Mitsuki Nakamura

• Name — Mitsuki Nakamura • Born — 7 April 1944 • Birthplace — Tokyo, Japan • Died — 16 May 2011 • Occupation — * Art director • designer • illustrator • Employer — * Toei Doga (1960–1963) • Tatsunoko Production (1964–1976) • Design Office Mecaman (1976–2011) • Years Active — 1965–2011

Nakamura worked as art director on a number of anime works and has likewise worked as a mechanical designer. He is one of the pioneering mecha designers in the Japanese anime industry and was the first to have his name included in the end credits. His best-known works as a mecha designer include Mach Five from Speed Racer, God Phoenix from Science Ninja Team Gatchaman and Time Mechabuton from Time Bokan. Mach Five, in particular, is regarded as a masterpiece of the first Tatsunoko golden age for its outstanding design sense, and its design was so perfect that it was used almost unchanged in the 2008 live-action film Speed Racer by The Wachowskis, 40 years later. However, his speciality was not mecha design, but anime background art. Background art plays a very important role in Japanese-style animation expression techniques. This has become increasingly the case in recent years, and Nakamura's art was one of the factors to move in this direction. His representative works as an art director include Science Ninja Team Gatchaman, Mobile Suit Gundam, and Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind.

After graduating from junior high school, Nakamura joined Toei Doga through the help of his school teacher. He gained experience in various jobs as an assistant and then as a member of the colouring staff, where he developed his knowledge of paints and colours. Nakamura, who wanted to paint background art, moved to the newly established Tatsunoko Productions in 1964 through an introduction from Toei. After working on the studio's first TV series Space Ace, his love of cars led him to design cars for the studio's second work, the car racing anime series Speed Racer. He became head of the art section, where he instructs Yoshitaka Amano and Kunio Okawara. At that time, Tatsunoko's art section was not only responsible for art, but also for the design of backgrounds, props, robots and cars, all of which were entrusted to Nakamura, who was trusted by the president, Tatsuo Yoshida. The staff included many aspiring painters who had left art college, some working for a living and some with personalities of their own, and he had to lead them as section head. With the number of animations even increasing, it was impossible for him to do everything on his own. He therefore decided to entrust some of the mechanical design work to Okawara, who had just joined Tatsunoko. Nakamura and Okawara were credited as mechanical designers for the first time in Japanese animation history in Science Ninja Team Gatchaman, which began airing in 1972. At the end of 1976, he left Tatsunoko Productions and founded Design Office Mecaman with Kunio Okawara. Initially, Mecaman was planned to be a mecha design company, as Okawara was also a member of the company. However, he soon became independent and the company specialised in background art. Nakamura died of oral cancer on May 16, 2011, at the age of 67.

• Year — Title — Credits — Notes • TV anime series • 1965-1966 — Space Ace — Background art • 1967-1968 — Speed Racer — Art director — Although only credited as art director, he actually did more than that, working on mecha design and OP key frames. He designed Mach Five. • 1967-1968 — Oraa Guzura Dado — Art director • 1968-1969 — Dokachin the Primitive Boy — Art director • 1969 — Judo Boy — Background art • 1969-1970 — The Genie Family — Art director • 1970-1971 — The Adventures of Hutch the Honeybee — Art director • 1970-1972 — Inakappe Taishō — Art director • 1971 — Animentary: Decision — Art settings • 1971-1972 — Hyppo and Thomas — Art director • 1972 — Pinocchio: The Series — Background art • 1972-1973 — Tamagon the Counselor — Art • 1972-1974 — Science Ninja Team Gatchaman — Art director, mecha design — He designed the mecha for the main characters, including God Phoenix. The enemy mecha & guest mecha were designed by Kunio Okawara. • 1973 — Demetan Croaker, The Boy Frog — Art director • 1973-1974 — Casshan — Art director — He worked not only on art but also on mechanical design. One staff member was selected as an assistant, and Kunio Okawara helped him a little. • 1974-1975 — Hurricane Polymar — Art director, mecha design — He designed the main character mecha and Kunio Okawara designed the enemy mecha. • 1975 — Tekkaman: The Space Knight — Art director — He designed the Blue Earth, Yoshitaka Amano designed Tekkaman and Pegas, and Kunio Okawara designed the enemy mecha. • 1975-1976 — Time Bokan — Art director, mecha design — He designed the main mecha and almost all the sub-mecha and guest mecha. • 1976-1977 — Paul's Miraculous Adventure — Art director, mecha design • 1976-1977 — Robokko Beeton — Art director • 1977-1978 — Supercar Gattiger — Art director, mecha design • 1977-1979 — Yatterman — Mecha design — Time Bokan series 2nd. He only designed two main mechas, Yatter One and Yatter Pelican. The other main mecha, which appeared mid-season, and sub mecha were designed by Kunio Okawara. • 1977-1978 — Invincible Super Man Zambot 3 — Art director • 1978-1979 — Uchū Majin Daikengo — Art director • 1978-1979 — Gatchaman II — Art design • 1978-1979 — Invincible Steel Man Daitarn 3 — Art — Credited as Mecaman. • 1979 — Yamato: The New Voyage — Mecha settings • 1979 — Kaitō Lupine 813 no Nazo — Art director • 1979-1980 — Gatchaman Fighter — Art design • 1979-1980 — Mobile Suit Gundam — Art director • 1979-1980 — The Ultraman — Art • 1980 — The Wonderful Adventures of Nils — Art director • 1980-1981 — Space Runaway Ideon — Art director — Under the pseudonym Tetsuya Shijō. • 1981-1984 — Urusei Yatsura — Art director • 1981-1982 — Golden Warrior Gold Lightan — Art PIC • 1981-1983 — Fang of the Sun Dougram — Art director • 1981 — Bremen 4: Angels in Hell — Art director • 1981-1983 — Miss Machiko — Art director • 1982 — Shiroi Kiba: White Fang Story — Stage settings • 1982-1983 — The Mysterious Cities of Gold — Art director • 1983-1984 — Mrs. Pepper Pot — Art director • 1984-1987 — Fist of the North Star — Art design • 1984-1985 — Persia, the Magic Fairy — Art director • 1985 — Dirty Pair — Art director • 1987-1989 — The Three Musketeers — Art • 1987-1989 — Metal Armor Dragonar — Art • 1988-1989 — Grimm's Fairy Tale Classics — Art director • 1988 — The Burning Wild Man — Art director • 1989 — Lupin III TV special: Bye-Bye Liberty Crisis — Art director • 1993-1994 — Tanoshii Willows Town — Art settings • 1994-1995 — Ginga Sengoku Gun'yūden Rai — Art director • 1996-1997 — Gambalist! Shun — Art director • 1996 — The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus — Art director • 1996-1997 — You're Under Arrest — Art director • 1997 — Speed Racer X — Art director • 1998 — Maico 2010 — Art director • 1998 — Zazca — Art director • 1998 — Shadow Skill — Art director • 2000-2001 — The Legend of the Gambler: Tetsuya — Art design • 2000 — Time Bokan 2000: Kaitou Kiramekiman — Art director • 2000-2001 — Mighty Cat Masked Niyander — Art director • 2001 — Kinnikuman: Ultimate Muscle — Art director • 2002 — Jing: King of Bandits — Art director • 2002-2003 — Tsuribaka Nisshi — Art director • 2003-2005 — Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo — Art design • 2004 — Wind: A Breath of Heart — Art director • 2004-2005 — Beet the Vandel Buster — Art design • 2005-2006 — Beet the Vandel Buster: Excellion — Art design • 2005 — Akahori Gedou Hour Rabuge — Art director • 2005-2006 — Gaiking: Legend of Daiku-Maryu — Art director • 2007 — Les Misérables: Shōjo Cosette — Art director • 2008-2009 — Yatterman (remake) — Art director • 2009 — Fresh Pretty Cure! — Art — Episodes 11 and 18 only. • Anime films • 1978 — Science Ninja Team Gatchaman: The Movie — Art director • 1981-1982 — Mobile Suit Gundam I, II, III — Art director • 1982 — Techno Police 21C — Art settings • 1982 — The Ideon: A Contact & The Ideon: Be Invoked — Art director — Unlike the TV version, he is credited under his real name. • 1983 — Crusher Joe — Art director • 1983 — Dougram: Documentary of the Fang of the Sun — Art • 1984 — Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind — Art director • 1984 — Chikyuu Monogatari Telepath 2500 — Art director • 1987 — Aitsu to Lullaby: Suiyōbi no Cinderella — Art director • 1987 — Bats & Terry — Art director • 1989 — Hengen Taima Yakō Karura Mau! Nara Onryō Emaki — Art director • 1991 — Musha, Khisi, Command: SD Gundam Kinkyū Shutsugeki — Art • 1993 — Rokudenashi Blues 1993 — Art • 1994 — Raiyantsūrī no uta — Art • 1996 — PiPi Tobenai Hotaru — Art director • 1997 — Eikō eno Spur -Igaya Chiharu Monogatari- — Art director • 2002 — Ecchan no Sensō — Art director • 2008 — Pattenrai!! ~ Minami no Shima no Mizu Monogatari — Art director • 2009 — Movie Fresh Pretty Cure! The Kingdom of Toys has Lots of Secrets!? — Art director • OVA • 1983-1985 — Dallos — Art director • 1985-1986 — Area 88 — Art director • 1985 — Kochira Katsushika-ku Kameari Kōen mae Hashutsujo — Art director • 1985 — Megazone 23 — Art director • 1986 — Twinkle heart: Ginga-kei made Todokanai — Art director, art settings, boards • 1988 — Space Family Carlvinson — Art director • 1988 — Tokyo Vice — Art settings • 1989-1992 — Crying Freeman — Art director • 1989-1990 — High-Speed Jecy — Art director • 1990-1991 — Hengen Taima Yakō Karura Mau! Sendai Kokeshi Enka — Art director • 1990 — Hana no Asuka-gumi!: Lonely Cats Battle Royale — Art director • 1991 — Vampire Wars — Art director • 1991 — Slow Step — Art director • 1992 — Apfelland Monogatari — Art director • 1992-1993 — Kishin Corps — Art director • Video games • 1997 — Itoi Shigesato no Bass Tsuri No. 1 — Art settings • TV drama series • 1978 — Haguregumo — Title picture