BrandWikiReturn

Yōichi Kotabe

Yōichi Kotabe (小田部 羊一)[2] is a Japanese animator and character designer, best known for his work on classic anime of the 1960s and 1970s, the Super Mario video game series, and the Pokémon franchise in television and film.[3][4] He was an employee at Nintendo for two decades doing illustrations, character designs, and supervision from 1985 to 2007.[5] After that, he began to work as a freelancer for the anime and video game industry, including for Nintendo again.

Biography

Kotabe became interested in animation after watching the short film Momotarō no Umiwashi as a child. He was fascinated with how the fighter moved in the film. His father, who was an oil painter, also influenced his decision to work as an artist. Kotabe found oil painting to be difficult, so he instead worked in watercolor painting.

In order to continue working with watercolors, he adopted the nihonga, or Japanese-style, of painting, and began studying at the Tokyo University of the Arts in the Japanese-style painting department. While attending, he was impressed by the film The Tale of the White Serpent and the animator Yasuji Mori,[6][7] and immediately applied to work at Toei Animation.

His first project there was The Great Adventure of Horus, Prince of the Sun where he met Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata. He left Toei amid a labor dispute[8] along with Miyazaki and Takahata in order to work at A Pro, where they began work on an adaptation of Pippi Longstocking. The project was eventually canceled, and work began on the two-film series Panda! Go, Panda!.

Kotabe then worked as character designer on two anime television series from Nippon Animation: Heidi, Girl of the Alps, and 3000 Leagues in Search of Mother, with Miyazaki working on scene design and layout and Takahata working as series director and storyboard artist.

In 1985, he was scouted by Nintendo and assumed the position of game development advisor, where he created package illustrations for Super Mario Bros., which was his introduction to video games. He continued working as a character designer and illustrator on the Super Mario series, contributing to the design of Yoshi by drawing inspiration from a chameleon sticking out its tongue, which was adapted into Yoshi's character. He would also work on games in The Legend of Zelda and Pokémon franchises. His work on the Kuru Kuru Kururin series was his last role as a character designer at Nintendo. He left the company in 2007, although he had originally only intended to stay at the company for one or two years at most.[9][10]

Works

Film and television

Video games

<!-- NEED SOURCE --->

  • 1961 [movie] The Littlest Warrior (安寿と厨子王丸, Anju to Zushiōmaru)/ Anju and Zushiōmaru
  • assistant animator
  • 1962 [movie] The Little Prince and the Eight-Headed Dragon (わんぱく王子の大蛇退治, Wanpaku Ōji no Orochi Taiji) / Big snake extermination of the naughty royal prince
  • assistant animator
  • 1969-70 [TV] ひみつのアッコちゃん (Himitsu no Akko-chan) / Secrets of Akkochan, Secret Little Akko
  • animator (with Hayao Miyazaki 宮崎駿, episode45, 57)
  • 1971 [movie] Animal Treasure Island / どうぶつ宝島 (Dobutsu takarajima)
  • animator
  • 1971-72 [TV] さるとびエッちゃん (Sarutobi Ecchan) / Sarutobi Ecchan
  • animator (No. 6, A/B part)
  • 1971 [TV] 長靴下のピッピ 世界一強い女の子 (Nagakutsushita no Pippi/sekai-ichi tsuyoi on-na-no-ko) / Pippi Longstocking, The strongest girl in world (temporary title)
  • his post was undecided. (only as for the production dead work, this plan did not realize)
  • 1973-74 [TV] 荒野の少年イサム (Kouya no Shōnen Isamu) / Isamu, Boy in the wilderness
  • animator (with Yasuo Otsuka)
  • 1973-74 [TV] 侍ジャイアンツ (Samurai Jaianth) / Samurai Giants
  • animator (episode 1, with Hayao Miyazaki)
  • 1975 [TV] A Dog of Flanders / (フランダースの犬, Furandaasu no Inu)
  • animator (episode 15)
  • 1977 [movie] 草原の子テングリ (Sougen no Ko Tenguri) / Tenguri, Boy of the grassy plain
  • This work was a publicity movie for theater of Snow Brand Milk Products Co., Ltd.
  • animator, (draft: Osamu Tezuka 手塚治虫, director, chief animator: Yasuo Otsuka, layout: Yasuo Otsuka, Hayao Miyazaki)
  • 1977-78 [TV] まんが日本絵巻 (Manga Nihon Emaki) / Manga(=Anime) Japan Picture scroll
  • 1978/01/11 (No. 14 A/B part "横綱 谷風梶之助, Yokozuna Tanikaze Kajinosuke"), character design
  • 1978/01/18 (No. 15 B part "狂乱の炎 八百屋お七, Flame of The Madness Yaoya Oshichi"), character design, storyboard, animator ("あんていろーぷ" name)
  • 1978/01/25 (No. 16 A/B part "この子らに愛を 聖母細川ガラシャ, Please give these children love, Holy Mother Hosokawa Gracia"), character design, animator ("あんていろーぷ" name)
  • 1981－82 [TV] Belle et Sébastien / 名犬ジョリィ (Meiken Jolie)
  • animator
  • 1984 [animated picture book] パパママバイバイ (Papa Mama Bai Bai) / Daddy Mom by-by
  • animator
  • 1985 [movie] ペンギンズ・メモリー 幸福物語 (Penginzu Memori Koufuku Monogatari) / Penguins memory happiness story
  • animator
  • 1985 [game] Super Mario Bros.)
  • illustrator
  • 1986－87 [TV] The Wonderful Wizard of Oz / オズの魔法使い (Oz no Mahōtsukai)
  • animator
  • 1997- (to date) [TV] Pokémon / ポケットモンスター
  • animation supervisor
  • 1999 [movie] Pokémon: The Movie 2000 - The Power of One / 劇場版ポケットモンスター 幻のポケモン ルギア爆誕
  • animation supervisor
  • 1999 [short film] Pikachu's Rescue Adventure / PIKACHU THE MOVIE ピカチュウたんけんたい
  • animation supervisor
  • 2000 [short film] Pikachu and Pichu / PIKACHU THE MOVIE 2000 ピチューとピカチュウ
  • animation supervisor
  • 2001-03 [TV] Kirby: Right Back at Ya! / 星のカービィ
  • animation supervisor
  • 2001 [movie] Pokémon 4Ever: Celebi: Voice of the Forest / 劇場版ポケットモンスター セレビィ 時を超えた遭遇 (であい)
  • animation supervisor
  • 2001 [short film] Pikachu's PikaBoo / PIKACHU THE MOVIE 2001 ピカチュウのどきどきかくれんぼ
  • animation supervisor
  • 2002 [movie] Pokémon Heroes / 劇場版ポケットモンスター 水の都の護神ラティアスとラティオス
  • animation supervisor
  • 2002 [short film] Camp Pikachu / PIKACHU THE MOVIE ピカ☆ピカ星空キャンプ
  • animation supervisor
  • 2003 [movie] Pokémon: Jirachi Wishmaker / 劇場版ポケットモンスター アドバンスジェネレーション 七夜の願い星
  • animation supervisor
  • 2003 [short film] Gotta Dance!! / PIKACHU THE MOVIE おどるポケモンひみつ基地
  • animation supervisor
  • 2003 [movie] Winter Days / 冬の日 (Fuyu no Hi)
  • animator, storyboard animator, he participated in this movie with 35 animation creators in the world. (with Reiko Okuyama, 奥山玲子)
  • 2004 [movie] Pokémon: Destiny Deoxys / 劇場版ポケットモンスター アドバンスジェネレーション 裂空の訪問者 デオキシス
  • animation supervisor
  • 2005 [movie] Pokémon: Lucario and the Mystery of Mew / 劇場版ポケットモンスター アドバンスジェネレーション ミュウと波導の勇者ルカリ
  • animation supervisor
  • 2005 [3D mini-movie] Pokémon 3D Adventure: Find Mew! / ポケモン3Dアドベンチャー ミュウを探せ！
  • animation supervisor
  • 2006 [movie] Pokémon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea / 劇場版ポケットモンスター アドバンスジェネレーション ポケモンレンジャーと蒼海の王子マナフィ
  • animation supervisor
  • 2006 [3D mini-movie] Pokémon 3D Adventure 2: Pikachu's Big Undersea Adventure / ポケモン3Dアドベンチャー2 ピカチュウの海底大冒険
  • animation supervisor
  • 2006 [short film] ピカチュウのわんぱくアイランド (Pikachu no Wanpaku Airando)
  • animation supervisor, (it was shown only in ANA airplane)
  • 2007 [movie] 劇場版ポケットモンスター ダイヤモンド・パール ディアルガVSパルキアVSダークライ (Dialga vs. Palkia vs. Darkrai)
  • animation supervisor
  • 2011 [game] Super Mario 3D Land
  • illustrator

Awards and nominations

  • Animator/Animation Director award, Tokyo Anime Fair 6th Annual Awards of Merit, 2009.[3]
  • Special Achievement award, 19th Japan Media Arts Festival Awards, 2015.[11]

External links

References

  1. Reiko Okuyama passes away pelleas.net, retrieved September 1, 2016^
  2. Nintendo 3DS nintendods.com, retrieved February 29, 2016^
  3. Tokyo Anime Fair Announces 6th Annual Awards of Merit animenewsnetwork.com, retrieved September 1, 2016^
  4. N. Carolina's Animazement to Host Madhouse Co-Founder Masao Murayama animenewsnetwork.com, retrieved September 1, 2016^
  5. James Burns. Bringing Super Mario to Life Medium, 2020-05-28, retrieved 2022-05-04^
  6. 井上俊之さん小黒祐一郎さんと一緒に『もっとアニメを観よう！』アフターレポート 作画史年表 日本アニメーター・演出協会（JAniCA） JAniCA, retrieved April 16, 2013^
  7. ［異才列伝］より 森康二 穏やかで上品 「アニメの神様」 : ジブリをいっぱい : エンタメ : YOMIURI ONLINE（読売新聞） YOMIURI ONLINE, retrieved April 16, 2013^
  8. Alex Dudok de Wit. Yoichi Kotabe, Renowned Animator And Character Designer, Gets Exhibition In Japan Cartoon Brew, 2020-11-27, retrieved 2022-05-04^
  9. Yōichi KOTABE / 小田部羊一 – Part IV: Diversification and transmission VGDensetsu, retrieved November 15, 2025^
  10. Kisko Okumura. クッパのイメージはスッポン. 任天堂のキャラクタービジュアルの礎を作った、小田部羊一氏がみずからの仕事をふり返る(1/3) Famitsu, October 15, 2018, retrieved November 15, 2025^
  11. Akiko Higashimura's Kakukaku Shikajika Manga Wins Media Arts Award animenewsnetwork.com, retrieved September 1, 2016^
  12. http://mediaarts-db.jp/an/anime_series?utf8=✓&asf%5Bkeyword%5D=小田部羊一&asf%5Bmedia%5D%5B%5D=tv_a&asf%5Bmedia%5D%5B%5D=tv_sp&asf%5Bmedia%5D%5B%5D=movie&asf%5Bmedia%5D%5B%5D=ova&asf%5Bmedia%5D%5B%5D=event&asf%5Bmedia%5D%5B%5D=personal&asf%5Bmedia%5D%5B%5D=etc&asf%5Bmedia%5D%5B%5D=blank Media Arts Database, Agency for Cultural Affairs, retrieved September 1, 2016^