Studio Ghibli: Director, producer, and screenwriter of Japanese animated films and series Isao Takahata dies.

The pencils at Studio Ghibli are still, Its co-founder, Isao Takahata, has joined the world of spirits. At 82 years old, the director of “Grave of the Fireflies” passed away in a Tokyo hospital, as a result of lung cancer Thursday, March 5, 2018.

Isao Takahata and Hayao Miyazaki founded “Studio Ghibli” in 1985. As they said, an animation studio that brought “Winds of change are blowing through the Japanese animation industry”. He achieved international recognition in 1988 with his masterpiece "Grave of the Fireflies", based on a novel of the same name by Akiyuki Nosaka.

An emotional cinema

The work of Isao Takahata is known for having the power to move the viewer, for presenting very emotional films. All of this stems from his own experience as a survivor of World War II.

While Miyazaki presents fantasy films, the work of Takahata aims for realism and humanity. In an interview, he explained that “Animation is the best medium for showing reality... The cartoon, which does not seek to hide from being an artistic interpretation, can therefore commit itself to show what is real”.

He was born in Ise, in Mie Prefecture (central Japan) in 1935. He was 9 years old when he managed to survive an American bombing raid on his city. I returned home holding hands with my sister; there were seven of them.

Takahata studied French philology and literature at the University of Tokyo. It was precisely during his years as a university student when he met Miyazaki. There he became not only his teacher but also his great friend.

Alongside Miyazaki He worked at Nippon Animation. There they managed to create 3 hits “Heidi”, “Marco” and “Anne of Green Gables”.”. Although they achieved international success, they are rarely attributed to the two geniuses of Ghibli.

His latest work as a producer he was The Red Turtle (2016), that was nominated for Best Animated Feature at the 2017 Academy Awards. Takahata had reduced his professional activities, but never announced his retirement, even during the 2017 had revealed that he would direct a film again animation.

Goodbye Isao Takahata

Although many fans sent messages or gifts of condolence to Takahata's family, they were rejected, as The funeral was a private affair, attended only by close friends and family.

Ghibli couldn't let go of its co-founderr without a well-deserved farewell. So he is organizing a public meeting to honor the memory from the great director. So far, all that is known is that it will be on May 15, 2018.

Here, we mourn his passing and will always remember him thanks to his great works. Goodbye Takahata, thank you for giving us the best hours of our childhood!

Image: Variety