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Isao Takahata (1935-2018), along with Studio Ghibli colleague Hayao Miyazaki, is regarded as one of the greatest anime directors of all time.
Prior to co-founding Studio Ghibli in 1985, Takahata and Miyazaki worked together at Toei Animation in the 1960s, then left to found A Pro (which later evolved into Shin-Ei Animation of Doraemon fame) and in 1973 joined Zuiyo Eizo (which shortly afterward evolved into Nippon Animation), where they were instrumental in many of the early World Masterpiece Theater installments. Though he became known for his feature films, most of Takahata's work during this time was in television; in addition to the WMT, he worked as an animator, storyboard artist or director on shows like GeGeGe no Kitaro, Himitsu no Akko-chan, the first Lupin III series, and Future Boy Conan.
Takahata sadly passed away on April 5, 2018, at the age of 82, from lung cancer.
His work as chief director includes:
- Hols: Prince of the Sun, also released as Little Norse Prince Valient (movie, 1968)
- Panda! Go Panda! (movie, 1972)
- Heidi, Girl of the Alps (TV series, 1974)
- 3000 Leagues in Search of Mother (TV series, 1976)
- Anne of Green Gables (TV series, 1979)
- Jarinko Chie (TV series, 1981)
- Gauche the Cellist (movie, 1982)
- Grave of the Fireflies (movie, 1988)
- Only Yesterday (movie, 1991)
- Pom Poko (movie, 1994)
- My Neighbors the Yamadas (movie, 1999)
- The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (movie, 2013; his final work, an Academy Award nominee for best animated feature)