Tsutomu Shibayama, the filmmaker best known for his work on the animated ‘Doraemon’ franchise, has sadly passed away at the age of 84. As per reports, news of his death comes after his battle with lung cancer.
Tsutomu Shibayama passes away
As per a post by the studio Ajia-do Animation Works, he passed away on March 6. The official statement read, “Shibayama Tsutomu, the animation director who oversaw the Doraemon series for over 20 years, died on the 6th from lung cancer.”
Fans react to news of Tsutomu Shibayama’s demise
Reacting to the post, fans mourned his demise with notes that read, “RIP Tsutomu Shibayama sensei…” Another added, “RIP Tsutomu Shibayama, at one point Doraemon was his entire life and nobody loved him more than the director himself, his personal drawings of him and his crew “shooting” with Doraemon and friends as if they were his regular collaborators will forever be testament to that love.”A fan wrote, “a bit sad Tsutomu Shibayama passed away before the release of the artbook that animestyle announced last year. It nearly done apparently still waiting for the content but hoping a focus on his layout works!”Another wrote, “Rest in peace to Tsutomu Shibayama Thanks for making our childhood awesom.”
About Tsutomu Shibayama
Born in Tokyo in 1941, Shibayama entered the animation industry in the early 1960s and went on to become one of its most enduring creative forces. He was widely regarded in Japan as a central figure in animation, and played a pivotal role in shaping one of the country’s most enduring characters in the 1979 Doraemon television series. He went on to helm 22 feature films based on the franchise, across more than two decades, from the early 1980s through 2004. He was also the chief director of the television series, which played a role in defining its tone and storytelling style that propelled its global recognition. Shibayama also worked on other titles beyond the ‘Doraemon’ franchise. He worked on the anime titles like ‘Chibi Maruko-chan’, ‘Nintama Rantaro’ and ‘Ranma ½’. He was also a co-founder of Ajia-do Animation Works in 1978.Over the course of his career, Shibayama received numerous honours, including a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Tokyo Anime Award Festival in 2018.
