Art Director Nizou Yamamoto Dies at 70

by DatRandomDude
Aug 21, 2023 9:31 PM | 13 Comments

The official website of the Kaieisha art studio announced on Monday that art director Nizou Yamamoto died due to stomach cancer on August 19. He was 70.

Yamamoto was born in June 1953 in Fukue-shi, Nagasaki prefecture. After studying architecture, he began his career by joining the subcontracting studio Ad Cosmo in 1974. In 1978, he began working with Hayao Miyazaki as an art director for Mirai Shounen Conan (Future Boy Conan), Meitantei Holmes (Sherlock Hound), and worked on the background art for Lupin III: Cagliostro no Shiro (Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro).

He then followed Miyazaki at Studio Ghibli and served as an art director and background art for Tenkuu no Shiro Laputa (Castle in the Sky), Hotaru no Haka (Grave of the Fireflies), Mimi wo Sumaseba (Whisper of the Heart), Omoide Poroporo (Only Yersterday), Mononoke Hime (Princess Mononoke), and Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi (Spirited Away).

Yamamoto's other works outside of Studio Ghibli include art director for Fantastic Children and Toki wo Kakeru Shoujo (The Girl Who Leapt Through Time) and background art for Perfect Blue, Spriggan, and Uchuu Show e Youkoso (Welcome to the Space Show).

In 2007, he directed the television special Miyori no Mori (Miyori's Forest) at Nippon Animation. His last credited work was painting design for Makoto Shinkai's Tenki no Ko (Weathering with You).

Source: Comic Natalie

Life Event Staff

13 Comments Recent Comments

He worked on many awesome anime. May he rest in piece.

Aug 26, 2023 6:57 PM by Adnash

May he rest in peace.

Aug 25, 2023 12:15 PM by JuliusDandee

Rest in peace sir.

Aug 24, 2023 12:34 PM by Hirax

Thank you for all the masterpieces you worked on. Rest in peace. :(

Aug 23, 2023 3:39 PM by JorgeHenriqueRV

Thank you for all you done and the joy you given us, R.I.P

Aug 23, 2023 5:58 AM by Tharnok

Thank you Yamamoto-san for so much brilliant background work on Studio Ghibli's filmography.

Aug 22, 2023 9:30 PM by Fario-P

So many goated works to which he contributed! Truly one of the legends (and legends never die, right?)

Aug 22, 2023 9:11 PM by Said_enough

Rest in peace and thank you for your contribution on the anime industry.

Aug 22, 2023 5:21 PM by AcD4c

rest in peace you legend sir

Aug 22, 2023 3:30 AM by deg

Rest in peace sir.

Aug 22, 2023 1:25 AM by Absurdo_N

Grateful for all his contributions to the industry. My favorite anime movie would not have been the same without him.
May he rest easy.

Aug 21, 2023 11:30 PM by weirdo90

What a terrible loss to the industry. A master of his craft that was involved in some of the most influential projects in anime. Seeing he passed from Stomach Cancer made me remember hearing that due to the incredibly high sodium that is in Japanese food, this isn't uncommon.

Rest easy, Sensei.

Aug 21, 2023 10:09 PM by takkun_

Another great master gone, God rest his soul. 🙏

Aug 21, 2023 9:44 PM by Jonas-K