Yoshitaka Amano (天野 喜孝 Amano Yoshitaka, March 26, 1952- ) is a Japanese painter, character designer, illustrator, and book designer. Before his fame with the Final Fantasy series, he got his start at Tatsunoko Production.
Bio[]
At the age of 15 in 1967, he joined Tatsunoko while attending high school and having a residence provided by Tatsuo Yoshida. After working in animation and key animation on Mach Go Go Go, he was assigned the jobs of both character designer and animation director at the age of 17 or 18, and gradually became a full-time character designer on Tatsunoko's different works.
He remained a regular member of the company up until going freelance in 1982, although he continued to work on some of its other newer series in addition to other projects. Amano was assigned to be the art director for Mamoru Oshii's Lupin III movie as well, but it was scrapped.
In some works, he can be seen credited by the alias Yonosuke Shichinohe (七戸洋之助名義)
Body of Work[]
Character design (Tatsunoko-specific)[]
- The Insect Story of Orphan Hutch
- Science Ninja Team Gatchaman - uncredited work as part of the Character Room, guest animation early on as Yonosuke Shichinohe
- Neo-Human Casshan
- Hurricane Polymar
- Tekkaman the Space Knight - Designed Pegas
- Time Bokan
- Gowapper 5 Godam
- Time Bokan Series: Yatterman
- Take Off! Machine Hiryuu
- Gatchaman II
- Gatchaman Fighter
- Time Bokan Series: Zenderman
- Time Bokan Series: Time Patrol Otasukeman
- Time Bokan Series: Yattodetaman
- Time Bokan Series: Gyakuten! Ippatsuman
- Time Bokan Series: Itadakiman
- Genesis Climber MOSPEADA
- Okawari Boy Starzan S
- Time Bokan: Royal Revival
Character design (Other)[]
- Blockade Corps IV Machine Blaster (Ashi)
- Subspace Operation Srungle (Movie International Company)
- Radio City Fantasy: Street Corner Fairy Tale (Five Ace)
- Angel's Egg (Studio DEEN)
- Vampire Hunter D (Ashi)
- Chronicles of the Sengoku Warlords: The Blast Boy Hissatsuman (Artmic)