Isao Takahata, who died on April 5, 2018, stands as one of anime's most celebrated directors. A native of Ujiyamada (now Ise) in Mie prefecture, he spent decades alongside Hayao Miyazaki as a co-founder and co-head of Studio Ghibli.
His five Studio Ghibli films showcase remarkable range. There's the devastating war film Hotaru no Haka, the wistful romantic drama Omoide Poroporo, the lighthearted comedy Tonari no Yamada-kun, the ecological adventure Heisei Tanuki Gassen Ponpoko, and the historical fantasy Kaguya-hime no Monogatari. Hotaru no Haka in particular has earned widespread recognition as one of the greatest animated films ever made—the kind of work that defines what the medium can do.
Content compiled by AnimeList.moe from publicly available sources.
