Staff News
Articles tagged Staff · All news
Visual Novel Creator Jun Maeda Diagnosed with Pharyngeal Cancer
Jun Maeda, the acclaimed writer and composer known for visual novels such as Kanon, Air, Clannad, and Little Busters!, has been diagnosed with pharyngeal cancer. Visual Arts/Key announced the news on Monday, revealing that Maeda has opted to forgo active treatment in favor of pa...
3 weeks ago
Animator Kenichirou Katsura Dies at 59
Kenichirou Katsura, known for his character designs for Macross 7 and Knight's & Magic, died on September 30. He was 59. A funeral service was held by his close relatives. Satoko Miyachi, his wife and fellow animator, announced the news on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, stating...
1 month ago
Toshio Masuda, Director of 'Uchuu Senkan Yamato' Movies, Dies at 98
Toshio Masuda, the director behind Uchuu Senkan Yamato (Space Battleship Yamato) movies, died on August 26 due to natural causes. He was 98. The Directors Guild of Japan announced the news on Thursday, stating that Masuda died at a hospital in Tokyo. A private funeral service has...
1 month ago
The Road to Redemption: Unmasking The Vermilion Mask
Combining dark fantasy, action, and an unconventional approach to the shounen genre, Shuiro no Kamen (The Vermilion Mask) is set to bring its striking world and mysterious masks to television this October. From its first chapters, the manga stands out for its willingness to plac...
1 month ago
From The Apothecary Diaries to Jurassic Shadows: Norihiro Naganuma's Next Creative Challenge
What happens when the director behind Kusuriya no Hitorigoto (The Apothecary Diaries) and Mahoutsukai no Yome (The Ancient Magus' Bride) trades court intrigue and fantasy for dinosaurs, ninjas, and superpowered makeup? That is the question at the heart of Ryuugeshou no Shinobi (...
2 months ago
Yuuji Yanase, Director of 'Isekai wa Smartphone to Tomo ni.', Dies at 59
Yuuji Yanase, the director behind Isekai wa Smartphone to Tomo ni. (In Another World With My Smartphone), died on August 22 due to myocardial infarction. He was 59. A funeral service was held by his close relatives. Animation studio Maho Film announced the news on Wednesday, wher...
2 months ago
Focus: Building the Dark Fantasy 'Sentenced to Be a Hero' with Studio KAI
Studio KAI was founded in 2019, and their name "KAI" means "oar" in Japanese. Since an oar is a tool used when rowing a boat, Studio KAI's mission is to row boldly into the endless ocean of animation with passion and determination. The result of this is the breathtaking characte...
2 months ago
Focus: Kyoto Animation Charts New Frontier with Sparks of Tomorrow
Anime fans gathered on Day 2 of Anime Expo to watch the U.S. premiere of the newest masterfully animated work from beloved studio Kyoto Animation, Sparks of Tomorrow (Nijusseiki Denki Mokuroku), and hear from the staff behind the Summer 2026 TV anime. MyAnimeList's community was...
2 months ago
Bringing 'The Last Blossom' to Life: 'ODD TAXI' Team Returns with 'Housenka'
Following their acclaimed work ODD TAXI, director Baku Kinoshita and writer Kazuya Konomoto return with Housenka (The Last Blossom), an original movie from animation studio CLAP and produced by Pony Canyon. Premiering in Japan on October 10, 2025 after its world debut at the Ann...
2 months ago
Hiroyuki Kawasaki, 'Tsubasa Chronicle' and 'Mugen no Juunin' Scriptwriter, Dies at 60
Scriptwriter Takao Koyama announced on their X account on Thursday that fellow scriptwriter Hiroyuki Kawasaki died on January 23. He was 60. Born in Kanagawa in November 1965, Kawasaki enrolled in the special effects department of Tokyo Academy of Visual Arts where he studied scr...
5 months ago
