Mamoru Oshii facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mamoru Oshii
押井守
Oshii at Lucca Comics & Games in 2015
Born	(1951-08-08) 8 August 1951 (age 73) Tokyo, Japan
Occupation	Film director screenwriter mangaka television director novelist
Years active	1977–present
Known for	Ghost in the Shell
Relatives	Otsuichi (son-in-law)

Mamoru Oshii (born August 8, 1951) is a famous Japanese filmmaker, TV director, and writer. He is known for making movies that make you think deeply. Oshii has directed many popular anime films. These include Urusei Yatsura 2: Beautiful Dreamer (1984), Angel's Egg (1985), Patlabor 2: The Movie (1993), and Ghost in the Shell (1995). He also directed Dallos (1983), which was the very first OVA (a type of anime made directly for home video).

As a writer, Oshii has created screenplays for films and sometimes written manga (Japanese comics) and novels. Some of his well-known written works are the manga Kerberos Panzer Cop (1988–2000) and the movie based on it, Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade (1999).

Mamoru Oshii has won and been nominated for many important awards. These include the Palme d'Or and the Leone d'Oro (Golden Lion). Other famous directors like James Cameron, Steven Spielberg, and The Wachowskis have praised his work, especially Ghost in the Shell.

A Look at His Career

Early Days (1977–1982)

Mamoru Oshii has shared that he was interested in Christianity and the Bible from a young age. He once said in an interview that he liked the Bible as a boy. He even thought about going to a seminary, which is a school for religious studies.

When he was a student, Oshii was very interested in the film La Jetée by Chris Marker. He also watched many European movies by directors like Federico Fellini and Ingmar Bergman. These filmmakers, along with others, later influenced his own movie-making style. His father, who loved movies, also inspired him.

Oshii finished his studies at Tokyo Gakugei University in 1976. The next year, he joined Tatsunoko Productions. There, he worked on his first anime as a storyboard artist for Ippatsu Kanta-kun. A storyboard artist draws pictures that show how a movie or TV show will look, scene by scene. At Tatsunoko, Oshii worked on many anime shows, often for the Time Bokan series. In 1980, he moved to Studio Pierrot and worked with his mentor, Hisayuki Toriumi.

Success with Urusei Yatsura (1981–1984)

Mamoru Oshii became well-known for his work as a director and storyboard artist on the Urusei Yatsura TV series. Because of its success, he directed two Urusei Yatsura movies. These were Urusei Yatsura: Only You (1983) and Urusei Yatsura 2: Beautiful Dreamer (1984). The first movie was an original story that kept the fun spirit of the TV series.

Beautiful Dreamer was also written by Oshii. It was very different from the original series and showed his unique style early on. This movie is also famous for exploring ideas like a time loop, where characters relive the same day. It also played with ideas of dreams and changing reality.

Dallos, Lupin, Angel's Egg, and Anchor (1983–1985)

While working at Studio Pierrot, Oshii also took on independent projects. He directed Dallos in 1983, which was the first-ever OVA. In 1984, Oshii left Studio Pierrot.

Around this time, Oshii was asked to direct a movie for Lupin the Third. However, his ideas for the film were very unusual. The producers did not like his vision, saying it "made no sense." Even though the movie had been advertised with Oshii's name, it was canceled because his ideas were not approved. He later used some of these ideas and themes in other works, like Angel's Egg, Ghost in the Shell, and several Patlabor movies.

Oshii said that making Ghost in the Shell helped him move past the canceled Lupin project. He continued to use elements from his Lupin ideas in later films. For example, he helped write the script for 009 RE:CYBORG, which was directed by his student, Kenji Kamiyama. He also used an ending he had planned for Lupin in The Next Generation Patlabor: Shuto Kessen ^[ja]. Oshii eventually got to work on Lupin again by writing two episodes for Lupin the 3rd Part 6. One of these episodes, "Darwin's Bird," used some ideas from his canceled movie.

Moving to Studio Deen, Oshii wrote and directed Angel's Egg (1985). This was a surreal film with many Biblical symbols. The character designs were created by Yoshitaka Amano. A producer of the film, Toshio Suzuki, later started Studio Ghibli with Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata. After Angel's Egg, Miyazaki and Takahata began working with Oshii on his next film, Anchor. This film was canceled early on because the three directors had different artistic ideas.

Despite their disagreements, Toshio Suzuki and Studio Ghibli later helped Oshii with his film Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence (2004). Oshii still respects Miyazaki and Takahata's films, even if he sometimes has different opinions. He has said that he would feel "strangely empty" if they stopped making movies.

Patlabor and Live-Action Films (1987–1993)

In the late 1980s, Oshii's friend Kazunori Itō asked him to join a group called Headgear as a director. This group included Kazunori Itō (screenwriter), Masami Yuki (manga artist), Yutaka Izubuchi (robot designer), Akemi Takada (character designer), and Mamoru Oshii (director). Together, they created the Patlabor TV series, OVAs, and movies.

Between working on the Patlabor projects, Oshii tried directing live-action films for the first time. His first non-animated movie was The Red Spectacles (1987). He then made another live-action film called Stray Dog: Kerberos Panzer Cops (1991). Both of these films are part of Oshii's ongoing Kerberos Saga. After Stray Dog, Oshii directed another live-action film, Talking Head (1992).

In the early 1990s, Studio Ghibli asked Oshii to direct an animated film based on Ken'ichi Sakemi's novel Bokkō. Animator Katsuya Kondo even drew some early designs. However, this project was also canceled due to disagreements between Oshii and Miyazaki.

Ghost in the Shell and World Fame (1995–2008)

In 1995, Mamoru Oshii released his very important animated cyberpunk film, Ghost in the Shell. It was released in Japan, the United States, and Europe. In 1996, it became the first anime video to reach the top of the US Billboard video charts. The film is about a female cyborg who wants to understand the meaning of her existence. It was a big success and is seen as a masterpiece and a classic anime. Oshii mentioned that making Ghost in the Shell helped him move on from his earlier canceled Lupin project.

After a five-year break from directing to work on other projects, Oshii returned to live-action films with Avalon (2001). This Japanese-Polish film was shown at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival. His next animated film was the much-awaited sequel to Ghost in the Shell, called Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence. This film took four years to make. It follows the character Batou as he investigates a series of terrible murders while dealing with his own changing humanity. Even though it received mixed reviews, Innocence was chosen to compete for the Palme d'Or prize at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival. This made it the first (and so far, only) anime to receive such an honor.

Oshii was asked to direct a part of The Animatrix, but he could not because he was busy with Innocence. After Innocence, Oshii also thought about directing a segment for the film Paris, je t'aime, but he decided not to.

In 2005, there were talks about a collaboration between Kenta Fukasaku and Oshii. It was announced that Oshii would write the script for a film called Elle is Burning. He would also help with the computer-generated imagery (CGI), while Fukasaku would direct. Although Oshii finished the script, the film was never made, partly because it would have been too expensive.

Oshii promotes The Sky Crawlers, June 2, 2008.

Oshii's next film, The Sky Crawlers (2008), competed for the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival. After The Sky Crawlers, Oshii wrote the screenplay for the Production I.G film Musashi: The Dream of the Last Samurai. This film has been called possibly the first anime documentary.

Back to Live-Action (2009–Present)

In 2009, Mamoru Oshii wrote and directed the live-action film Assault Girls. He also worked as a creative director for a part of the animated short film collection Halo Legends, produced by Production I.G. In 2010, Oshii announced that his next film would be based on Mitsuteru Yokoyama's Tetsujin-28 manga. This project became a live-action film called '28 1/2'.

In 2012, Oshii announced he was working on a new live-action film. He wrote and directed the military science-fiction thriller Garm Wars: The Last Druid. The film's trailer was released in September 2014, and it premiered the next month at the 27th Tokyo International Film Festival.

He then made the live-action film Tōkyō Mukokuseki Shōjo, a suspense thriller released in July 2015.

In March 2017, Toonami began showing Sand Whale and Me, a live-action micro-series directed by Oshii. In 2018, it was reported that an anime film based on the Chimera novel series was being made, with Oshii as the director.

In June 2019, Oshii announced Vladlove, a comedy series he described as a "girl-meets-girl story" about a vampire. This project was different because Oshii was supported by a single investor, a real estate company called Ichigo Inc., instead of the usual Japanese anime production committee system.

His Unique Style

Mamoru Oshii has said that his way of directing is different from the typical Hollywood style. He believes that the visuals (what you see) are the most important part of a film. The story comes next, and the characters are last. He also notes that his main goal in making films is to "create worlds different from our own."

Oshii's films often start with an action scene. After that, the movie usually slows down, with bursts of fast action here and there. He also often includes a montage sequence in his movies. These are usually about two minutes long, without dialogue, and set to music by Kenji Kawai. He often uses images like reflections, mirrors, flocks of birds, and basset hound dogs, similar to his own pet. The basset hound was very noticeable in Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence and was an important part of the story in his live-action film Avalon.

Oshii is especially known for changing the original stories his films are based on. This can be seen in his adaptations of Urusei Yatsura and Ghost in the Shell. The original manga versions of these stories were often funny. However, Oshii made his film versions slower and darker, especially in Urusei Yatsura 2: Beautiful Dreamer. For the Ghost in the Shell movie, Oshii chose to remove the humor and friendly conversations from Masamune Shirow's original manga. This also happened in Patlabor 2: The Movie, where Oshii focused on a more political story instead of the everyday life aspects of the original.

Andrez Bergen wrote in a 2004 newspaper article that Oshii's work "avoids stereotypes in both image and sexual orientation." He added that Oshii's movies are "dark, thought-provoking, minimalist discussions with a hidden complexity." At the same time, Oshii pushes the limits of technology in filmmaking.

Oshii also wrote and directed several animated and live-action films based on his own political views. These views were influenced by the Anpo protests of the 1960s and 1970s, which he took part in. These protests in Japan were against the US-Japan Security Treaty. The first film to show this political background was the live-action film The Red Spectacles. This film is set in the same world as the Oshii-scripted film Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade (1999). It is about a former police officer dealing with a tough government.

Many of his works also include references to Christianity and the Bible.

His Influence on Others

The Wachowskis, who directed The Matrix, were very impressed with Ghost in the Shell. They even showed it to producer Joel Silver to explain the kind of film they wanted to make. In fact, some scenes from Ghost in the Shell seem to have been used in The Matrix. Ghost in the Shell was also the main inspiration for the video game Oni.

His 1984 anime film Urusei Yatsura 2: Beautiful Dreamer explored ideas like a time loop, dreams, and changing reality. This film has been compared to later movies like Groundhog Day (1993) and Dark City (1998), and it is believed to have influenced them.

Kenji Kamiyama, the director of the Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex TV series, sees Oshii as his teacher. Kamiyama says he "totally tried to copy" Oshii's style when he created the Stand Alone Complex series.

Many people have also noticed how similar the Helghast design from the Killzone video game series is to the Kerberos Panzer Protect Gear. This gear was first seen in Oshii's 1987 film The Red Spectacles. When asked about these similarities, Guerrilla Games, the video game developer for the Killzone series, did not directly answer. They say the Helghast design was inspired by World War I gas masks, but this does not explain the glowing red/orange eyes that both designs share.

James Cameron is another filmmaker who admires Oshii. He once said that Avalon was "the most artistic, beautiful and stylish sci-fi film." He also praised Ghost in the Shell, calling it "the first truly adult animation film to reach a level of literary and visual excellence."

Personal Life

As of 2009, Oshii lived in Atami, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. He lived with his dog, a mutt named Daniel. When talking about religion, he said, "I'm not a Christian, but I've been reading the Bible since my student days."

Working with Others

Mamoru Oshii has worked a lot with Production I.G. Every animated film he has made since Patlabor: The Movie (1989) has been produced by this studio. He also worked closely with screenwriter Kazunori Itō. They made five films together, starting with The Red Spectacles and ending with Avalon.

However, his closest partner is music composer Kenji Kawai. Kawai has created most of the music for Oshii's works, including ten of his feature films. Oshii believes that "Kenji Kawai's music is responsible for 50 percent of [his] films' successes." He also said he "can't do anything without [Kenji Kawai]."

The Kerberos Saga

1980s

The English version of Kerberos Panzer Cop

The Kerberos saga is a very important project for Mamoru Oshii. He created it in 1986. It is a military science fiction series set in an alternate history universe. It includes different types of media and has been going on for more than 20 years. It started with his radio drama While Waiting for the Red Spectacles in January 1987. In 1987, Oshii released The Red Spectacles, his first live-action film and the first Kerberos saga movie. The manga version, Kerberos Panzer Cop, written by Mamoru Oshii and drawn by Kamui Fujiwara, was published from 1988 to 1990.

1990s

The first four parts of Kerberos Panzer Cop were put together into one book in 1990. In 1991, a live-action film based on the manga, StrayDog Kerberos Panzer Cops, was released. In 1999, Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade was released at international film festivals. This anime film was based on the first volume of the manga. Oshii wrote the script, and his colleague Hiroyuki Okiura directed it.

2000s

In 2000, the second part of the manga (parts 5-8) was published and put into a second book. After the manga was finished and published, Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade was finally released in Japan that same year. In 2003, the sequel to Kerberos Panzer Cop, called Kerberos Saga Rainy Dogs, was published. It was put into one book in 2005. In 2006, Kerberos Panzer Jäger was broadcast in Japan to celebrate 20 years of the saga. That same year, Oshii announced his plan to release an anime/3DCG film adaptation of the drama in 2009. This project was called the Kerberos Panzer Blitzkrieg project. In late 2006, Oshii started a Kerberos saga crossover manga series called Kerberos & Tachiguishi.

Other Works

Besides directing, Oshii is also a busy screenwriter and author of manga and novels. He wrote the Kerberos series of manga. Oshii also wrote the script for the manga Seraphim 266,613,336 Wings, which was originally drawn by Satoshi Kon. Their work together was difficult because they had different artistic ideas about the story, and Seraphim was not finished. The first part was published in 16 sections in Animage magazine from May 1994 to November 1995.

After Satoshi Kon passed away in 2010, parts of it were reissued in a special memorial supplement of Monthly Comic Ryū and published as a comic book that same year. Oshii has since worked on a Seraphim Prologue, called the Three Wise Men's Worship Volume, with drawings by Katsuya Terada. It was released by Tokuma Shoten as another Ryū supplement. Oshii also wrote the screenplay for Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade. He is also credited as a co-planner for Blood: The Last Vampire (2000) and Blood+. Oshii also wrote the first novel related to the film, titled Blood: The Last Vampire: Night of the Beasts. It was first published in Japan in October 2000 and later released in English in North America on November 23, 2005.

Oshii is also credited for providing the "story concept" for Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. 2nd GIG. He describes his role as overseeing the entire series and being responsible for writing the plot of each episode. In 2005, Oshii supervised the Mobile Police Patlabor Comes Back: MiniPato video game. In 2008, he again worked as a special consultant for the video game The Sky Crawlers: Innocent Aces.

Awards and Nominations

Annie Awards:

• 1996: Nominated for Outstanding Achievement for Directing in a Feature Production (Ghost in the Shell)
• 2004: Nominated for Outstanding Achievement for Directing in a Feature Production (Ghost in the Shell: Innocence)
• 2016: Winsor McCay Award

Animation Kobe:

• 1996: Feature Film Award (Ghost in the Shell)
• 2004: Feature Film Award (Ghost in the Shell: Innocence)

Cannes Film Festival

• 2004: Nominated for Palme d'Or (Ghost in the Shell: Innocence)

London Sci-Fi Film Festival:

• 2002: Best Feature Film (Avalon)

Mainichi Film Concours:

• 1993: Best Animated Film (Patlabor 2: The Movie)
• 2008: Best Animated Film (The Sky Crawlers)

Nihon SF Taisho Award:

• 2004: 25th Nihon SF Taisho Award (Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence)

Sitges - Catalan International Film Festival:

• 2004: Orient Express Award (Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence)

Venice Film Festival:

• 2008: Nominated for Golden Lion (The Sky Crawlers)
• 2008: Future Film Festival Digital Award (The Sky Crawlers)

Filmography

Directed Features

See also

In Spanish: Mamoru Oshii para niños