Person: Utsunomiya Satoru

Utsunomiya Satoru was born April 17, 1959 in Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture, Japan. He is an animator, character designer and animation director. During his career he belonged to Telecom Film, エイトバイテン, Madhouse and Studio Junio before becoming freelance.

One of the most influential figures of the generation after Nakamura Takashi. In Gosenzosama Banbanzai! he created an epoch-making joint-based animation style that was very influential in the early 1990s. He developed this further in the extremely fluid and active full animation of Peek. Gosenzo was the first anime to place shadows accurately according to light source and to use blurring during fast action. Way of animating arms hanging loosely was often imitated in the 1990s. Draws movement from memory without external references, unlike Hashimoto and Ohira who often filmed themselves acting out material for reference. Kinetic accuracy is goal but drawings are highly simplified and clean. Current work focuses on the subtle, unconscious movements of everyday actions, omitted as superfluous in supposedly 'realistic' animation. Radically simplified style of animation and minutely detailed action makes his scenes stands out in stark contrast in certain films such as Battle Royale HS. Able to breathe a miraculous amount of life into the simplest of actions such assimply talking while seated. Reportedly storyboarded Hakkenden #9 in widescreen format on his own initiative. Able to create dynamic action at lower frame rates like 3 frames/cel.

Source: Pelleas.net