If you
spent your childhood in front of the TV watching anime in the 90s and early
2000s, today it's your turn to stand up and pay honors. The animation
studio Ajiado confirmed on Tuesday a news that hits directly
on the nostalgia of the otaku community: its former president and founder, the
legendary director Tsutomu Shibayama, died on March 6 at the age of
84, a victim of lung cancer.
The
architect of our childhood
Shibayama
was not just any name in the credits; he was a true pillar of the industry. He
began his career in 1963 chipping away as an animator at Toei Doga (now Toei
Animation) and then made the leap to what we know today as Shin'ei Doga. In
1978, he helped found the Ajiado studio, where he would eventually take on the
mantle of president and CEO. But what catapulted him to immortality and made
him a world legend was his work with the cosmic cat.
Shibayama
dedicated a gigantic part of his life to Doraemon. Not only was he
the chief director of the never-ending and beloved TV series, but he directed
the films in the franchise for more than 20 uninterrupted years, closing its
film cycle with Doraemon the Movie: Nobita in the Wan-Nyan Spacetime
Odyssey in 2004.
From
Ranma 1/2 to Chibi Maruko-chan
As if
molding Japan's most iconic mascot wasn't enough for his spectacular resume,
Shibayama was also responsible for directing the historic first season of
Rumiko Takahashi's classic, Ranma 1/2, back in 1989. In addition,
he took the reins of the original Chibi Maruko-chan series
between 1990 and 1992, also directing his beloved films. Basically, if an anime
defined comedy, adventure, and slice of life at that time, he
was involved in some way.
According
to the official statement, Shibayama's family has already said goodbye to the
director in a strictly private funeral, away from the spotlight of the press.
In 2018, the Tokyo Anime Award Festival awarded her the Lifetime Achievement
Award, a recognition that barely touched the monumental impact her work had.
Today, millions of fans in Japan and Latin America say goodbye to an undisputed
master who gave us countless afternoons of happiness in front of the screen.
