Makiko Futaki

She died on May 13, 2016, due to an unpublished illness at a Tokyo hospital.

• Name — Makiko Futaki • Native Name — 二木真希子 • Born — 19 June 1958 • Birthplace — Aichi, Japan • Died — 13 May 2016 • Place of death — Koganei, Tokyo, Japan • Occupation — * Author • animator • Illustrator • Years Active — 1979–2014 • Employer — Studio Ghibli (1981–2016)

In college, Futaki began to gain recognition as an animator for the cine-calligraphy style films she presented at the amateur PAF Animation Festival. Cine-calligraphy is a technique initially developed by Norman McLaren, which involved scratching images directly onto the film stock. In the case of Futaki, this was done by drawing on 8-millimeter film. Despite her young age, this demonstrated great artistic vision and talent as an animator. She began with a minor role doing in-between animation on Hayao Miyazaki's directorial debut film, Lupin the III: The Castle of Cagliostro, in 1979. However, it was not until she met Isao Takahata, co-founder of Studio Ghibli, and impressed him with her work on Jarinko Chie that she would be recruited by the studio in 1981. She continued by doing partial work on most of the first few Studio Ghibli movies while still working on other feature projects with different studios. Her work as a key animator on Akira, which received critical acclaim both nationally and internationally, is what prompted Miyazaki to adopt her as a full-time staff member. She had worked on every single Ghibli film since 1998 with her final contribution being on 2014's When Marnie Was There.

Films • Year — Title — Contribution — Studio • 1979 — Lupin the III: The Castle of Cagliostro — In-Between Animation — Tokyo Movie Shinsha • 1981 — Jarinko Chie — In-Between Animation — Tokyo Movie Shinsha & Toho • 1982 — Space Adventure Cobra: The Movie — Key animation — Toho • 1984 — Sherlock Hound: The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle — Key animation — Tokyo Movie Shinsha • 1984 — Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind — Key Animation (uncredited) — Top Craft • 1985 — Angel's Egg — Key Animation — Tokuma Shoten & Studio Deen • 1985 — Night on the Galactic Railroad — Key animation — Group TAC & Nippon Herald • 1986 — Castle in the Sky — Key animation — Studio Ghibli • 1987 — Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honnêamise — Key animation — Gainax • 1988 — Akira — Key animation — Tokyo Movie Shinsha (TMS Entertainment) & Akira Committee Company Ltd. • 1988 — My Neighbor Totoro — Key animation — Studio Ghibli • 1989 — Kiki's Delivery Service — Key animation — Studio Ghibli • 1991 — Only Yesterday — Key animation — Studio Ghibli • 1992 — Porco Rosso — Key animation — Studio Ghibli • 1994 — Pom Poko — Key animation — Studio Ghibli • 1995 — Whisper of the Heart — Key animation — Studio Ghibli • 1997 — Princess Mononoke — Key animation — Studio Ghibli • 1999 — My Neighbors the Yamadas — Key animation — Studio Ghibli • 2001 — Spirited Away — Key animation — Studio Ghibli • 2004 — Howl's Moving Castle — Key animation — Studio Ghibli • 2006 — Tales from Earthsea — Assistant Animation Director — Studio Ghibli • 2008 — Ponyo — Key animation — Studio Ghibli • 2011 — From Up on Poppy Hill — Key animation — Studio Ghibli • 2012 — The Secret World of Arrietty — Key Animation — Studio Ghibli • 2013 — The Wind Rises — Key animation — Studio Ghibli • 2014 — When Marnie Was There — Key Animation — Studio Ghibli TV series, OVAs, and ONAs • Year — Title — Contribution — Notes — Studio • 1979 — Lupin the Third Part II — In-Between Animations — Episode 153 — Tokyo Movie Shinsha • 1984 — Sherlock Hound — Key animation — episodes 5, 10–11 — Tokyo Movie Shinsha • 1987 — Devilman: The Birth (OAV) — Key animation — Episode 1 — King Records • 1987 — Twilight Q (OAV) — Key animation — Episode 2 — Studio Deen • 1989 — Gosenzo-sama Banbanzai! (OAV) — Key animation — episode 6 — Studio Pierrot • 1991 — The Trapp Family Story — Key animation — Episode 24 — Nippon Animation • 2003 — Mei and the Kittenbus — Animation Director — Short film shown exclusively at the Studio Ghibli Museum — Studio Ghibli • 2006 — Mon Mon the Water Spider — Key animation — Short film shown exclusively at the Studio Ghibli Museum — Studio Ghibli

Makiko Futaki is recorded with the occupation illustrator. Recorded as animator, illustrator and writer.