Interest
Veteran Animator Manabu Oohashi Tours Laputa Cinema, Art Studio in French TV Program
posted on by Lynzee Loveridge
The French television program toco toco began streaming its interview with veteran animator Manabu Oohashi (Ashita no Joe, Unico in the Island of Magic, Robot Carnival) on Tuesday. In video, Oohashi takes viewers to Laputa Cinema, a theater that specializes in classic films and the Laputa Art Animation School where Oohashi teaches courses to beginners.
Oohashi began working for Toei Animation immediately after junior high and has been in the industry for over half a century.
One of his works include the 1992 film Chibi Neko Tom no Daibōken, which was never released after the production and distribution company involved with the film went bankrupt. Staff members included the late director Ryutaro Nakamura (Serial Experiments Lain), art director Hiromasa Ogura, sound director Shigeharu Shiba, composer Kenji Kawai with cast members Toshiko Fujita, Masako Nozawa, and Minami Takayama. Oohashi served as animation director for the project.
The staff launched a crowdfunding campaign in March to raise 1,000,000 yen (US$8,096) to create a 35mm remaster and ultimately release it on Blu-ray. The campaign was ultimately successful, raising nearly three times its goal for a total of 2,927,000 yen (US$23,698).
toco toco also interviewed award-winning anime art director Shichirō Kobayashi and Urotsukidoji creator Toshio Maeda.
