News
Director, Animator Yūji Yanase Dies
posted on by Rafael Antonio Pineda
Director and animator Yūji Yanase died on August 22 of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). He was 59.
The official website for The Insipid Prince's Furtive Grab for The Throne anime made the announcement on Wednesday. Yanase directed the anime, which premiered on July 6.
Yanase has been working in the anime industry since at least 1988, working as in-between animator for such works as Akira, Kaze o Nuke!, and Doraemon the Movie: Nobita's Dorabian Nights. He was a key animator for such works as Macross 7, The Legend of Zorro, Tenchi Universe, and Tetsujin 28-go FX. He was animation director on episodes of such works as Saber Marionette J, Fancy Lala, Excel Saga, Hellsing, Chobits, Mezzo, Aria the Animation, and Symphogear, among numerous others.
Yanase made his directorial debut with the 2014 television anime Himegoto, and has since directed such anime as Onsen Yōsei Hakone-chan, In Another World With My Smartphone, If It’s for My Daughter, I’d Even Defeat a Demon Lord, By the Grace of the Gods, In the Land of Leadale, My Unique Skill Makes Me OP even at Level 1, I’ll Become a Villainess Who Goes Down in History, Apocalypse Bringer Mynoghra, and The World's Strongest Rearguard - Labyrinth Country's Novice Seeker, as well as the aforementioned The Insipid Prince's Furtive Grab for The Throne. He continued working as a key animator, animation director, and episode director in various other productions alongside his directorial duties.
Update: Added cause of death and age at death. Thanks, Dark.exe and harushiga. Sources: Yūji Yanase's X/Twitter account, Maho Film
Sources: The Insipid Prince's Furtive Grab for The Throne anime's website, Comic Natalie
this article has been modified since it was originally posted; see change history