OSAMU DEZAKI AND AKIO SUGINO:
WHEN ARTIST BECOMES MASTER

SUGINO´S ART STYLE

Sugino´s character design style cannot be confounded. It is unique. Athletic the males, and sensual the females; both stylised (meaning tall, slender) but with marked physical attributes; very expressive faces highlighted by profound glances where combination of eyes-eyebrows-eyelashes is always drawn with special detail for it is the basic expressive instrument. Hairs are mainly pictured in a fussy or curly style that seems to adopt impossible postures, always attractive, with some kind of living attitude. Mouths, often big with very thin lips, are permanently playing expressive jokes with the eyes. Greek noses for main characters and versatile for secondary. Flexibility also as for treatment of lights and shadows. Summing up, the mastery of a design defined by elegance, expressiveness and singularity of shading.

Profile

Birthdate: 1944/9/19
Birthplace: Sapporo
Highlights: The 6th child of 7 boys and girls. Family moved to Kitami after he finished the second grade of elementary school. In Junior highschool he was part in an art club. Was sent to a private school, Hokuto Highschool in 1959. Starts contributing to the manga magazines "Machi" and "Kage" at this time. Wins a few prizes for his works.
Favorite food: Eggs and dried seaweeds
Favorite sports: Baseball
Favorite color: Blue
Disliked color: Purple
Disliked thing: Money
Frightend of: Falling cherry blossoms!
Tabac brand: Highlight
Favorite actress: Hasegawa Yumiko
Favorite actor: Yamasaki Tsutomu
First salary: 5000 Yen (Mushi Pro)
Favorite season: Autumn
Favorite author: Yamamoto Shuugorou
Favorite Mangaka: Chiba Tetsuya
Influences: Murano Morimi, Chiba Tetsuya
Respected person: Kurosawa Akira
Favorite Movies: Warui Yatsu hodo yoku nemuru, Yoidore Tenshi, Sotsugyou, Waga ga Seishun ni Kai inashi, Akahige.
Likes cats and the sea.

Works (without Dezaki)

1965-1966: Jungle Taitei (Jungle´s Emperor), Mushi Pro, Tezuka Osamu. TV.
1975-1975: La Seine no Hoshi (Seine´s Star), Sunrise. TV
1977-1979: Tetsujin 28 (Ironman 28), TMS. TV.
1978-1978: Perrine Monogatari (Perrine´s story), Nippon Animation, Hector Malot. TV
1979-1980: Animation Kikou Marco Polo no Bouken (Marco Polo), MK/Madhouse, Marco Polo. TV
1980-1980: Tom Sawyer, Nippon Animation, Mark Twain. TV
1980: Unico. Sanrio. Osamu Tezuka. Movie.
1983-1984: Cat’s Eye, Toukyou Movie Shinsha, Houjou Tsukasa. TV
1986: Nayuta, Toshiba EMI, Sasaki Junko. Movie.
1997: Jungle Taitei Movie (Jungle´s Emperor Movie), Tezuka Osamu. Movie.

Dezaki was born in 1944 in Tokyo. Sometimes he uses pseudonym Saki Makura. He combines in his works great doses of sensibility and a superior technical level. Not only his Animé adaptations are visually loyal to original mangas but also do they maintain their spirit, message and tone. He is a master at the time of handling narration´s tempo and combining successfully all the animatic elements at his disposition (flashbacks, visual metaphors, image congelation, kinetic lines, unfocusing, rotations, insertion of non-animated illustrations and panoramic, etc) in order to transmit the spectator all the emotion of the script. The narrative rhythm of his Animés is not casual but consequence of an intelligent planning that tries to deal with climax and cadence so that the spectator never feels indifferent to the plot. That is why his character´s reactions sometimes seem to be so exaggerated. He is definitely an animation master that knows perfectly what he wants and how to achieve it effectively.

Profile

Birthdate: 1943/11/8
Birthplace: Tokyo
Highlights: When in Kitazono highschool he wants to become a Mangaka. In 1963 he finds an employement at Tezuka’s Mushi Pro. Participates in Sugii Gisaburo’s "Art Fresh (Flash?)" in 1964.
Direction of "Tetsuwan Atom" and "Gokuu no Daibouken", Chief Director of "Ashita no Joe" in 1970. In the same year he had a manga called "Gokuu no Daibouken" in COM.
Becomes a Free Director (?) in 1968, signing for Madhouse in 1972.
In 1980 he established his own production company: Annapuru (?), with Sugino Akio.

Works (without Sugino)

1964-1965: Big X, Tokyo Movie Shinsha, Tezuka Osamu. Continuity. TV
1965: Shin Takarajima (The new Treasure Island), Mushi Pro, Tezuka Osamu. Original Picture.TV
1967-1967: Gokuu no Daibouken (Goku´s great adventure), Mushi Pro, Tezuka Osamu. Episodes Director.TV
1969-1969: Dororo, Mushi Pro, Tezuka Osamu. Episodes Director.TV
1969: Frosty the Snowman, Mushi Pro & Video Craft. Director.US TV
1969-1970: Moomin, TMS, Tove Janson. Picture Continuity.TV
1971-1971: Andersen Monogatari (Andersen´s tales), Mushi Pro, H.C. Andersen. Episodes Director.TV
1971-1972: Lupin III, TMS, Monkey Punch. Picture Continuity.TV
1972-1972: Shin Moomin, Mushi Pro, Tove Janson. Episodes Director.TV
1972-1973: Akado Suzunosuke, TMS, Takeuchi Tsunayoshi. Picture Continuity.TV
1972-1973: Hazedon, Shueisha, Itai Rentarou. Chief Director, Continuity.TV
1973: Kanashimi no Belladonna (Belladonna´s sadness), Mushi Pro. Original Picture.Movie
1973-1974: Karate Baka Ichiyo (Ichiyo, the karate fool), TMS, Tsunoda Jirou. Chief Director, Continuity.TV
1973-1974: Samurai Giants, TMS, Kajiwara Kazuki & Inoue Kou. Continuity.TV
1974-1976: Hajime Ningen Gatless (Gatless, a human beginning), TMS, Sonoyama Shunji. Episodes Director.TV
1975: The Fire G-Men, ?. Director, Character Design. PR
1975-1975: Ganba no Booken (Ganba´s adventures), TMS, Saitou Toshio. Chief Director.TV
1975-1977: Gansou Tensai Bakabon, TMS, Akatsuka Fujio. Eps. Director, Scenario.TV
1976: Shiawase wa Anzen to Tomo ni (Fortune, Sadness and ???) TMS Yomiuri Koukosha. Director. PR
1979-1980: Versailles no Bara (The Rose of Versailles), TMS, Ikeda Riyoko. Continuity.TV
1980: Bocchan, TMS, Natsume Souseki. Co-Director.TVS
1981: Denwa no Tenshi (Telephone´s angel), Denwa no Akuma, Denwa no Manee wa omoyari, Yomiuri Koukosha. Director. PR
1984: Bookensha-tachi to 7 yon Nakama (The adventurers and the seven comrades) , TMS, Saitou Toshio. Supervision. Movie
1986: Sweet Sea,TMS. Supervision
1987: Blinkins,TMS. Supervision
1988: 1 Pond no Fukuin (One Pound Gospel), Studio Galopp, Takahashi Rumiko. Supervision, Picture Continuity. OVA
1989-1989: Kasei Yakyoku (A nocturne assitance/Nocturne Mars), Magic Bus, Hirata Makiko. Supervision, Picture Continuity.OVA
1989: Lupin III Bye Bye Liberty Kiki Ippatsu!, TMS, Monkey Punch. Supervision, Picture Continuity.TVS
1990-199?: B.B, Magic Bus, Ishiwatari Osamu. Supervision, Continuity.OVA
1990: Lupin III Hemmingway Paper no Nazo, TMS, Monkey Punch. Supervision, Continuity. TVS
1990: Shura no kaizanmaken (???) , Magicbus. Supervision, Continuity. OVA
1990: Lupin III: Harimao´s Treasure Island, TMS, Monkey Punch. Supervision. Continuity. OVA
1991-1993: Souryuuden, Kitty Films, Tanaka Yoshiki. Supervision (1-3), Continuity. OVA
1991: Lupin III Napoleon no Jisho wo ubae (Lupin III: Plunder Napoleon´s land!), TMS, Monkey Punch. Supervision, Continuity.TVS
1992: Lupin III Russia yori Ai wo komete (Lupin III: From Russia with love), TMS, Monkey Punch. Supervision, Continuity.OVA
1992: Takarajima Memorial Yuunagi to yobareta Otoko (Treasure Island Memorial: The summoned man and evening calm), TMS, R.L. St. Scenario, Supervison, Pic. Con.OVA
1995: Confucius. Supervision.TVS
1997-1997: Seisho Monogatari (Seisho´s tale)– In the Beginning, Tezuka Pro. Supervision.TV

AN UNCOMMON COUPLE

Despite they have worked separately, it is impossible quoting Osamu Dezaki without referring to Akio Sugino, and vice versa. Understanding and welldoing that they both have demonstrated in all Animés where they have taken part, have exalted them to the category of mythical couple. The Animés they have worked on are nearly masterpieces of world-wide animation and have contributed to popularise some of the most memorable mangas of the last 30 years.

Dezaki & Sugino works (director and character designer)

ANIMATED SERIES

1963-1966: Tetsuwan Atom, Mushi Pro, Tezuka Osamu. TV
1968-1968: Wanpaku Tanteidan (Naughty Detective Club), Mushi Pro, Edogawa Ranpo.TV
1970-1971: Ashita no Joe (Joe of Tomorrow), Mushi Pro, Chiba Tetsuya & Takamori Asao.TV
1971-1972: Kunimatsu-sama no Otooridai, Mushi Pro, Chiba Tetsuya.TV
1973-19??: Jungle Kurobee, TMS, Fujiko Fujio.TV
1973-1974: Ace o Nerae! series
1978: Shin Ace o Nerae! series
1976-1979: Manga Sekai Mukashibanashi (The old tale of manga world),, DAX International.TV
1977-1977: Jetter Mars, Touei Douga, Tezuka Osamu. Continuity. TV
1977-1978: Ie naki Ko (Little Orphan, Remi), TMS, H. Malot. TV
1978-1979: Takarajima (The Treasure Island), TMS, R.L. Stevenson Continuity.TV
1980-1981: Ashita no Joe 2 (Joe of Tomorrow 2), TMS, Chiba Tetsuya. TV
1982-1983: Space Cobra, TMS, Terasawa Buichi. Continuity. TV
1983-1984: Mighty Orbots,TMS.TV
1991-1992: O-nii-sama e...(Brother, dear brother), Tezuka Pro, Ikeda Riyoko. Continuity.TV
1997-199?: Hakugei Densetsu (Hakugei´s legend), Image Kei.TV

ANIMATED FILMS/OAVs

1969: Sen’ya Ichiya Monogatari (Sen‘ya Ichiya´s tale), Mushi Pro. Original Picture. Movie
1979: Shin Ace o Nerae! Movie
1981: Ashita no Joe 2 (Joe of Tomorrow 2), TMS, Chiba Tetsuya & Takamori Asao. Movie
1982: Space Adventure Cobra, TMS, Terasawa Buichi. Movie
1983: Golgo 13, TMS, Saitou Takawo. Movie
1987: Takarajima (The Treasure Island), TMS, R.L. Stevenson. Movie
1988-1988: Ace o Nerae! 2 (Aim for the Ace!2), TMS, Yamamoto Sumika. OAV
1989-1990: Ace o Nerae! Final Stage (Aim for the Ace!Final Stage), TMS, Yamamoto Sumika. OVA
1993: "Black Jack: Clinical Chart 1", TMS. Osamu Tezuka..OAV
1994: "Black Jack: Clinical Chart 2", TMS. Osamu Tezuka. OAV
1994: "Space Adventure Cobra", TMS. Buichi Terasawa. OAV
1995: "Black Jack: Clinical Chart 3", TMS. Osamu Tezuka. OAV
1996: "Black Jack: Clinical Chart 4", TMS. Osamu Tezuka. OAV
1996: "Sword For Truth", Toei. OAV
1997: "Black Jack: Clinical Chart 5", TMS. Osamu Tezuka. OAV
1998: "Golgo 13: Queen Bee", TMS. Saitou Takawo.OAV