': Director, Script, Storyboard, Composition *1994: ''The Life of Guskou Budori'': Director, Script *1995: '' Legend of Crystania - The Motion Picture'': Director *1996: ''Legend of Crystania (OVA)'': Director *1998: ''

'': Series director, Director (Eps 1, 2, 12, 13), Storyboard, Continuity (Eps 5, 6, 8, 11–13), Continuity Direction *1999: '' Colorful'': Director, Storyboard, Episode Director (1-4,12,14,16) *2000: ''

Sakura Wars is a Japanese steampunk media franchise created by Oji Hiroi and owned by Sega. It is focused around a series of cross-genre video games. The first game in the series was released in 1996, with five sequels and numerous spin-off titles being ...

'': Series director, Continuity *2003: ''

Kino's Journey , shortened to ''Kino's Journey'', is a Japanese light novel series written by Keiichi Sigsawa, with illustrations by Kouhaku Kuroboshi. The series follows a traveler named Kino and her talking motorcycle named Hermes, as they explore ...

'': Director, Storyboard, Episode Director (ep 1, 2, 5) *2006: ''

Rec REC or Rec is a shortening of Recording, the process of capturing data onto a storage medium. REC may also refer to: Educational institutes * Regional Engineering College, colleges of engineering and technology education in India * Rajalakshmi ...

'': Director, Storyboard, Episode Director *2007: '' Kino's Journey -Country of Illness- For You-'': Director *2007: ''

'': Director *2013 (Posthumous): ''Jūgo Shōnen Hyōryūki Kaizokujima DE! Daibōken'': Director *Suspended: ''

'': Director

Other

*1978-79: ''

Takarajima , literally "treasure island", is one of the Tokara Islands, belonging to Kagoshima Prefecture. The island, 7.14 km² in area, has a population of 116 persons. The island can only be reached by boat as it has no airport; there is regular ferr ...

'': Key Animation *1979-80: ''The Rose of Versailles'': Key Animation (eps 24, 26–40) *1980-81: '' Ashita no Joe 2'': Key Animation *1981: ''

Unico is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Osamu Tezuka. It was serialized in Sanrio's manga magazine ' from November 1976 to March 1979 and collected in two volumes. A pilot film for a potential television series was produce ...

(movie)'': Art *1982: ''

Space Adventure Cobra is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Buichi Terasawa. Set in the far future, the series tells the story of Cobra, who lives an adventurous life until his enemies begin to hunt him down. Cobra surgically alters his face a ...

'' - The Movie: Animation *1985: ''

A Journey Through Fairyland is a 1985 Japanese animated film by Sanrio, the company which animated ''Unico'', ''The Sea Prince and the Fire Child'' and ''Ringing Bell'', though this story is less sought out as a rarity among Sanrio cult classic collectors. It is also Sanr ...

(movie)'': In-Between Animation *1986: '' They Were Eleven (movie)'': Storyboard *1988: ''Patlabor The Mobile Police (OAV 1)'': Storyboard (eps 2, 4) *1990: ''The Great Adventures of Robin Hood'': Storyboard (eps 14, 20, 25, 31, 33, 40, 47) *1991: ''

Legend of Heavenly Sphere Shurato is a Japanese manga created, written and illustrated by Hiroshi Kawamoto and later adapted to anime by Tatsunoko Productions. It ran 38 episodes on TV Tokyo from April 6, 1989 to January 18, 1990 and also received a 6-episode OVA followu ...

'': Storyboard (2) *1991: '' Lupin III: "Steal Napoleon's Dictionary!"'': Storyboard *1991: ''Kikou Keisatsu Metal Jack'': Storyboard (ep 30) *1991: ''Tenku Senki Shurato'': Storyboard *1992: ''Tekkaman Blade'': Storyboard (eps 12, 19, 25, 30) *1996: ''

Popolocrois is a Japanese video game software developer located in Tokyo, Japan. Originally established as “GEN CREATIVE HOUSE CO., LTD.” in February 1987, changed company name to “G-Artists Inc.” in March 1991, then to “epics Inc.” in June 2 ...

(game)'': Animation Movie Director, Story Board & Game Art *1999: ''

Magic User's Club is a magical girl/magical boy, boy anime created by Triangle Staff and Junichi Sato. It was first released as a six-part OVA in 1996 and then a 13-episode TV series in 1999, which was broadcast by WOWOW, and then by the anime television ne ...

'': Storyboard (ep 3), Episode Director (ep 3) *2000: ''

Love Hina is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Ken Akamatsu. It was serialized in Kodansha's ''Weekly Shōnen Magazine'' from October 1998 to October 2001, with the chapters collected into 14 ''tankōbon'' volumes by Kodansha. The ...

'': Key Animation Episodes 13, 18 *2001: '' Final Fantasy: Unlimited'': Episode 2 Director/Storyboard *2002: '' Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex'': Storyboard (ep 5), Episode Director (ep 5)

Bibliography

* ''Legend of Crystania - The Motion Picture Storyboard'' (劇場アニメーションレジェンド・オブ・クリスタニア絵コンテ). Triangle Staff. * ''visual experiments lain'' (ビジュアルエクスペリメンツレイン). Sony Magazines , 1999.

References

External links

* 1955 births 2013 deaths Deaths from pancreatic cancer Anime directors Japanese animators Japanese animated film directors Japanese storyboard artists {{anime-bio-stub