Masami Ōbari

Masami Ōbari
大張 正己
Obari in an interview with Sankei Shimbun
Born (1966-01-24) January 24, 1966 (age 58)
Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan
Occupation(s)Director, mecha designer, and character designer

Masami Ōbari (Japanese: 大張 正己, Hepburn: Ōbari Masami, born January 24, 1966) is a Japanese anime director, animation director and mecha and character designer.

Biography

After graduating from high school in 1985, Masami Obari began his career when he joined the animation studio Ashi Production, where he worked on shows such as Special Armored Battalion Dorvack, Transformers (outsourced by Toei Animation to them sometimes), and Star Musketeer Bismarck. Soon after, at the age of 19, he got his first major break when he landed the role of mecha designer on Dancouga – Super Beast Machine God. Not too long after, at the young age of 21, he was given his first directorial role by directing episodes 5 and 6 of the Bubblegum Crisis OVA series. He also made three Fatal Fury OVAs from December 23, 1992, to July 16, 1994.

In 1993, he founded Studio G-1 with fellow animators Kazuto Nakazawa, Masahiro Yamane, Takehiro Nakayama, and Atsuko Ishida, to whom Masami Obari was married, but from whom he is currently divorced. Studio G-1 was later disbanded and was reformed under the name of Studio G-1 Neo in 2000.

Although not originally interested in animation, he was inspired when he formed a high school friendship with classmate Satoshi Urushihara.[1]

In 2016, Obari married the professional model maker Ritsu Togasaki.[2]

He has a younger brother named Takami, who served as the president and CEO of New Japan Pro-Wrestling between October 2020 and December 2023.[3]

Filmography

Director

Designer

Bibliography

  • G-One Masami Obari's Super Design Works First Mission (G-ONE 大張正己作品集). Movic, 1998. ISBN 978-4896013610
  • Masami Obari Artworks Robot Soul (大張正己 画集 ロボ魂-ROBOT SOUL-). SB Creative, 2013. ISBN 978-4797370034
  • Masami Obari Art Book OBARISM (大張正己画集 OBARISM). Hobby Japan, 2022. ISBN 978-4798627809

References

  1. ^ "Interview with Masami Obari – Robot Soul Edition". vanishingtrooper.wordpress.com. June 15, 2015. Retrieved May 25, 2015.
  2. ^ "Robot Anime Director Masami Obari Marries Gundam Model Maker". www.animenewsnetwork.com. November 11, 2016. Retrieved August 15, 2018.
  3. ^ "【新日本】大張新社長が表明 １・４＆５東京ドームにリミット２万人入れる！！（東スポWeb）". Yahoo! News Japan (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2020-10-30. Retrieved 2020-11-14.
  4. ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (July 21, 2023). "AMAIM Warrior at the Borderline Anime's 6-Episode New Work Premieres on August 10". Anime News Network. Retrieved July 21, 2023.
  5. ^ Pineda, Rafael Antonio (May 9, 2023). "Gundam Build Metaverse Anime Unveils 2nd Teaser, Staff, Story". Anime News Network. Retrieved May 9, 2023.
  6. ^ "Prism Ark". Newtype USA. 6 (11) p. 11. November 2007. ISSN 1541-4817.
  7. ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (May 29, 2023). "Cygames Reveals Bang Brave Bang Bravern Original TV Anime". Anime News Network. Retrieved May 29, 2023.