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Masaaki Yuasa
Yasuji Mori
Masami Hata

INTERVIEWS

Fumio Kurokawa
Y. Otsuka  x  Y. Mori

Masaaki Yuasa (湯浅政明) is one of the more unique animators to have come to prominence in the 1990s. He is mainly known for his work as a designer and key animator in the Crayon Shin-chan TV series and movies, in which he was involved throughout the 1990s. Right from the start he had proven that he was a unique creator with the various short pieces he animated for Chibi Maruko-chan.

His first major achievement outside of this genre came with his stint as animation director of iconoclast Shinya Ohira's Hamaji's Resurrection episode of the Hakkenden OVA series, which many in the industry consider to be one of the most important anime films of the 90s. From that point on he was involved in interesting projects like Noiseman and Nekojiru-So (aka Cat Soup) every few years, though earning little recognition for his work in the west.

In early 2004 he finished production on his feature directing debut Mind Game, his first utterly and truly personal creation, something his fans have long been waiting for, which promises to be a visionary masterpiece that will finally get the world to stand up and take notice of this one-of-a-kind artist.

Created May 6, 2002

★ denotes (particularly) recommended viewing

1990 TV Series
ちびまる子ちゃん
Chibi Maruko-Chan
  • Opening & Ending Animation (first season)
1990 Movie
ちびまる子ちゃん
Chibi Maruko-Chan
  • Set Design
  • Key Animation
1991 30 min OVA
しろくまくん、ふねにのる
Ahoy There, Little Polar Bear
  • Character Design
  • Animation Director
  • Key Animation
1992 40 min Movie
２１エモン　宇宙いけ！裸足のプリンセス
21-Emon: To Space! The Barefoot Princess
  • Key Animation
1992 3 OVAs
アニメ落語館
Anime Rakugokan
  • Key Animation
1992 Movie
さくらももこワールド　ちびまる子ちゃん　わたしの好きな歌
Chibi Maruko-Chan: My Favorite Song
  • Key Animation (Drag Race & Shopping Boogie)
★1994 OVA
THE八犬伝[新章]
Hakkenden [New Chapter]
Episode 4: Hamaji's Resurrection
  • Animation Director
1995 OVA Series
秘境探検ファム＆イーリー　Ｔｕｒｎ．３「愚か者に戒めの光を?」
Ruin Explorers Fam & Ihrie Episode 3
  • Layout
★1997 15 min Movie
音響生命体ノイズマン
Noiseman Sound Insect
  • Layout
  • Character Design
  • Animation Director
1998 OVA Series
Aika
Trial 5: Golden Delmo Operation
  • Key Animation
1999 104 min Movie
ホーホケキョ　となりの山田くん
My Neighbors the Yamadas
  • Key Animation
★1999 20 min Vampiyan Kids TV Series Pilot
パイロットフィルム「なんちゃってバンパイヤン」
Nanchatte Vampiyan
  • Director
  • Storyboard
  • Layout
1999 15 min Theatrical Short
スライム冒険記 ～海だ，イエー～
Slime Adventures - Yay, the sea!
  • Director
★2001 30 min OVA
ねこぢる草
Nekojiru-So
  • Scenario
  • Planning
  • Animation Director
  • Storyboard
2001 TV Series
カスミン
Casmin
  • Set Design
2001 20 min Movie for Ghibli Museum
くじらとり
Kujiratori
  • Key Animation
★2004 Movie
Mind Game
  • Director
2004 Movie
ドラえもん　のび太のワンニャン　時空伝
Doraemon: Nobita no Wan-nyan Jikuden
  • Key Animation
2004 TV Series
サムライチャンプルー
Samurai Champloo #9
  • Key Animation
2005 Movie
Genius Party
  • Segment Director

Crayon Shin-Chan TV Series

  • Opening animation "Nenju Muchu I Want You" & "Tobe Tobe Oneesan"
  • Ending animation "Doshite" & "Reggae"
Special / December 28, 1992 コタツはあったかいゾ
The kotatsu is warm
  • Animation Director
ブリブリざえもんのボーケンだゾ
Buriburizaemon's adventure
  • Animation Director
Special / April 5, 1993 母ちゃんと二人旅だゾ
Going on a trip with mom
  • Animation Director
#48 / May 3, 1993 きょうは母の日だゾ
Today is mother's day
  • Animation Director
Special / September 26, 1994 ぶりぶりざえもんの冒険　雷鳴編
Buriburizaemon's Adventures: Thunder chapter
  • Animation Director
ぶりぶりざえもんの冒険　風雲編
Buriburizaemon's Adventures: Cloud chapter
  • Storyboard
  • Animation Director
#126 / December 19, 1994 宅配便さんはご苦労だゾ
Being a courier is hard work
  • Storyboard
  • Animation Director
★Special / December 25, 1995 ぶりぶりざえもんの冒険　飛翔編
Buriburizaemon's Adventures: Flight chapter
  • Scenario
  • Storyboard
  • Animation Director
ぶりぶりざえもんの冒険　電光編
Buriburizaemon's Adventures: Light chapter
  • Scenario
  • Storyboard
  • Animation Director
Special / October 10, 1997 パフィーも出るゾ！ひまわりのかぐや姫だゾ
Himawari's Kaguya-hime (Puffy appears too)
  • Storyboard
  • Animation Director
さすらいのドラゴン対決だゾ
The itinerant dragon slayer
  • Storyboard
  • Animation Director
#260 / January 16, 1998 ひまわりの夢と現実だゾ
Himawari's dreams and reality
  • Animation Director
Special / July 12, 1998 別荘に行くゾ
Let's go to the villa
  • Storyboard
  • Animation Director
#291 / September 25, 1998 父ちゃんとヒコーキごっこだゾ
Let's play airplane with dad
  • Storyboard
  • Animation Director

Crayon Shin-Chan Movies

1993 アクション仮面VSハイグレ魔王
Action Kamen vs Haigure Mao
  • Set Design
  • Key Animation (climbing scene)
1994 ブリブリ王国の秘宝
Treasure of Buri Buri Kingdom
  • Set Design
1995 雲黒斎の野望
Plot of Unkokusai
  • Set Design
  • Key Animation (giant robots)
★1996 ヘンダ-ランドの大冒険
Adventure in Hender Land
  • Set Design
  • Storyboard
  • Key Animation (castle chase)
1997 暗黒タマタマ大追跡
Chase after the Dark Tama Tama
  • Set Design
  • Key Animation (song at the end)
1998 電撃！ブタのヒヅメ大作戦
Mission: Pig's Hoof
  • Set Design
  • Key Animation (Buriburizaemon instructional video)
1999 爆発！温泉わくわく大決戦
Showdown at the Onsen
  • Key Animation
2000 嵐を呼ぶジャングル
Rumble in the Jungle
  • Character Design
  • Key Animation (fight on the gyroplane)
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