Osamu Dezaki  

Osamu Dezaki was an esteemed Japanese anime director who initially pursued his career in manga while still attending high school. In 1963, he joined Mushi Production, a company founded by pioneering manga and anime artist Osamu Tezuka. He made his mark as a director with the release of Ashita no Joe in 1970. Dezaki's visual style was distinctive and innovative, incorporating elements such as split screens, stark lighting, extensive use of dutch angles, and pastel freeze frames that he referred to as "postcard memories." These techniques became popular and are now considered hallmarks of Japanese animation. His influence extended to other notable anime directors like Yoshiaki Kawajiri, Yoshiyuki Tomino, Ryūtarō Nakamura, Kunihiko Ikuhara, Akiyuki Shinbo, and Yutaka Yamamoto. Despite his significant contributions to the world of animation, Dezaki was known for his smoking habits, which ultimately led to his death from lung cancer on April 17, 2011, at the age of 67.