is a Japanese animator, director, character designer and production designer. His work with directors Akiyuki Shinbo (and more broadly studio Shaft) and Kunihiko Ikuhara have gained noteworthy fame since the late 1990s and especially through the mid-2000s.
Career Takeuchi was originally from sub-contracting animation studio Dragon Production, which he belonged to sometime during the mid-1980s. His tenure at the company was relatively short-lived as he transferred to Studio Lions, the in-between division to Studio Giants, soon thereafter; and eventually, he became a part of the larger Studio Giants entity. In the early 1990s, however, Takeuchi went freelance. Around 1994, he was offered a seat as a freelancer at Shaft and started to work on a number of their outsource works and eventually made his debut as an animation director on the studio's first original televised work, Juuni Senshi Bakuretsu Eto Ranger (1995).
In 1997, Takeuchi worked as the animation director for Shaft's outsourced episodes of Revolutionary Girl Utena directed by Kunihiko Ikuhara. Takeuchi's work on the series gained particular interest from Ikuhara, who invited him to work on the succeeding movie as an animation director. Also that year, Takeuchi participated as a character designer for Shaft's Sakura Diaries OVA series. In 1998, studio Radix was set to produce an adaptation of Silent Möbius, but the production ended up being outsourced to Shaft. Chief director Hideki Tonokatsu worked at Shaft, and Shaft became the main production site and also the company responsible for finding the series' staff; and finding interest in Takeuchi's work, saying that Takeuchi had a clear vision and direction, he was given the role of series "animation director" (not referring to the correction of drawings). Takeuchi's work from the series garnered interest from then-managing director of Shaft Mitsutoshi Kubota, who felt that Takeuchi would be a central figure in Shaft's succeeding productions.
For the next several years, Takeuchi continued to freelance as a key animator and animation director across several studios, even doing work for Studio Ghibli, but he gained prominence in 2004 when Shaft teamed up with Akiyuki Shinbo to produce Tsukuyomi: Moon Phase, the start of Shinbo and Shaft's long collaborative history. Shinbo was concerned with having a strong visual foundation for the series, and wanted someone with strong sensibilities for material to work with; however, he did not want someone from a background art studio to take on the role, as was traditional. Kubota, who succeeded Shaft founder Hiroshi Wakao as CEO following Wakao's retirement, recommended Takeuchi to Shinbo, who then took on the role of "visual director". Takeuchi's work on the series, which featured cross-sections of buildings to show their insides, almost like a stage production, inspired Shinbo to use similar techniques on his next work, Pani Poni Dash!, despite Takeuchi not working on the series. However, Takeuchi collaborated more with Shaft in large roles as a production and concept designer in several succeeding works. In 2009, he participated again as a visual director on Shinbo and Tatsuya Oishi's adaptation of Bakemonogatari. Although he didn't continue throughout the rest of the franchise as its visual director, his work became a vital part of its production, and he contributed as an art setting or production designer across all other iterations of the series with the exception of the final two parts, Owarimonogatari II and Zoku Owarimonogatari.
Takeuchi did occasional storyboard work and directing work since Silent Möbius. He storyboarded the first five episodes of Bakemonogatari, and also storyboarded, directed, and did key animating work in Penguindrum episode 9 entirely by himself. In 2017, Takeuchi made his directorial debut anime film adaptation of Shunji Iwai's 1993 live-action film Fireworks, Should We See It from the Side or the Bottom?. He and the film's composer, Satoru Kōsaki, were both longtime fans of Iwai's films. The first film Takeuchi had seen from Iwai was Ghost Soup, and he thought that it was an impressive film. As the film's director, he said he was honored to work with Iwai. In 2019, he chief directed Ikuhara's Sarazanmai, and in 2022 contributed to both of Ikuhara's Re:cycle of the Penguindrum films as their assistant director and Shaft's RWBY: Ice Queendom as its visual director.
Works Teleivison series In "Director(s)" column highlights Takeuchi's directorial works. Year Title Director(s) StudioSBEDADKA Other roles and notes Ref(s)1986Machine Robo: Revenge of CronosHiroshi YoshidaAshi ProductionsIn-between animator1988Maison Ikkoku (#92)Naoyuki YoshinagaStudio DeenIn-between animator1994The Legend of Snow WhiteKunitoshi OkajimaTatsunoko Production1995Juuni Senshi Bakuretsu Eto RangerKunitoshi OkajimaShaft1997Revolutionary Girl UtenaKunihiko IkuharaJ.C. StaffHareluya II BoyKiyoshi EgamiTriangle StaffBattle Athletes VictoryKatsuhito AkiyamaAICBerserkNaohito TakahashiOLMBurn-Up ExcessShinichiro KimuraMagic Bus1998Silent MöbiusHideki TonokatsuRadix(Shaft)Series animation directorGenerator GawlSeiji MizushimaTatsunoko Production1999Dual! Parallel Trouble AdventuresKatsuhito AkiyamaAICMagic User's ClubJunichi SatoMadhouseTriangle Staff2000Sakura WarsRyūtarō NakamuraMadhouseAndroid Kikaider: The AnimationTensai OkamuraRadixStudio OX2001Cyborg 009: The Cyborg SoldierJun KawagoeJapan Vistec2002Ai Yori AoshiMasami ShimodaJ.C. StaffMahoromatic: Something More BeautifulHiroyuki YamagaGainaxShaft2003Heat Guy JKazuki AkaneSatelight2004Tsukuyomi: Moon PhaseAkiyuki ShinboShaftVisual directorThis Ugly yet Beautiful WorldShouji SaekiGainaxShaftUta KataKeiji GotohHal Film Maker2005Pani Poni Dash!Akiyuki Shinbo Shin OonumaShaftCapetaShin MisawaStudio CometMagical Girl Lyrical Nanoha A'sKeizō KusakawaSeven Arcs2006Negima!?Akiyuki ShinboShin Oonuma ShaftProduction designerKaiketsu Zorori (#93)Tsutomu Shibayama Mitsuko KaseAjia-doSunriseHanbun no Tsuki ga Noboru SoraYukihiro MatsushitaGroup TACAir GearHajime KamegakiToei AnimationD.Gray-ManOsamu NabeshimaTMS Entertainment2007Hidamari SketchAkiyuki Shinbo Ryouki Kamitsubo ShaftHeroic AgeTakashi Noto Toshimasa SuzukiXebecMagical Girl Lyrical Nanoha StrikersKeizō KusakawaSeven Arcs2008Ef: A Tale of MelodiesShin OonumaShaft2009Tears to TiaraTomoki KobayashiWhite FoxMaria HolicAkiyuki ShinboShaftConcept designNatsu no Arashi!Akiyuki ShinboShin Oonuma ShaftDesign worksBakemonogatariAkiyuki ShinboTatsuya Oishi ShaftVisual directorAssistant animation director2011Maria Holic AliveAkiyuki ShinboTomokazu Tokoro ShaftConcept designPenguindrumKunihiko IkuharaBrain's BaseDesign assistance2012NisemonogatariAkiyuki ShinboTomoyuki Itamura ShaftProduction designerNekomonogatari: BlackAkiyuki ShinboTomoyuki Itamura ShaftProduction designerHidamari Sketch x HoneycombAkiyuki Shinbo Yuki YaseShaft2013Monogatari Series Second SeasonAkiyuki Shinbo Tomoyuki ItamuraYuki Yase ShaftProduction designer2014HanamonogatariAkiyuki Shinbo Tomoyuki ItamuraShaftProduction designerTsukimonogatariAkiyuki Shinbo Tomoyuki ItamuraShaftProduction designer2015OwarimonogatariAkiyuki Shinbo Tomoyuki ItamuraShaftProduction designer2018Fate/Extra Last EncoreAkiyuki Shinbo Yukihiro Miyamoto Shaft2019SarazanmaiLapin TrackMAPPAThe Price of SmilesToshimasa SuzukiTatsunoko Production2020Magia RecordDoroinu ShaftWarlords of SigrdrifaHirotaka TokudaA-1 Pictures2022RWBY: Ice QueendomToshimasa SuzukiKenjirou Okada ShaftVisual director2023Kawagoe Boys SingJun Matsumotoevg2024Shōshimin SeriesMamoru KanbeLapin Track2nd key animator
OVAs/ONAs Year Title Director(s) StudioKA Other roles and notes Ref(s)1989Patlabor: Mobile Police (#7)Naoyuki YoshinagaStudio DeenIn-between animator1990GdleenToyoo AshidaTakao KatoAshi Productions1992SequenceNaohito TakahashiAshi Productions1993MoldiverHiroyuki KitazumeYouei Fujiwara AIC1994Super Dimension Century Orguss 02Fumihiko TakayamaJ.C. StaffHomeroom AffairsOsamu SekitaJ.C. StaffTenchi Muyo! Ryo-OhkiHiroki HayashiAIC1995Future GPX Cyber Formula ZeroMitsuo Fukuda SunriseLegend of the Galactic HeroesNoboru Ishiguro Masatoshi Tahara Keizo Shimizu 1996Shin Hurricane PolymarAkiyuki ShinboTatsunoko ProductionLegend of Crystania: The Chaos RingRyūtarō NakamuraTriangle Staff1997Sakura DiariesKunitoshi OkajimaShaftCharacter designChief animation directorAnimation director2008Mahō Sensei Negima!: Shiroki Tsubasa Ala Alba (#1)Akiyuki Shinbo Hiroaki TomitaShaftStudio PasotralAssistant animation director2016Kubikiri Cycle: The Beheading Cycle & The Blue SavantAkiyuki Shinbo Yuki YaseShaftKoyomimonogatariAkiyuki Shinbo Tomoyuki ItamuraShaftProduction designer
Films Year Title Director(s) StudioSBEDKA Other roles and notes Ref(s)1998SprigganHirotsugu KawasakiStudio 4°C1999Digimon AdventureMamoru HosodaToei AnimationAdolescence of UtenaKunihiko IkuharaJ.C. StaffAnimation director2000Digimon Adventure: Our War Game!Mamoru HosodaToei Animation2001Spirited AwayHayao MiyazakiStudio Ghibli2002The Cat ReturnsHiroyuki MoritaStudio Ghibli2003Nasu: Summer in AndalusiaKitarō KōsakaMadhouse2004Howl's Moving CastleHayao MiyazakiStudio Ghibli2006Tales from EarthseaGoro MiyazakiStudio Ghibli2007Kino's Journey: Country of Illness -For You-Ryūtarō NakamuraShaftDesign works2008PonyoHayao MiyazakiStudio Ghibli2012Puella Magi Madoka Magica: EternalAkiyuki Shinbo Yukihiro MiyamotoShaft2016Kizumonogatari I: TekketsuAkiyuki Shinbo Tatsuya OishiShaftArt settingKizumonogatari II: Nekketsu2017Kizumonogatari III: ReiketsuFireworksShaftArt settingKey layout2019Weathering with YouMakoto ShinkaiCoMix Wave Films2022Re:cycle of the PenguindrumKunihiko IkuharaLapin TrackAssistant directorHole in the Sky part designHole in the Sky part layout compositionHole in the Sky part unit direction2024Kizumonogatari: Koyomi VampTatsuya OishiShaftArt setting
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