Michiyo Yasuda, Japanese animator, Died at 77

  Artists

Michiyo Yasuda was born on April 28, 1939, in Tokyo’s Nakano ward, and died on October 5, 2016.

She was an animator and colour designer.

Michiyo Yasuda worked for Toei Animation, A Production, Nippon Animation, Topcraft, and Studio Ghibli.

Yasuda designs were used by directors such as Isao Takahata, Hayao Miyazaki and Mamoru Oshii.

Her long career spans over five decades in the animation industry.

Michiyo worked on animated feature films and short films for theatrical release, original video animation (OVA), promotional music videos, animated television series, documentaries and commercials.

She provided the colour designs for Miyazaki’s Academy Award winning animated film Spirited Away.

Michiyo officially retired after working on Ponyo in 2008, but worked on the Academy Award nominated animated feature The Wind Rises, released in July 2013.

She was raised in the Tokyo metropolitan area.

During Michiyo Yasuda childhood and adolescence, she lived in Higashi-fushimi, a neighbourhood in what became Nishitōkyō city as of 2001.

Michiyo father was a university professor, and she grew up with an older brother, an older sister and three younger brothers.

Michiyo Yasuda has described her youth as very pleasant with a lot of freedom and mentioned getting encouragement to excel in any field.

Michiyo Yasuda received an education in culture and the arts at school and at home.

Over the period of her career, Yasuda worked on colour designs for animators who employed the use of inks and paints for their creations but she also worked with digital media and used software like Toonz for her craft.

Michiyo Yasuda passed away at 77 years old.