Isao Takahata facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Isao Takahata
高畑 勲
Takahata at the 2014 Annecy International Animated Film Festival
Born	(1935-10-29)October 29, 1935 Ise, Japan
Died	April 5, 2018(2018-04-05) (aged 82) Tokyo, Japan
Other names	Takemoto Tetsu (武元 哲)
Education	University of Tokyo
Occupation	Film director, animation director, producer
Years active	1961–2018
Relatives	Asajirō Takahata (father) Shunji Iwai (relative)

Isao Takahata (高畑 勲, Takahata Isao, October 29, 1935 – April 5, 2018) was a famous Japanese director, screenwriter, and producer. He was one of the people who started Studio Ghibli. He became well-known around the world for directing Japanese animated movies.

Takahata was born in Ujiyamada, Japan. He joined Toei Animation after finishing college in 1959. He worked as an assistant director and teamed up with his friend Hayao Miyazaki. He later directed his first movie, The Great Adventure of Horus, Prince of the Sun (1968).

He continued to work with Miyazaki at Nippon Animation. There, he directed popular TV shows like Heidi, Girl of the Alps (1974) and Anne of Green Gables (1979).

In 1985, Takahata, Miyazaki, and others created Studio Ghibli. At Ghibli, he directed many important films. These include Grave of the Fireflies (1988), Only Yesterday (1991), Pom Poko (1994), and My Neighbors the Yamadas (1999). His last movie as a director was The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (2013). This film was even nominated for an Oscar!

Life and career of Isao Takahata

Early animation career

Isao Takahata was born in Ujiyamada, Japan, on October 29, 1935. He was the youngest of seven children. When he was nine years old, he and his family survived a big air raid on Okayama City.

Takahata went to the University of Tokyo and studied French literature. While in college, he saw a French animated movie called Le Roi et l'Oiseau. This movie made him very interested in animation. He wanted to write and direct animated stories.

A friend told him to apply for a directing job at Toei Animation. Takahata got the job and started as an assistant director. He learned a lot from his mentor, Yasuo Ōtsuka. Ōtsuka later asked Takahata to direct his own animated movie.

Takahata's first movie as a director was The Great Adventure of Horus, Prince of the Sun (1968). Ōtsuka was the animation director, and Hayao Miyazaki was a key animator. Even though the movie was not a big success at first, it later became a very important film in Japanese animation.

In 1971, Takahata left Toei Animation with Miyazaki and Yōichi Kotabe. They wanted to make a movie based on the Pippi Longstocking stories. They even went to Sweden to meet the author, Astrid Lindgren. But they could not get the rights to make the movie.

Takahata and Miyazaki kept working together on other projects. They helped finish the anime series Lupin III. They also made a short film called Panda! Go, Panda! (1972). Some ideas from their Pippi Longstocking plans were used in this film.

Soon after, Takahata, Kotabe, and Miyazaki were asked to create an animated series based on the novel Heidi. This became the popular show Heidi, Girl of the Alps (1974). Takahata and Miyazaki then joined a new company called Nippon Animation. Takahata worked there for about ten years. He directed another famous show, Anne of Green Gables (1979).

Around 1981, Takahata moved to Telecom Animation Film. There, he directed an animated movie called Jarinko Chie. He also worked on a project for an animated movie called Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland. But he and Miyazaki left this project because of disagreements.

Founding Studio Ghibli

Meanwhile, Hayao Miyazaki directed his first movie, The Castle of Cagliostro (1979), which was very successful. Miyazaki then created his own manga, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. He also directed its movie version in 1984, which was also a big hit.

After the success of Nausicaä, Miyazaki asked Takahata to start their own animation studio. So, Studio Ghibli was created in 1985. Miyazaki, Takahata, and their friends Toshio Suzuki and Yasuyoshi Tokuma founded the studio.

At Studio Ghibli, Miyazaki directed many films. Takahata often worked as a producer or in other roles. But Takahata also directed several important Studio Ghibli movies. His first Ghibli film was Grave of the Fireflies, released in 1988. This movie was based on a true story about war. Takahata was also inspired by his own experience of surviving the bombing of Okayama City.

Grave of the Fireflies was praised for its strong emotions and anti-war message. It helped Studio Ghibli become famous around the world. Takahata also directed other Ghibli films. These include Only Yesterday (1991), Pom Poko (1994), and My Neighbors the Yamadas (1999). He also worked as the music director for Miyazaki's film Kiki's Delivery Service (1989).

Later life and passing

Takahata announced that his last film for Studio Ghibli would be The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (2013). This happened around the same time Miyazaki said he would retire. When The Tale of the Princess Kaguya came out in other countries, it was nominated for an Oscar!

Takahata continued to work at Ghibli. He was an artistic producer for The Red Turtle (2016). This was the first movie by Dutch director Michaël Dudok de Wit made with Studio Ghibli.

Isao Takahata passed away on April 5, 2018, in Tokyo. He was 82 years old. A farewell ceremony was held for him at the Ghibli Museum. Hayao Miyazaki spoke about his friend, saying, "Thank you, Paku-san [Takahata's nickname]."

Influences and style

Takahata was inspired by French animators like Paul Grimault. He also liked French New Wave directors, such as Jean-Luc Godard. He believed it was important to make two-dimensional animation look like it had three dimensions.

Takahata's films had a big impact on Hayao Miyazaki. Some people say that Miyazaki learned about social responsibility from Takahata. Takahata and French director Michel Ocelot also admired each other's work. Ocelot said that Takahata's Grave of the Fireflies and Pom Poko were among his favorite films.

TV works

Filmography

See also

In Spanish: Isao Takahata para niños