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NEWS: Natsume's Book of Friends Art Director Yukihiro Shibutani Dies at 63




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malvarez1



Joined: 17 Nov 2008
Posts: 2111
PostPosted: Wed Oct 16, 2024 9:57 pm Reply with quote
That’s sad to hear. Natsume’s art direction has always been a very good fit for the series.

RIP
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Kougeru



Joined: 13 May 2008
Posts: 5587
PostPosted: Wed Oct 16, 2024 10:17 pm Reply with quote
Midorikawa also tweeted about this https://x.com/midorikawa_yk/status/1846433841465987365

Everyone said he was always really shy but kind. Sad to see such amazing talent and a kind soul gone so soon.

Personally for me, he did a lot of my favorite background art such as in the InuYasha movies 1, 3, and 4. I really wonder how Natsume will change from here. By chance, I've been rewatching Kamichu as well...
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Saeryen



Joined: 26 Aug 2020
Posts: 991
PostPosted: Wed Oct 16, 2024 10:19 pm Reply with quote
As a Natsume super-fan, this is sad to hear. And too young.
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Tenchi



Joined: 03 Jan 2002
Posts: 4541
Location: Ottawa... now I'm an ex-Anglo Montrealer.
PostPosted: Wed Oct 16, 2024 10:29 pm Reply with quote
I know the article (and also the encyclopedia) says he worked on Kamichu!, I take it Yukihiro Shibutani is responsible for much of the background art on that series? That's definitely one show where I appreciate the attention to detail in the backgrounds, bringing Onomichi, Hiroshima Prefecture as it looked in 1983-84 (when the series was set) to life.

The encyclopedia does specify that Shibutani worked on the backgrounds in the Kamichu! opening, one of my favourite anime openings visually due to the way it incorporates the credits into the art.

RIP
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MFrontier



Joined: 13 Apr 2014
Posts: 13861
PostPosted: Wed Oct 16, 2024 11:11 pm Reply with quote
RIP Yukihiro Shibutani.
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SinisterOracle



Joined: 13 May 2023
Posts: 392
PostPosted: Thu Oct 17, 2024 2:46 am Reply with quote
RIP Shibutani Yukihiro-san.
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milkyy



Joined: 24 Jul 2018
Posts: 147
PostPosted: Thu Oct 17, 2024 8:27 am Reply with quote
Tenchi wrote:
I know the article (and also the encyclopedia) says he worked on Kamichu!, I take it Yukihiro Shibutani is responsible for much of the background art on that series? That's definitely one show where I appreciate the attention to detail in the backgrounds, bringing Onomichi, Hiroshima Prefecture as it looked in 1983-84 (when the series was set) to life.

The encyclopedia does specify that Shibutani worked on the backgrounds in the Kamichu! opening, one of my favourite anime openings visually due to the way it incorporates the credits into the art.

RIP


To second this, I just watched this OP and WOW. What a phenomenonal OP. The art direction was gorgeous, the warmth palpable. I was immediately swept into the world and touched by the attention to detail as well. As a massive fan of Natsume as well, this is so sad. May he rest in peace.
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-Matthew-



Joined: 12 Mar 2022
Posts: 1550
PostPosted: Thu Oct 17, 2024 10:37 am Reply with quote
Rest in peace, legend...
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Smongo



Joined: 10 Feb 2024
Posts: 73
PostPosted: Thu Oct 17, 2024 12:05 pm Reply with quote
RIP
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Fluwm



Joined: 28 Jul 2009
Posts: 1026
PostPosted: Fri Oct 18, 2024 12:28 am Reply with quote
63 may not be young, but it's certainly too young.

Kougeru wrote:
Personally for me, he did a lot of my favorite background art such as in the InuYasha movies 1, 3, and 4. I really wonder how Natsume will change from here. By chance, I've been rewatching Kamichu as well...


I need to give Kamichu a rewatch... it's been a very long time -- it was one of the first anime I ever watched. I do remember really liking the animation, for sure.

The article only mentions him being art director for the Patlabor TV show... I wonder if he was also involved in any of the bakground art for the movies? My favorite background art in all of anime is probably that one dialog-free sequence in the first movie, which is nothing but two detectives walking around various cityscapes, from a very remote perspective. One of the most memorable bits of animation I've got knocking around in my memory.

(Not that the TV show didn't have pretty great art direction, too.)
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Hiroki not Takuya



Joined: 17 Apr 2012
Posts: 2670
PostPosted: Sun Oct 20, 2024 3:01 pm Reply with quote
"A thing of beauty is a joy forever"-John Keats Background artists tend to be unsung heros in animation and when such is good enough for people to notice, the creators must be exceptional. Keat's quote is the best epitaph I can think of for his talent...
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