TOKYO: Oscar-nominated Japanese anime director Isao Takahata, who co-founded the Studio Ghibli and was best known for his work “Grave of the Fireflies”, has died aged 82, the studio said on Friday.
Takahata had heart problems, and his condition grew worse last summer. The director passed quietly at him home while being surrounded by his loved ones.
Takahata’s latest film, “The Tale of the Princess Kaguya” earned him an Academy nomination in 2014 for best animated feature.
It was also selected for a slot in the Directors’ Fortnight sidebar to the main competition at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival.
Born in October 1935, Takahata began his career after seeing a French cartoon, and he found himself working at Toei Animation while he was in university.
Takahata started his career in animation at the Toei studio in 1959, where he met long-term collaborator and rival Hayao Miyazaki.
He graduated from the University of Tokyo in 1959 and landed a job at Toei Animation, where he made his directorial debut with Horus: Prince of the Sun (1968).
Takahata’s career in film spanned over 50 years and include some Ghibli’s finest work, including his masterpiece, Grave of the Fireflies, which has its 30th anniversary this year. It is an incredibly sad day for anyone who loves animation, and film in general.
