Masaaki Yuasa
Encyclopedia
is an anime
television
and film director
, screenwriter
, storyboard artist
and animator
known for his wild free form style. He was born on March 16, 1965 in Fukuoka, Japan. His most recent works as of August 2010 are the television series The Tatami Galaxy
and the opening title sequence
of the feature film Welcome to the Space Show
.
, France
, for which he also illustrated the poster, Yuasa selected and commented on some examples of animated works that have been an influence on his. These were a film by Tex Avery
, another by Ladislas Starevich
, extracts from Yellow Submarine, Fantastic Planet
, The Fox and the Hound, The Wrong Trousers
, a Batman
pilot from Lightbox Animation, the 1971 Tōei Dōga
film Ali Baba
to 40-ppiki no Tōzoku a Masaaki Ōsumi
-directed episode of the first Lupin III television series and part 4 of The Hakkenden
: Shinshō and the Tiger Mask
and Mrs. Pepper Pot opening and ending titles respectively.
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
television
Television director
A television director directs the activities involved in making a television program and is part of a television crew.-Duties:The duties of a television director vary depending on whether the production is live or recorded to video tape or video server .In both types of productions, the...
and film director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
, screenwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
, storyboard artist
Storyboard artist
Storyboard artist is a profession specialized in creating storyboards for advertising agencies and film productions.A storyboard artist is able to visualize any stories using quick sketches on paper at any moment...
and animator
Animator
An animator is an artist who creates multiple images that give an illusion of movement called animation when displayed in rapid sequence; the images are called frames and key frames. Animators can work in a variety of fields including film, television, video games, and the internet. Usually, an...
known for his wild free form style. He was born on March 16, 1965 in Fukuoka, Japan. His most recent works as of August 2010 are the television series The Tatami Galaxy
The Tatami Galaxy
is a Japanese comedy-drama campus novel written by , originally published in December 2004 by in the tankōbon format and later reissued in March 2008 by Kadokawa Shoten as a bunkoban...
and the opening title sequence
Title sequence
A Title Sequence is the method by which cinematic films or television programs present their title, key production and cast members, or both, utilizing conceptual visuals and sound...
of the feature film Welcome to the Space Show
Welcome to the Space Show
is a 2010 anime science fiction film.-Plot:Welcome to the Space Show, whose story "surpasses Star Wars in its scale" according to its producers, tells of the four adventures of five schoolmates and an alien dog in space during summer vacation....
.
Influences
For a presentation in February 2009 on the eve of that years Image par image animation festival in Val-d'OiseVal-d'Oise
Val-d'Oise is a French department, created in 1968 after the split of the Seine-et-Oise department and located in the Île-de-France region. In local slang, it is known as "quatre-vingt quinze" or "neuf cinq"...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, for which he also illustrated the poster, Yuasa selected and commented on some examples of animated works that have been an influence on his. These were a film by Tex Avery
Tex Avery
Frederick Bean "Fred/Tex" Avery was an American animator, cartoonist, voice actor and director, famous for producing animated cartoons during The Golden Age of Hollywood animation. He did his most significant work for the Warner Bros...
, another by Ladislas Starevich
Ladislas Starevich
Vladislav Starevich , born Władysław Starewicz , was a Russian and French stop-motion animator who used insects and other animals as his protagonists...
, extracts from Yellow Submarine, Fantastic Planet
Fantastic Planet
Fantastic Planet is a 1973 animated science fiction film directed by René Laloux, production designed by Roland Topor, written by both of them and animated at Jiří Trnka Studio. The film was an international production between France and Czechoslovakia and was distributed in the United States by...
, The Fox and the Hound, The Wrong Trousers
The Wrong Trousers
The Wrong Trousers is a 1993 animated film directed by Nick Park at Aardman Animations in Bristol, featuring his characters Wallace and Gromit...
, a Batman
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
pilot from Lightbox Animation, the 1971 Tōei Dōga
Toei Animation
Toei Animation Co., Ltd. is a Japanese animation studio owned by Toei Co., Ltd. The studio was founded in 1948 as Japan Animated Films . In 1956, Toei purchased the studio and it was reincorporated under its current name...
film Ali Baba
Ali Baba
Ali Baba is a fictional character from medieval Arabic literature. He is described in the adventure tale of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves...
to 40-ppiki no Tōzoku a Masaaki Ōsumi
Masaaki Osumi
is a Japanese director known for his work in television and movie animations.-Career:Ōsumi was born in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, and graduated from School of Media Science at the Tokyo University of Technology. He got his start in the entertainment industry as the leader of a puppet theater in Kobe...
-directed episode of the first Lupin III television series and part 4 of The Hakkenden
The Hakkenden
is an OVA series by AIC in two sequences, the second subtitled Shinshō . A TV series sequel, Shin Hakkenden, aired in 1999. The anime is based on the epic novel Nansō Satomi Hakkenden written by Kyokutei Bakin during the latter half of the Edo Period...
: Shinshō and the Tiger Mask
Tiger Mask
is a Japanese manga series written by Ikki Kajiwara and illustrated by Naoki Tsuji. The series was first published in Kodansha's Bokura Magazine from 1968 to 1969 and was later published in Weekly Shōnen Magazine from 1970 to 1971...
and Mrs. Pepper Pot opening and ending titles respectively.
Selected works
- Chibi Maruko-chanChibi Maruko-chanis a shōjo manga series by Momoko Sakura, later adapted into an anime TV series by Nippon Animation, which originally aired on Fuji Television from January 7, 1990 to September 27, 1992. The series depicts the simple, everyday life of a little girl nicknamed Maruko and her family in suburban...
(1990) – OP and ED animation (first season) - Crayon Shin-chanCrayon Shin-chanis a Japanese manga and anime series written by Yoshito Usui.Crayon Shin-chan follows the adventures of five-year-old Shinnosuke "Shin" Nohara and his parents, baby sister, neighbors, and friends and is set in Kasukabe, Saitama Prefecture, Japan....
(1992) – OP animation (fifth and sixth seasons) and ED animation (third and fourth seasons), animation director on episodes 48, 126, 260, 291 and specials - The HakkendenThe Hakkendenis an OVA series by AIC in two sequences, the second subtitled Shinshō . A TV series sequel, Shin Hakkenden, aired in 1999. The anime is based on the epic novel Nansō Satomi Hakkenden written by Kyokutei Bakin during the latter half of the Edo Period...
(1994) – Animation directorAnimation directorAn animation director is the director in charge of all aspects of the animation process during the production of an animated film or animated segment for a live-action film...
on episode 10, "Hamaji's Resurrection" (浜路再臨) - Noiseman Sound InsectNoiseman Sound Insectis a short anime film directed by Koji Morimoto, with production by Studio 4°C and music by Yoko Kanno featuring a young Crystal Kay Williams singing the end theme.The work is in Japanese and contains music and dialogue that are intricately linked....
(1997) – Animation direction, character design, layout - Vampiyan KidsVampiyan Kidsis a Japanese anime television series by Production I.G. It began airing in Japan on October 13, 2001, and finished airing on March 30, 2002. The series lasted 26 episodes, with 3 episodes being DVD only.-Pilot film:...
pilot film (1999) – Director, storyboard, layout - My Neighbours the Yamadas (1999) – Key animation
- Cat SoupCat Soupis a 2001 Japanese animated short film directed by Tatsuo Sato, inspired by the work of manga artist Nekojiru. The surreal black comedy follows Nyatta, an anthropomorphic kitten, on his travel to the land of the dead and back in an effort to save his sister's soul. Cat Soup was released...
(2003) – Animation producer, screenplay, planning - Mind GameMind Game (film)is a 2004 Japanese animated feature film based on Robin Nishi's Japanese comic of the same name. It was planned, produced and primarily animated by Studio 4°C and adapted and directed by Masaaki Yuasa, with chief animation direction and model sheets by Yūichirō Sueyoshi, art direction by Tōru...
(2004) – Director, screenplay - Samurai ChamplooSamurai Champloois a Japanese anime series created and directed by Shinichirō Watanabe. It was broadcast in Japan from May 20, 2004 through March 19, 2005 on Fuji TV. Samurai Champloo has earned Watanabe a renowned title in the anime and Japanese television communities...
(2004) – Key animation on episode 9 - KemonozumeKemonozumeis an anime series written and directed by Masaaki Yuasa, animated by Studio Madhouse, and broadcast on WOWOW from August 5, 2006 to November 5, 2006.-Plot:...
(2006) – Series director and composition; episode screenplays, storyboards, direction and key animation - Genius PartyGenius PartyGenius Party is an anthology of short animated films from Studio 4°C released on July 7, 2007. The short films are Japanese anime.A sequel called Genius Party Beyond was released on February 15, 2008, and includes most of the films which were finished but not included in the original Genius...
(2008) – Director on "Happy Machine" segment - KaibaKaibais an anime series directed by Masaaki Yuasa that debuted on the WOWOW satellite network in Spring 2008. Animation is by Madhouse and it is described as a sci-fi love story....
(2008) – Series director and creator; episode screenplays, storyboards and direction - Welcome to the Space ShowWelcome to the Space Showis a 2010 anime science fiction film.-Plot:Welcome to the Space Show, whose story "surpasses Star Wars in its scale" according to its producers, tells of the four adventures of five schoolmates and an alien dog in space during summer vacation....
– Opening titles - The Tatami GalaxyThe Tatami Galaxyis a Japanese comedy-drama campus novel written by , originally published in December 2004 by in the tankōbon format and later reissued in March 2008 by Kadokawa Shoten as a bunkoban...
(2010) – Series director and screenplay; episode storyboards and direction - WakfuWakfuWAKFU is a global cross-media brand by Ankama Games revolving around an online tactical turn-based MMORPG. In addition to the online game, elements consist of an Xbox Live Arcade Game , an animated television series , comics/manga, a Trading Card Game, action figures, and more.Taking place within...
(2010) – Character design for "Noximilien" special episode