Obayashi had been diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer in August 2016, and doctors predicted only three months to live. However, the living man known as “the wizard of cinema” survived almost four years, and during the Tokyo International Film Festival held in November 2019 he reportedly mentioned, “I want to continue making film for another 3,000 years!” .
The Hiroshima native began his sixty-year career directing commercials, including some of the men's care starring Charles Bronson. Obayashi made his directorial debut with the film House in 1977. However, the director is very well known for his work on the films Exchange Students in 1982 and Lonely Heart in 1985.
Obayashi also directed the live-action film based on Kazuo Umezu's manga Hyouryuu Kyoushitsu in 1987, the animated film Shounen kenya on Kadokawa in 1984, and the live-action film based on Yasutaka Tsutsui novels, Toki wo Kakeru Shoujo in 1983.
The director had a forthcoming film titled Labyrinth of Cinema, which was slated to premiere earlier today but was released due to the Coronavirus release.
Rest in peace.
Sources: Sports Hochi, NTV's Twitter account via Hachima Kikō
