Manabu OHASHI

Manabu OHASHI joined studio Tôei Dôga (now Toei Animation) in 1964. He first worked on an anime about ninja called Fujimaru, and was an inbetweener for a while. A year later, he started as an animator on Rainbow Sentai Robin for Tôei Dôga and on Tetsuwan Atom (Astro Boy) for Mushi Production. He then keeps on with productions for Tôei Dôga, like Cyborg 009 in 1967 or Sally the Witch. He also took part in the American-Japanese production King Kong. In 1968, he quit Tôei Dôga to become a freelancer. For a short while, he worked more as an illustrator for magazines than as an animator and will go on with both jobs at the same time until 1972.

The year 1969 is rich in events for Manabu OHASHI: he joined studio A, quit soon after, got married, and became a freelancer again. He then worked on eight different series that same year, among which Himitsu no Akko-chan, Kurenai Sanshirô (Judo Boy), The Moomins, or Star of the Giants, an anime about baseball, as an animator or inbetweener. In the late 70s, he joined the teams of Gamba no Bôken, Nobody’s Boy Remi, Treasure Island, or Aim for the Ace!, for studios Madhouse and Annaple (Osamu DEZAKI’s studio).

In the early 80s, he worked on the Ashita no Joe 2 series and film, and then on a hugely successful anime, Cobra. He realized on his own the animations of several scenes of the pilot, as well as the opening and ending. For a few years, he collaborated once more with studio Madhouse alongside his friend Takuo NODA – Captain Future chara-designer –, for The Dagger of Kamui, Neo Tokyo, and many others. He also oversaw an episode of the short film collection Robot Carnival, Cloud, on which he was the director, screenwriter, chara-designer, animator, and in charge of the sets.

An artist at heart, he adds a personal touch to all the projects he joins. In 1990, he was the chara-designer and animation director of Chibineko Tom no Daibouken, and took part to several stages of the film storyboard, presented at Japan Expo Paris last July when it was released 25 years after it was produced. In 1992, he made the ending of the first Sailor Moon series. In the following years, he worked almost exclusively on animation films but also gave a try at a work adapted from a video game, PoPoLoCrois Monogatari. In 1997, he realized the music scenes of the movie Jungle Taitei (Jungle Emperor Leo), based on the music of the great composer Isao TOMITA.

After a 40 year-long career, he still worked as an animator, on Phoenix in 2003 or Black Jack in 2005. From the year 2007, he made himself scarce but still focused on productions closer to his artistic aspirations, even if he also worked on a Doraemon feature film. In 2014, he celebrated the 50th anniversary of his career.

Manabu OHASHI has worked with the greatest and on a huge number of anime, among which titles such as Astro Boy, Judo Boy, Cobra, or Black Jack. He will be sharing his experience and his talent all three days of the festival and will be meeting you at a panel (and live drawing) and signings!

Follow Manabu OHASHI on www.maocloud.net