Yasuhiro Nakura
{{Short description|Japanese animator & director}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2023}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Yasuhiro Nakura
名倉 靖博
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1959|01|10}}
| birth_place = Hamakita, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan
| death_date =
| death_place =
| death_cause =
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| nationality = Japanese
| occupation = Animator, illustrator, character designer, director
| employer = Studio Carpenter (1978~1981)
| education =
| awards =
| years_active = 1978–present
| spouse =
| website =
}}
{{Nihongo|Yasuhiro Nakura|名倉 靖博|Nakura Yasuhiro|lead=yes}} is a Japanese animator, illustrator, character designer, and director.
Early life
Nakura was born in Hamakita, Shizuoka, Japan, on January 10, 1959.{{sfn|Kindaeigasha|1986|p=109-113}} His parents ran a textile shop.{{sfn|Kindaeigasha|1986|p=109-113}}
Career
He enrolled in an animation course offered by Toei Animation that he saw advertised in {{ill|Manga Shounen (1974 magazine)|lt=Manga Shounen|ja|マンガ少年}} and moved to Tokyo.{{sfn|Kindaeigasha|1986|p=109-113}} After completing the course, he joined Studio Carpenter where he debuted as an in-between animator on Starzinger (1978),{{sfn|Kindaeigasha|1986|p=109-113}} and later as a key animator on Dotakon (1981). He worked at Studio Carpenter for about three years and then went freelance, mainly for Toei Animation's works.
His character concepts were used for the 1984 television series Little Memole, which he also worked on as an animation director (his debut in the role). The following year, he was the animation director for Mamoru Oshii's film, Angel's Egg, with designs by Yoshitaka Amano, in which he supervised and corrected drawings to follow Amano's original image boards.{{sfn|Animage December|1985|p=44}} In 1987, he served as character designer and animation director to another feature film, The Tale of Genji (1987) with director Gisaburō Sugii.{{sfn|Camp|Davis|2007|p=368–369}} In 1990, he participated in Moomin as the animation character designer, having been a fan of the series prior.{{Cite Tweet|number=1371828603013394434|author=Nakura, Yasuhiro|user= nakura26031011|script-title=ja:更に恐縮するもうひと言が…けれどそれは自分の胸の奥にしまっておこうと思います。当時既に巨匠でいらした大塚さんは多くの名作を手掛け旧東京ムービー『ムーミン』のキャラデザインもされました。何十年か後に自分も『楽しいムーミン一家』のキャラを作る事に(つづく)nakura|trans-title= I was even more afraid of one word... but I'll keep it to myself. Ootsuka, who was already a master at the time, worked don many masterpieces and also designed the characters for the old Tokyo Movie "Moomin." Decades later, I, too, would design the characters for "Moomin". nakura}} He also served as the character designer and chief animation director for Rintaro's Metropolis (2001).
At some point in his career, Nakura began to take on more work as an illustrator, rather than an animator or animation director. While he continued to work on animated series and films, his output in either decreased significantly during the 1990s and 2000s. He was the character designer and chief animation director for the Tenshu Monogatari arc of Ayakashi: Samurai Horror Tales and was the animation director for Gothicmade in 2012, but contributed in minor key animation roles between them.
In the early 2010s, Nakura developed a relationship with animation studio Shaft as a key animator and animation director on the Monogatari series. His output in the industry increased during this time as he contributed to other Shaft series like Mekakucity Actors (2014) and contributed as a guest director, designer, and animator for an episode of the Bones series Space Dandy (2014). In 2016, Nakura worked as the main layout artist, layout setting designer, and art setting designer for Shaft's adaptation of March Comes In like a Lion. He also regularly contributed to some of the series' ending animation themes, which he storyboarded, directed, and animated on his own.{{Cite web |url=https://blog.sakugabooru.com/2017/11/06/the-worlds-of-fall-2017-anime/|title= The Worlds of Fall 2017 Anime|date= November 6, 2017|author= Cirugeda, Kevin "yuyucow"|website= Sakugablog|access-date= May 7, 2024}}
=Style=
Director and founder of studio Satelight Tsuneo Maeda, who was the animation technical director for The Tale of Genji, described Nakura as an emotional person, which he called rare among key animators, and that he was slow, which was connected to his tenacity and made his work attractive.{{sfn|Animage October|1985|p=6}} Maeda also considered Nakura to not be pattern-based, and thus it was always difficult or mysterious as to how his drawings and work would come out.{{sfn|Animage October|1985|p=6}} Although he said that it may be difficult for some of his drawings to be used, Maeda lamented that Nakura was able to create cuts of animation that others could never draw as well.{{sfn|Animage October|1985|p=6}}
Works
=Teleivison series=
{{Color box|#83ff84}} Highlights main staff roles.
class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center; margin=auto; "
!scope="col" width=5%| Year !scope="col" width=20%| Title !scope="col" width=15%| Director(s) !scope="col" width=10%| Studio !scope="col" class="unsortable"|CD{{efn|name=chardes|Character designer.}} !scope="col" class="unsortable"|CAD{{efn|name=cad|Chief animation director.}} !scope="col" class="unsortable"|AD{{efn|name=ad|Animation director.}} !scope="col" class="unsortable"|KA{{efn|name=keyanim|Key animator.}} !scope="col" class="unsortable"| Other roles and notes !scope="col" class="unsortable"| Ref(s) |
1978
|Yuugo Serikawa |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{no}} |In-between animator |{{sfn|Kindaeigasha|1986|p=109-113}} |
1981
|Takeshi Shirato |Toei Animation |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{yes}} | | |
1984
|Osamu Kasai |Toei Animation |{{yes|(Original)}} |{{no}} |{{yes}} |{{no}} | | |
1990
|Hiroshi Saitou |Visual 80 |{{yes}} |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{no}} | |
1991
|Takeyuki Kanda |Visual 80 |{{yes}} |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{no}} | | |
1996
|Yuuji Mutou |{{yes}} |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{no}} | | |
2006
|Ayakashi: Samurai Horror Tales |Kouzou Nagayama |Toei Animation |{{yes|(Original concept design)}} |{{yes}} |{{no}} |{{no}} |Tenshuu Monogatari episodes | |
2012
|Akiyuki Shinbo |Shaft |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{yes}} |{{yes}} |2nd key animator |{{Cite web |url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2018-10-28/march-comes-in-like-a-lion-dragon-ball-movies-released-monday/.138730|title= March Comes in Like a Lion, Dragon Ball Movies Released Monday|website= Anime News Network |last=Osmond |first=Andrew |author-link=Andrew Osmond (journalist) |date= October 27, 2018|access-date= May 7, 2024}} |
rowspan="3"|2014
|Shinichirō Watanabe |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{yes}} |Art setting |{{Cite web|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2014-06-05/space-dandy-anime-2nd-season-promo-previews-new-characters/.75230|title= Space Dandy Anime's 2nd Season's Promo Previews New Characters|website= Anime News Network|author= Nelkin, Sarah|date= June 5, 2014|access-date= May 7, 2024}} |
Mekakucity Actors
|Akiyuki Shinbo |Shaft |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{yes}} |Picture book animation | |
Hanamonogatari
|Akiyuki Shinbo |Shaft |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{yes}} |Key animator |
rowspan="2"|2016
|Kiyotaka Oshiyama |3Hz |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{yes}} |Key animator {{small|(OP)}} | |
March Comes In like a Lion
|{{no}} |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{no}} |Art setting |
2018
|Akiyuki Shinbo |Shaft |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{no}} |"Play" | |
2020
|Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story |Shaft |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{yes}} | | |
2021
|Akiyuki Shinbo |Shaft |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{yes}} |Art setting | |
2022
|Toshimasa Suzuki |Shaft |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{yes}} | | |
2024
|Shinji Takamatsu |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{no}} |Layout supervisor |
=OVAs/ONAs=
class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center; margin=auto; "
!scope="col" width=5%| Year !scope="col" width=20%| Title !scope="col" width=15%| Director(s) !scope="col" width=10%| Studio !scope="col" class="unsortable"|CD{{efn|name=chardes}} !scope="col" class="unsortable"|CAD{{efn|name=cad}} !scope="col" class="unsortable"|AD{{efn|name=ad}} !scope="col" class="unsortable"|KA{{efn|name=keyanim}} !scope="col" class="unsortable"| Other roles and notes !scope="col" class="unsortable"| Ref(s) |
1985
|Studio Deen |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{yes}} |{{yes}} | |{{sfn|Animage December|1985|p=44}} |
rowspan="2"|1988
|Bride of Deimos |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{yes}} | |
Donguri to Yamaneko
|Toshio Hirata |Madhouse |{{yes}} |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{yes}} | | |
2013
|Akihiro Enomomto |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{yes}} |{{no}} | | |
2022
|The Tatami Time Machine Blues |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{yes}} |{{no}} | |
2024
|Monogatari Series: Off & Monster Season |Akiyuki Shinbo |Shaft |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{no}} |Art setting | |
=Films=
class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center; margin=auto; "
!scope="col" width=5%| Year !scope="col" width=20%| Title !scope="col" width=15%| Director(s) !scope="col" width=10%| Studio !scope="col" class="unsortable"|CD{{efn|name=chardes}} !scope="col" class="unsortable"|CAD{{efn|name=cad}} !scope="col" class="unsortable"|AD{{efn|name=ad}} !scope="col" class="unsortable"|KA{{efn|name=keyanim}} !scope="col" class="unsortable"| Other roles and notes !scope="col" class="unsortable"| Ref(s) |
rowspan="2"|1980
|Toei Animation |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{no}} |In-between animator | |
Cyborg 009: Legend of the Super Galaxy
|Toei Animation |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{no}} |In-between animator | |
1982
|Toshio Masuda |Toei Animation |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{no}} |In-between animator | |
1983
|Dr. Slump: The Great Race Around the World |Minoru Okazaki |Toei Animation |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{yes}} | | |
1984
|Shinichi Tsuji |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{yes}} | | |
1985
|Night on the Galactic Railroad |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{yes}} | | |
1986
|{{no}} |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{yes}} | |
1987
|Gisaburō Sugii |{{yes}} |{{no}} |{{yes}} |{{no}} | |{{sfn|Camp|Davis|2007|p=368–369}} |
1994
|Rintaro Mayuzumi |{{N/A}} |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{no}} |Animation (live-action film) | |
2001
|Rintaro |Madhouse |{{yes}} |{{yes}} |{{no}} |{{no}} | |{{Cite web |url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2000-07-29/new-movie-from-katsuhiro-otomo-and-rin-taro|title= New movie from Katsuhiro Otomo and Rin Taro|website= Anime News Network|date= July 29, 2000|access-date= May 7, 2024}} |
2004
|Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence |Mamoru Oshii |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{yes}} | | |
2006
|The Girl Who Leapt Through Time |Madhouse |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{no}} |Assistant animation director | |
2007
|{{no}} |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{yes}} | | |
2009
|Mamoru Hosoda |Madhouse |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{yes}} | | |
2012
|Automatic Flowers Studio |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{yes}} |{{no}} | | |
2013
|Puella Magi Madoka Magica: Rebellion |Akiyuki Shinbo |Shaft |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{yes}} | | |
2016
|Kizumonogatari I: Tekketsu-hen |Akiyuki Shinbo |Shaft |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{yes}} | | |
rowspan="2"|2017
|Akiyuki Shinbo |Shaft |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{yes}} | | |
Blade Runner: Black Out 2022
|{{no}} |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{yes}} | | |
2022
|Science SARU |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{yes}} |{{yes}} | |
Notes
=Book citations=
- {{Cite book|script-title=ja:アニメージュ1985年10月号「『メモル』から『天使のたまご』へ 名倉靖博の世界」|trans-title= Animage October 1985, "From 'Memole' to "Angel's Egg', the World of Yasuhiro Nakura"|author=Animage October|editor= Ogata, Hideo|year=1985}}
- {{Cite book|script-title=ja:アニメージュ1985年12月号 天使のたまご GUIDE BOOK|trans-title= Animage December 1985, Angel's Egg Guidebook|author= Animage December|editor= Ogata, Hideo|year=1985}}
- {{Cite book|script-title=ja:ジ・アニメ 1986年 06月号|trans-title= THE ANIME June 1986|year=1986|author= Kindaeigasha|ASIN=B00HYAQ788}}
- {{Cite book|title=Anime Classics Zettai! 100 Must-See Japanese Animation Masterpieces|publisher=Stone Bridge Press|author1-last=Camp|author1-first=Brian|author2-last=Davis|author2-first=Julie|isbn=978-1-933330-22-8|year=2007}}
= Inline notes =
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Twitter|nakura26031011}}
- {{Anime News Network|person|4781}}
- {{IMDb name|1130352}}
{{authority control}}