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Shigemi Ikeda, the award-winning art director behind several huge anime titles likeMy Hero AcademiaandAfro Samurai, is confirmed to have passed away. The artist was 69 at the time of his death. He died on October 13th, but his death was not confirmed until closer to the end of the month, on October 26th. The funeral was held only for his close family members.
The death was reported by Studio GONZO,the studio behindHellsing,Welcome to the N.H.K., and more. GONZO confirmed that Ikeda had indeed passed away via their X (formerlyTwitter) account at the end of October. Ikeda was an award-winning art director, and even held an Emmy Award for his work on anime.
An Emmy-Award Winning Art Director
Shigemi Ikeda’s Greatest Work
Shigemi Ikeda was the art director behind a huge number of anime, but one that he will likely be most remembered for isAfro Samurai. Ikeda worked with Studio GONZOon the movieAfro Samurai: Resurrectionback in 2009. Ikeda went on to win the Primetime Emmy Award for “Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation” for his work on the title.
Very few anime have ever achieved an Emmy Award (which is a reason it caused such a stir whenBlue Eye Samuraiwonin 2023), so it was a huge achievement for Ikeda to win. Other animation works that have also won the same award include huge titles likeThe Simpsons,Adventure Time, Love, Death, & Robots,andFuturama. Nearly every title nominated for, and thus winning, this award are from Western studios.Afro Samurai: Resurrectionstood above the rest, though, and Ikeda was able to take home the award in 2009.
Art Direction by Shigemi Ikeda
A Staggering Resume
WhileAfro Samurai: Resurrectionmay be the work that won Shigemi Ikeda a Primetime Emmy Award, it was far from his only work, and likely not even his most famous.Working with multiple studiosover the years, Ikeda built up an incredible resume as art director on dozens of anime. They ranged from single-season projects to huge titles that lasted season after season.
AnimeNewsNetworkreports that Ikeda’s incredible career as an art director include,
…the firstAfro Samuraianime series,Bastard!!,Bokurano,Gantz,Gasaraki,Inuyasha,Library War,Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counterattack,Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ— and many laterGundamprojects includingMobile Suit Gundam Seed,Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin,Mobile Suit Gundam UC, and the recentMobile Suit Gundam Seed FREEDOMfilm —Phantom - The Animation,Planetes,Starship Troopers,Macross Delta,Fantasista Doll,Boogiepop and Others, all seven seasons of theMy Hero Academiaanime, all four seasons and films of theOverlordanime, the first two seasons of theOne-Punch Mananime,My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU, both seasons ofThe Promised Neverland,Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon,Infinite Ryvius,Bubblegum Crisis: Tokyo 2040,Bubblegum Crisis, and many more.
While Shigemi Ikeda may be gone, his legacy will remain forever. With such a huge list of anime to his name, some of which are famous around the world, his work will continue to be enjoyed for years to come. As with any great artist, Ikeda will live forever through the art that he has left behind, and many anime would not have been what they are without his talent.
