Takuya WADA
Animator, chara-designer, director, Takuya WADA has performed many jobs in animation along his 39 year-long career. From Cat’s Eye to Hokuto no Ken or Patlabor, he has contributed to many cult anime and Japan Expo is delighted to welcome him as part of the Animé 100 celebrations!
Biography
Takuya WADA has been interested in animation forever and made his debut as an animator when still in high school. He learned animation techniques from the masters, from Hayao MIYAZAKI (Studio Ghibli) to Yasuo OTSUKA (Toei Animation and Studio Ghibli), or Akio SUGINO (Mushi Production and Madhouse).
When he left high school, he started working as a professional animator straight away and began with Lupin the 3rd. As a key animator, he worked on the mecha anime Invincible Robo Trider G7, on the famous Cat’s Eye, or the equally popular Space Cobra, to mention only a few.
As he was only 20, his talent was already acknowledged and he became the animation director for many anime: Hokuto no Ken, Ashita no Joe, the movie Lupin the 3rd vs Detective Conan, and mecha series such as Patlabor, Special Armored Battalion Dorvack and Machine Robo. On Violence Jack, he was both the chara-designer and screenwriter, on top of animation director.
He's currently working on a new animation project for pachinko based on the anime Space Battleship Yamato, as the animation director, chara-designer, and storyboarder.
Then he moved to the USA to learn make-up and special effect techniques in Hollywood. He directed the make-up on several horror movies: The Ring, Spiral, Rasen, Ring 2, and Parasite Eve. He’s also worked as the special effect director on several TV shows. He became a movie director too for the tokusatsu film Jushin Thunder Liger: Fist of Thunder and for Yajuu Densetsu: Dragon Blue.
Takuya WADA also shares his knowledge and know-how with the youngest and has been a guest lecturer for 25 years at Yoyogi Institute of Animation which he also ran for 6 years. And that’s not the end of the long list of his talents: he is also a designer for professional wrestling costumes and made those worn by Great Muta, Kensuke Sasaki, or Atsushi Onita.
After 39 years spent working for Japanese animation, Takuya WADA can boast about having contributed to dozens of legendary anime. He’s joining us at Japan Expo to celebrate Animé 100 and the 100th anniversary of Japanese animation.
More information about his program at Japan Expo soon: follow our news!
If you're a fan of Japanese animation, don't miss the chance to experience the meeting of your dreams: spend an hour with Takuya WADA, Nobuyoshi HABARA, and Shichiro KOBAYASHI with the Zen+ Animé 100 Ticket [Sunday]!
Follow Takuya WADA and his projects on:
Japanese animation is 100 years old: come celebrate with us!