Isao Takahata, the director of Ghibli Studios has died!

Sad news on this 05 April 2018 for fans of animated films, the director Isao TAKAHATA has died.

It is with great sadness that we learned of the death of Isao TAKAHATA, a key director at Ghibli Studios. His name may not ring a bell, yet he is the director of major animated films such as Tomb of the Fireflies (1988), Pompoko (1994), My Neighbors the Yamada (1999) or The Tale of Princess Kaguya (2013), which was his last conductor of others at Ghibli Studios.

Who was Isao TAKAHATA?

Isao TAKAHATA was born on October 29, 1935 in Ise, Japan. In 1959, he joined Toei Douga Animation Studios and in 1968, he directed his very first feature film. Entitled Horus, prince of the sun (Taiyou no Ouji: Horusu no Daibouken), Isao TAKAHATA worked on this film in collaboration with Hayao MIYAZAKI. However, this film did not have the expected success. These two directors have worked together many times. They notably directed Edgar detective burglar (Lupin III) released in 1971.In 1985, Isao TAKAHATA created with Hayao MIYAZAKI the famous Ghibli studios. It was in 1988 that TAKAHATA directed his first animated film for Ghibli Studios, The Tomb of the Fireflies. 

In 2015, TAKAHATA was awarded the title of Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres by the French government.

Filmography

Feature film

• 1968: Horus, Prince of the Sun (Taiyō no ōji: Horus no daibōken)
• 1972: Panda Little Panda (Panda kopanda).
• 1981: Kié la petite peste (Jarinko Chie).
• 1982: Goshu the Cellist (Cello hiki no Gōshu).
• 1987: The History of the Yanagawa Canal (Yanagawa horiwari monogatari).
• 1988: The Tomb of the Fireflies (Hotaru no haka).
• 1991: Omoide Poroporo – Drip Memories (Omoide Poroporo).
• 1994: Pompoko (Heisei tanuki gassen Pompoko).
• 1999: My Neighbors the Yamada (Hōhokekyo tonari no Yamada-kun).
• 2013: The Tale of Princess Kaguya (Kaguya-Hime no Monogatari)

Short film

• 2003: Winter Days (Fuyu no hi)

TV series

• Heidi (1974) (Alps no shōjo Heidi)
• 1976 : Marco 
• 1979: Akage no An 

Various

• 1963-1965: Ken the Wolf Child (Ookami shōnen Ken)
• 1968-1969: Gegege no Kitaro 
• 1969-1970: Mooretsu atarō 
• 1971-1972: Apache Yakyugun 
• 1971-1972: Gegege no Kitaro 
• 1971-1972: Lupin III (Lupin sansei) – co-director with Hayao Miyazaki of the episodes of the second half of the season.
• 1978: Conan, Son of the Future (Mirai Shōnen Conan) – co-director of episodes 8 and 9 with Hayao Miyazaki.

Producer

• 1984: Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (Kaze no tani no Naushika).
• 1986: The Castle in the Sky (Tenku no shiro Laputa).
• 2016: The Red Turtle

Assistant Director

• 1961: Anju to zushiōmaru 
• 1962: Tanoshii bunmeishi tetsu monogatari
• 1963: Wanpaku ōji no orochi taiji 
• 1963: Ankokugai saidai no kettō 

Trailer The Tale of Princess Kaguya

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctdEB6tTbL8