Bruno-René Huchez

Birthplace: Arras, Hauts-de-France, France

Date of Death: May 24, 2016

Place of Death: Paris, France

A French distributor and producer, Bruno-René Huchez made his mark by bringing anime to French and European audiences in the 1980s. He founded IDDH in 1981, an audiovisual management company that became known for distributing Japanese anime and co-producing American cartoons across Western Europe.

While his colleague Jacques Canestrier focused on the video market, Huchez spotted an opportunity in derivative rights—merchandise tied to Toei Animation series like Goldorak and Albator toys. His instinct paid off. Throughout the 80s, French kids' programming was flooded with anime: "Lupin III," "Cat's Eye," "Captain Future," "San Ku Kaï," and "Dirty Pair" all found their way onto channels like RécréA2, la Cinq, and Amuse 3.

IDDH shifted gears in the 90s, branching into co-producing American cartoons including "Denver, the Last Dinosaur," "Phantom 2040," "Back to the Future: The Animated Series," and "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles." Around the same time, Huchez started his own animation studio in Angoulême, producing French cartoons like "Clémentine," "Moi Renart," "Molierissimo," and "Michel Strogoff."

The company's run ended in 1999 when IDDH filed for bankruptcy, hit hard by la Cinq's collapse seven years earlier. Huchez later worked with his son Alexandre's audiovisual company and wrote scripts until his death in 2016.