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Toshio Masuda, Director of 'Space Battleship Yamato,' Dies at 98
Confirmed
In Short: Toshio Masuda, a veteran Japanese film director and screenwriter known for his work on 'Space Battleship Yamato,' died of old age on August 26.
Toshio Masuda, a veteran Japanese film director and screenwriter known for his work on 'Space Battleship Yamato,' died of old age on August 26, according to reports from the Mainichi Shimbun and Yomiuri Shimbun.
Masuda made his directorial debut in 1958 with the film 'Kokoro to Nikutai no Tabi' while working at Nikkatsu, which he joined in 1954 after working for Shintoho.
He directed numerous live-action films, including 'Rusty Knife,' 'Red Handkerchief,' and 'Red Quay,' and was nominated for the Best Director Award at the 4th and 13th Japan Academy Film Prizes for his films 'The Battle of Port Arthur' and 'Company Executives,' respectively.
Masuda co-directed the Japanese sequences of the 1970 Japanese-American war film 'Tora! Tora! Tora!' after master director Akira Kurosawa left the project midway.
In the realm of anime, Masuda oversaw the scripts and supervised the 1974 'Star Blazers' TV series, and later directed the 1977 'Space Battleship Yamato' film compilation.
He was one of the directors and scriptwriters for the 1978 film 'Farewell to Space Battleship Yamato,' the 1979 film 'Space Battleship Yamato: The New Voyage,' and the 1980 film 'Be Forever Yamato.
Masuda also served as the chief supervisor and one of the scriptwriters for the 1983 film 'Final Yamato,' and was the general supervisor for the 2009 film 'Space Battleship Yamato Resurrection.
Born in Kobe in October 1927, Masuda studied Russian at Osaka University of Foreign Studies before making his directorial debut with the 1958 film 'Journey of the Heart and Body.
Masuda's work on 'Space Battleship Yamato' is particularly notable. He brought the show back in spectacular fashion as a 1977 theatrical film after poor ratings led to its early cancellation.
The film generated a remarkable 2.1 billion yen at the box office, a figure extraordinary for its time, and established a major milestone in the history of Japanese animation.
Masuda directed 82 total films in his career and was praised as 'a craftsman among craftsmen.' He received the Award for Distinguished Service from the Chairman at the 41st Japan Academy Prizes in 2018.
What this adds
Masuda's death is reported by multiple Japanese media outlets, confirming his passing on August 26.
Background
Toshio Masuda, a veteran Japanese film director and screenwriter known for his work on 'Space Battleship Yamato,' died of old age on August 26.
What's confirmed
- Newspapers Mainichi Shimbun and Yomiuri Shimbun both reported on Thursday that film director and screenwriter Toshio Masuda died of old age on August 26.
- He was one of the directors and scriptwriters for the 1978 film Farewell to Space Battleship Yamato, the 1979 film Space Battleship Yamato: The New Voyage, and the 1980 film Be Forever Yamato.
- Additionally he was the chief supervisor and one of the scriptwriters of the 1983 film Final Yamato, and was the general supervisor for the 2009 film Space Battleship Yamato Resurrection.
What's still developing
- Japanese media outlets reported on the 25th that Masuda died of old age at a hospital in Tokyo on the 26th of last month.
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