NAMIKI Takashi

Born in 1952 in Saitama Prefecture. NAMIKI joined the animator group ANIDO in 1969 and, after working as a filming assistant at Toei Doga Studio, joined Oh! Production as an animator for Heidi, Girl of the Alps (1974) and other films. Together with Osamu TEZUKA and other animators, he participated in the establishment of the Japan Animation Association (JAA) in 1978, becoming its first Secretary General. In tandem with these activities, NAMIKI furthered his film creation and publishing activities, and founded Japan’s first specialized animation magazine, Fantoche. Among the publications he produced are the ANIDO bulletin FILM1/24 and Mori Yasuji Gashu (a collection of animation drawings by MORI Yasuji, edited by NAMIKI Takashi, ANIDO FILM, 1993) and Kotabe Yoichi Animation Gashu (a collection of animation drawings by KOTABE Yoichi, also edited by NAMIKI, ANIDO FILM, 2008). With his efforts, ANIDO FILM earned its esteemed reputation as a publisher of specialized animation. In 1998, he made his debut in the field of animation creation as producer of Kono Hoshi no Ue ni (Upon This Planet, 1998). He also served on the jury of various international animation festivals, such as the Annecy International Animated Film Festival, and organized the exhibition “Japanese Animated Films: A Complete Review” at the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo in 2004. Presently, he is an active animation historian, and also serves as Chairman of ANIDO, Representative of Oh! Production, and Representative Director of the Japan Cultural Foundation for Animation.

In addition to his activity as animator and fourth Chairman of ANIDO, NAMIKI contributed immeasurably to the world of animation in its developmental stages by organizing film screenings and introducing foreign films into the genre. Furthermore, along with his launch of the magazine Fantoche, he published a number of study reviews in various media, including ANIDO’s bulletin FILM1/24. This award is a recognition of his full commitment to the development of animation as an art form and cultural phenomenon, through his achievement in art publication, documentary film creation, and establishment of the Japan Cultural Foundation for Animation, among other endeavors. (UDA Konosuke)