Yoshiyuki Tomino
Yoshiyuki Tomino | |
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Yoshiyuki Tomino (富野 由悠季, Tomino Yoshiyuki, born 富野 喜幸; November 5, 1941) is a Japanese anime director, screenwriter, songwriter and novelist best known for creating the Gundam anime franchise.
Early life and family
Tomino was born on November 5, 1941, in Odawara, Kanagawa Prefecture, to an old family of regional landowners in Ōjima (in present-day Kōtō, Tokyo).[1][2] His grandfather Kiheiji Tomino was the mayor of Ōjima and statutory auditor of Ōtsuka Rubber Works.[3][4] His father Kihei Tomino was an employee at Japan Processed Fabrics, and his mother Sachiko was the daughter of town councillor and celluloid toy manufacturer Sakichi Tanaka.[5] His uncle Kiheiji Tomino was a member of the Tokyo Prefectural Council.[6]
Tomino's father Kihei aspired to become a photographer and studied art at the Nihon University. Kihei worked as a chemical engineer at the Odawara Arsenal developing pressurized suits for the Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighter plane during the Pacific War. Inspired by his father, Tomino dreamed of working in aerospace engineering, and later in engineering or mechanics. However, after failing the entrance exam to a technical high school, he was forced to switch to the humanities. He spent his senior year of high school studying the basics of story writing and practiced writing novels.[7] He graduated from Sōyō High School.[8]
Fascinated by the postwar influx of American science fiction films, he entered the film department of Nihon University College of Art.[8]
Career
Tomino joined
Tomino is known for using numerous pseudonyms for miscellaneous staffing roles that he performs in his works, including Minami Asa (阿佐 みなみ, Asa Minami) and Minoru Yokitani (斧谷 稔, Yokitani Minoru), which are used to credit himself for screenplays and storyboards he creates, Rin Iogi (井荻 麟, Iogi Rin), which he uses to credit himself for theme song lyrics he writes.
Tomino is noted for directing several well-known anime series throughout his career, such as his most notable work, the
1970s
Tomino made his directorial debut with 1972's Triton of the Sea (海のトリトン, Umi no Toriton). This show, loosely based on Osamu Tezuka's manga Blue Triton, showed a different perspective than the traditional "good vs. evil" show. The star, Triton, a 10-year-old boy, is the last survivor of the Tritons, a tribe from Atlantis that was wiped out by the supposedly evil Poseidons. However the viewers learn later on that the story was not so black and white after all.[12]
In 1975, Tomino worked on
In 1977, Tomino directed
In 1978, Tomino conceived, wrote and directed the successful Super Robot series
In 1979, Tomino directed and wrote
With its new, realistic approach to giant robots, Gundam changed the face of mecha anime and split the genre into two. Single-handedly inventing the "Real Robot" subgenre, Gundam forced all of its predecessors to be redefined as part of the "Super Robot" subgenre. Not surprisingly, Real Robots became all the rage after Gundam. Shows such as Combat Armor Dougram and Walker Machine Xabungle followed the trail Tomino had blazed.[18]
In an interview published in Animerica magazine, Tomino discusses what he was trying to accomplish with Mobile Suit Gundam:
The bottom line is, I wanted to have a more realistic robot series - unlike a super robot – where everything is more reality-based, based on a humanoid robot. Right from the beginning, the roots of the mobile suit came from the worker robots that were building the space colonies back then, and they would become more technologically advanced, to the point of becoming a weapon, and that was the whole lineage of the robots I had in mind since the beginning. So the whole idea, my idea, of trying to have a robot series in space without it becoming a stupid story was based on wanting to make a story and surrounding it with reality – more realistic possibilities was the underlying concept.[19]
Although the last quarter of the show's original script was canceled and it had to be completed in 43 episodes, its popularity grew after three compilation movies were released in 1981 and 1982. Mobile Suit Gundam was followed by numerous sequels, spin-offs and merchandising franchises, becoming one of the longest-running and most influential, popular anime series in history, being chosen as No. 1 on TV Asahi's "Top 100 Anime" listing in 2005.[20]
1980s
In 1980, Tomino directed Space Runaway Ideon, a series which like Mobile Suit Gundam was cancelled on its initial run, but featured movie versions later on. The series is known for its darker story elements. Tomino followed up with a more light-hearted series called Xabungle, but the darker nature of Ideon continued with 1983's Aura Battler Dunbine.
In 1984, Tomino released
1990s and 2000s
Tomino directed an additional Gundam motion picture, Mobile Suit Gundam F91 in 1991. This movie, which took place 30 years after Char's Counterattack, re-launched the Gundam saga in a new direction by featuring a completely new cast.
In 1993, Tomino directed his next Gundam series,
In 1996, Tomino wrote and directed Garzey's Wing, and in 1998 wrote and directed Brain Powerd. In 1999, he returned to Gundam with Turn A Gundam and in 2002, directed two compilations movies for it entitled Turn A Gundam I: Earth Light and Turn A Gundam II: Moonlight Butterfly. Also in 2002, he directed Overman King Gainer, and in 2005, Tomino directed 3 compilation movies summarizing the events of 1985's Zeta Gundam. His next major original work in the 2000s was the 6-episode OVA The Wings of Rean, which first premiered on the Internet across Bandai Channel, the broadcast beginning from December 12, 2005, with the final episode starting on August 18, 2006. Also in 2006, Tomino made a special cameo appearance in Shinji Higuchi's tokusatsu film Japan Sinks.
At the 2009 CESA Developers Conference, Tomino used his keynote speech to criticize the gaming industry, citing that video games "bringing no productivity at all" and that "consoles are just consuming electricity", while stressing that game developers need to focus more on quality content rather than advanced technology, comparing it to the modern animation industry.[21] His surprising remarks have sparked mass discussions online.[22]
After working on the CGI short Ring of Gundam for Gundam's 30th anniversary in 2009, Tomino returned to the franchise again for its 35th anniversary in 2014 in a new work in which he wrote and directed, Gundam Reconguista in G.[23]
The Anime Tourism Association, founded in 2016, has Tomino serving as its president.[24]
Tomino was present at Gundam Factory Yokohama for the opening ceremony of the 18-meter "life-size" moving statue of Gundam in Yokohama.[25]
Filmography
Television
Year | Title | Creator | Director | Writer | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1963–66 | Astro Boy | No | No | Yes | Also storyboard artist |
1971 | Wandering Sun | No | No | No | Storyboard artist |
1972 | Triton of the Sea | No | Yes | Yes | |
1973–74 | Neo-Human Casshern
|
No | Episode | No | Directed 9 episodes, also storyboard artist |
1975 | Reideen The Brave | No | Yes | No | Directed episodes 1–25 |
1975 | La Seine no Hoshi | No | Yes | No | Directed episodes 27–39 |
1975–76 | The Adventures of Pepero | No | Episode | No | Directed and storyboarded episodes 20, 23, and 25 |
1977–78 | Voltes V | No | No | No | Producer |
1977–78 | Invincible Super Man Zambot 3 | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
1978–79 | Invincible Steel Man Daitarn 3 | Yes | Yes | No | |
1979–80 | Mobile Suit Gundam | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
1980–81 | Space Runaway Ideon | Yes | Yes | No | |
1982–83 | Combat Mecha Xabungle | Yes | Yes | No | |
1983–84 | Aura Battler Dunbine | Yes | Yes | No | |
1983–84 | Ginga Hyōryū Vifam | No | No | No | Series is based on a draft written by Tomino |
1984–85 | Heavy Metal L-Gaim | Yes | Yes | No | |
1985–86 | Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
1986–87 | Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
1993–94 | Mobile Suit Victory Gundam | Yes | Yes | No | |
1998 | Brain Powerd | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
1999–00 | Turn A Gundam | Yes | Yes | No | |
2002–03 | Overman King Gainer | Yes | Yes | No | |
2014–15 | Gundam Reconguista in G | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Films
- Mobile Suit Gundam: The Movie (1981 – director, writer)
- Mobile Suit Gundam II: Soldiers of Sorrow (1982 – director, writer)
- Mobile Suit Gundam III: Encounters in Space (1982 – director, writer)
- The Ideon: A Contact (1982 – director)
- The Ideon: Be Invoked (1982 – director)
- Xabungle Graffiti (1983 – director)
- Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack (1988 – director, writer)
- Mobile Suit Gundam F91 (1991 – director, writer)
- Turn A Gundam I: Earth Light (2002 – director, writer)
- Turn A Gundam II: Moonlight Butterfly (2002 – director, writer)
- Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam: A New Translation I – Heirs To The Stars (2005 – director, writer)
- Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam: A New Translation II – Lovers (2005 – director, writer)
- Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam: A New Translation III – Love is the Pulse of the Stars (2006 – director, writer)
- Japan Sinks(2006 – actor)
- Ring of Gundam (2009 – director, writer)
- Gundam Reconguista in G (2019–22 – director, writer)
OVAs
- Heavy Metal L-Gaim (1986–87 – director)
- Garzey's Wing (1996–97 – director, writer)
- The Wings of Rean (2005–06 – director, writer)
Bibliography
- Novels
- Mobile Suit Gundam: Awakening, Escalation, Confrontation (1979–1981)
- The Wings of Rean (1983–1986)
- Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam (1985–1986)
- Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack (1987–1988)
- Mobile Suit Gundam: High-Streamer
- Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack: Bertochka Children (1988)
- Gaia Gear (1987–1991)
- Mobile Suit Gundam: Hathaway's Flash (1989–1990)
- Haran Banjō Series (1989–1992)
- Mobile Suit Gundam F91 Crossbone Vanguard (1991)
- Secret Meeting: Amuro and Lala (1997)
- Brain Powerd (1998–1999, co-written)
- Mobile Suit Victory Gundam (2003–2004)
- Manga (written)
- Mobile Suit Victory Gundam (1993–1994)
- Mobile Suit Crossbone Gundam (1994–1997, concept)
- Brain Powerd (1998–2001)
- Overman King Gainer (2002–2009)
Discography (as Rin Iogi)
- Mobile Suit Gundam
- "Tobe! Gandamu (Fly! Gundam)" by Koh Ikeda (Series Opening Theme)
- "Eien ni Amuro (Forever Amuro)" by Koh Ikeda (Series Ending Theme)
- "Char ga Kuru (Char is Coming)" by Koichiro Hori
- "Kirameki no Lalah (Shining Lalah)" by Keiko Toda
- "Ima wa O-Yasumi" by Keiko Toda
- "Kaze ni Hitori de (Alone in the Wind)" by Inoue Daisuke(Movie 2 Insert Song)
- "Ai Senshi (Soldiers of Sorrow)" by Inoue Daisuke (Movie 2 Ending Theme)
- "Beginning" by Inoue Daisuke (Movie 3 Insert Song)
- "Meguriai (Encounters)" by Inoue Daisuke (Co-written with Maso Urino) (Movie 3 Ending Theme)
- The Ideon: A Contact: "Sailing Fly (Sailing Fly)" by Akiko Mizuhara]
- The Ideon: Be Invoked: "Ummi ni Hi ni (Under the sun, on the sea)" by Akiko Mizuhara
- Aura Battler Dunbine: "Dunbine Tobu (Flying Dunbine, English version titled Dunbine Fire translated by J.C.Edward)" by MIO (Opening Theme)
- Heavy Metal L-Gaim: "Time for L-Gaim" by MIO (Opening Theme)
- Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam: "Zeta – Toki wo Koete (Zeta – Transcending Times)" by Maya Arukawa, composed by Neil Sedaka as Better Days Are Coming (First Opening Theme)
- Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ: "Issenman-Nen Ginga (The 10-million-year-old Galaxy)" by Jun Hiroe (Second Ending Theme)
- Mobile Suit Gundam F91: "Eternal Wind" by Hiroko Moriguchi (Ending Song)
- Mobile Suit Victory Gundam: "Stand up to the Victory" (First Opening Theme)
- Brain Powerd, composed by Yoko Kanno: "Ai no Field" by Kokia (First Ending Theme)
- Turn A Gundam, composed by Yoko Kanno
- "Turn A Turn" by Hideki Saijou, composed by Asei Kobayashi(First Opening Theme)
- "Century Color" by RAYS-GUNS (Co-written with You-mu Hamaguchi) (Second Opening Theme)
- "Ojousan Naishobanashi desu (This is a private conversation, miss)" by Hideki Saijou
- "Tsuki no Tama (Spirit of the Moon)" by RRET Team
- "Tsuki no Mayu (The Cocoon of the Moon)" by Aki Okui (Second Ending Theme)
- "Turn A Turn" by
- Overman King Gainer: "King Gainer Over!" by Yoshiki Fukuyama (Opening Theme)
- Gundam Reconguista in G: "G no Senkō" by Daisuke Hasegawa (Ending Theme)
Honours
- Person of Cultural Merit (2021)[26]
References
- ^ "人物と其勢力 – 国立国会図書館デジタルコレクション". National Diet Library (in Japanese). Retrieved 2021-07-24.
- Asahi Shimbun(in Japanese). Retrieved 2021-07-24.
- ^ "ガンダム監督の「敗北者宣言」【富野由悠季】". Koken (in Japanese). 2020-09-01. Retrieved 2021-07-24.
- ^ "富野喜平次 (第8版) – 『人事興信録』データベース". Nagoya University Graduate School of Law. Retrieved 2021-07-24.
- ^ "大衆人事録. 第5(昭和7年)版 タ-ワ之部 – 国立国会図書館デジタルコレクション". National Diet Library (in Japanese). Retrieved 2022-11-11.
- ^ "人事興信録. 第14版 下 – 国立国会図書館デジタルコレクション". National Diet Library (in Japanese). Retrieved 2021-07-24.
- ISBN 978-4873765143.
- ^ a b "アニメを変えた男 上 創作の道へ 子供向け 手抜けない". Kitanippon Shimbun. 2020-11-24. p. 24.
- ^ Tomino, Yoshiyuki (November 30, 2002). だから 僕は… ―ガンダムへの道 [So, I... The Road to Gundam] (in Japanese). Kadokawa Sneaker Bunko.
- ^ "Tokyo Anime Fair: Award Winners", Anime News Network, 27 March 2006.
- ^ "富野由悠季 – アニメ@wiki FANBOXご支援募集中!".
- ^ a b Machiyama, Toma (December 2002). "Interview with Yoshiyuki Tomino – The creator of Gundam, before & after!". Animerica. Vol. 10, no. 12. pp. 40–41.
- ^ "Profile: Tomino Yoshiyuki". AnimeAcademy.com. Archived from the original on June 18, 2007. Retrieved 5 August 2007.
- ISBN 1-880656-64-7.
- ^ ロボットアニメ万歳 (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 28 February 2007. Retrieved 22 February 2007.
- ^ コラム (in Japanese). Mondo 21. Archived from the original on 24 October 2007. Retrieved 22 February 2007.
- ^ "Kill Em All Tomino". The Gundam Encyclopedia. Archived from the original on 30 December 2007. Retrieved 5 August 2007.
- ISBN 1-56931-739-9.
- ^ Machiyama, Toma (2002). Animerica Volume 10, Number 12 Article. Seiji Horibuchi. p. 37.
- ^ "TV Asahi Top 100". Anime News Network. 23 September 2005. Retrieved 5 August 2007.
- ^ Christian Nutt, Yoshi Sato, September 2, 2009, CEDEC 09: Keynote – Gundam Creator: 'Video Games Are Evil'
- ^ 小笠原由依, 2009年09月02日 20時06分, 「僕にとってゲームは悪」だが……富野由悠季氏、ゲーム開発者を鼓舞
- ^ Gundam creator criticizes Shinkai
- ^ "Anime Tourism Association". 一般社団法人アニメツーリズム協会-アニメ聖地88. Retrieved 2023-12-10.
- ^ Facility with "life-size" moving Gundam statue opens in Yokohama near Tokyo KYODO NEWS, December 20, 2020
- ^ "長嶋茂雄さんら9人文化勲章 功労者に加山雄三さんら". Jiji.com. Archived from the original on October 26, 2021. Retrieved October 26, 2021.