Studio Pierrot Founder, Naruto Anime Producer Yuji Nunokawa Passes Away at 75

Studio Pierrot Founder, Naruto Anime Producer Yuji Nunokawa

A legend of the animation business, Yuji Nunokawa, died unexpectedly on December 25 at the age of 75, according to Japanese media today. The anime industry’s most well-known association with Nunokawa is as the creator of Studio Pierrot and the influential The Association of Japanese Animations collective, as well as several other efforts that helped the sector grow.

On February 11, 1947, in Sakata City, Yamanashi Prefecture, Yuji Nunokawa was born. He was raised by tailors and always enjoyed sketching. Nunokawa travelled to Tokyo to attend the Nippon Design Welfare College on the advice of the adviser of the high school art group he was a member of, and he graduated in 1967. Studio Pierrot Founder, Naruto Anime Producer Yuji Nunokawa Passes Away at 75.

Nunokawa began his career in the anime industry as a colorist for a business that was a subcontractor for TCJ and is now Eiken.

He worked as a key animator on Robotan after his first job as an animator on Space Boy Soran.
He contributed to several projects as a freelancer for Mushi Productions and Tsuburaya Enterprises.
He was requested to join the founding crew of the animation studio Soeisha, which is now known as Bandai Namco Filmworks, or Sunrise, upon the collapse of Mushi Productions.
He declined the offer, but in 1971 he joined the Tatsunoko Production team as a character designer after receiving a job offer from Hiroshi Sasagawa.

Nunokawa started working as a director on the Time Bokan! series there.

Following the passing of the company’s founder, Tatsuo Yoshida, Nunokawa founded a collective in a Kichijoji apartment with animators Mitsuo Kaminashi and Hiroko Tokita. This group evolved into Studio Pierrot, of which Nunokawa was made president, and the animation directors Toriumi Hisayuki and Masami Anno joined it. Its central tenet was to produce animation that centred on animators and had reasonable production schedules.

The original Urusei Yatsura anime, Naruto, Yu Yu Hakusho, Tokyo Mew Mew, GTO, Bleach, Kimagure Orange Road, and Creamy Mami, among numerous other popular anime series, were all produced by Nunokawa when he served as president of Pierrot.

Nunokawa left his position as president and producer to take on the roles of chairman and representative director at Pierrot in 2012. He then rose to the position of Supreme Advisor to the board.

Nunokawa participated in the formation of The Association of Japanese Animations in the 2000s, which now manages the Suginami Animation Museum, publishes the annual report, and works with the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry to organise the yearly Anime Japan conference.
Nunokawa served as vice-chairman before becoming chairman from 2009 until 2014.
Nunokawa founded NUROANI Juku to teach young animators as well as producers, planners, and directors.

He did this in collaboration with renowned animator Noriyuki Abe, the late Kazunori Mizuno, and Atsushi Wakabayashi. Nunokawa lectured at the institution right up until his death.

Nunokawa was honoured in 2018 with the Commissioner for Cultural Affairs Award and the Medal of Honor Blue Ribbon, one of the highest awards in Japanese culture, in recognition of his contributions to the world of animation.

The Nunokawa “will be sadly missed for his leadership, devotion, and enthusiasm,” according to a statement posted on Twitter by Studio Pierrot.

With only close relatives and friends present, Nunokawa’s family will arrange a private burial for the idol. Later on, Pierrot will throw a celebration in his honour.

Read More About Similar Sites