Senior anime director Tsutomu Shibayama passes away from lung cancer at age 84; Once directed 22 Doraemon films from the Ōyama era

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　　Tsutomu Shibayama, a senior anime director who once directed 22 Doraemon films from the Ōyama era has recently passed away at the age of 84 due to sickness.

　　Renowned anime director Tsutomu Shibayama has passed away from lung cancer on March 6, with the saddened news announced through Shibayama’s own animation studio Ajia-do Animation Works‘ official website. Shibayama’s funeral was held privately at his family’s request, with only close relatives in attendance. A memorial service will be held at a later date.

　　Born and raised in Asakusa, Tokyo, Shibayama joined Toei Animations after graduating from the Drama department in the School of Arts and Letters at Meiji University. He later than moved onto A Production (Now known as Shin-Ei Animation [シンエイ動画]), where he took on key animation directing roles, contributing to many notable works such as The Gutsy Frog (ど根性ガエル) and Ganso Tensai Bakabon (元祖天才バカボン).

　　In 1978, Shibayama co-founded animation company Ajia-do Animation Works with his colleague Osamu Kobayashi. From 1980 onwards until the end of the Ōyama era, Shibayama became heavily involved in the production of the Doraemon TV series through the role of Chief Director, going on to become one of the key creative figures behind the highly successful anime series.

　　Shibayama’s Chief Director role for Doraemon was not limited to the TV series; he also reprised his direction role for the films from “Nobita’s Castle of the Undersea Devil” (1983) to “Nobita in the Wan-Nyan Space-time Odyssey“ (2004). Additionally, he had also worked on “Nobita’s Dinosaur” (1980) as a layout artist. Throughout his long serving role, Shibayama also won the Mainichi Film Award for Best Animated Film for “Nobita’s Great Adventure in the South Seas” (1998).

　　At the same time, Shibayama also directed and produced many other anime works, including “Nintama Rantarō” (忍たま乱太郎), “Chibi Maruko-chan” (ちびまる子ちゃん) and more. In Ajia-do Animation Works, Shibayama not only was involved in management and production, but also dedicated himself and time in nurturing the next generation of talent, making a significant contribution to the rapid development and the current state of Japan’s animation industry.

　　As a tribute to his life long contribution to Japan’s animation industry and the Doraemon series, companies such as Ajia-do Animation Works, Shin-Ei Animation, Fujiko Pro and TV Asahi have all released official statements expressing their condolences, paying their final respects to the animation legend.