Tatsuo Shimamura

Birthplace: Tokyo, Japan Tatsuo Shimamura graduated from the Department of Design at Tokyo University of the Arts in 1957. He joined Toei Animation in 1958 as part of the first group of new recruits to work on Hakujaden, the first animated feature film in full color from Japan. He later went on to work at Gakken and Tokyo Commercial, before going independent in 1973 and establishing Shimamura Planning Office. One year later, he established the renowned animation studio Shirogumi. Shimamura's impressive career includes production for many feature films and TV anime, independent short films, and animation for Kihachiro Kawamoto Fuyu no Hi, which he also helped produce. He is a professor at Kyoto University of Art and Design and honorary member of the Japanese Animation Association.