The anime industry is mourning the loss of veteran animator and character designer Kenichirō Katsura, who passed away on September 30 at the age of 59 while undergoing medical treatment for an illness. The devastating news was shared publicly on Monday by his wife, fellow animator Satoko Miyachi, via her official X account. According to the family, a private funeral has already been held, attended solely by close relatives.
Miyachi extended her profound gratitude to the countless fans who cherished Katsura's contributions to the medium, as well as to the animation studios and colleagues who collaborated with him throughout his prolific decades-long career. Condolences have poured in from across the industry, including a heartfelt tribute from the official production team behind Knight's & Magic, a project where Katsura served as both character designer and chief animation director.
A Storied Legacy in Character Design and Animation
Katsura's footprint on modern and classic anime is remarkably extensive. Most recently, he lent his immense talent as an animation director to Gintama: The Movie 2026: Yoshiwara in Flames and contributed as a key animator to That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime the Movie: Tears of the Azure Sea. His versatility allowed him to shape visual landscapes across multiple eras of Japanese animation, spanning from foundational 1980s and 90s titles to contemporary television hits.
His impressive supervisory credits include serving as chief animation director for both seasons of Synduality: Noir, The Fruit of Grisaia, The Eden of Grisaia, and episodes of Shy, How to keep a mummy, and That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime. He also stepped into directorial roles for the Utawarerumono OAV and Hi・Me・Go・To OAV projects, proving his capability behind the director's chair.
Earlier in his career, Katsura established himself as a trusted hand on legendary mecha and action franchises. He worked extensively on the Macross 7 universe—directing episodes, contributing to the Macross 7 Encore OAV, and acting as character designer for both Macross 7 Plus and the theatrical feature Macross 7 the Movie: The Galaxy's Calling Me!. Furthermore, his key animation credits span beloved classics such as Ranma ½, Magic Knight Rayearth 2, Noir, Date A Live II, BLUE LOCK, and various entries in the Mobile Suit SD Gundam OVA catalog. His dedication to visual storytelling leaves behind an indelible mark that will continue to resonate through the countless works he helped bring to life.
