Mitsutoshi Kubota (Japanese: 久保田 光俊, Hepburn: Kubota Mitsutoshi) is a Japanese painter, color designer, producer, and the current president of Shaft.[2]

Career

Kubota began his career in the anime industry as a cel painter in the 1980s as a sub-contractor with painting studio Shaft, which had been founded in 1975 by Hiroshi Wakao.[3] The next year, he did his first job as color designer on Hitotsuboshi-ke no Ultra Baasan (1982–1983). From then until 1995, Kubota mainly served as a cel painter, color coordinator, and coloring inspector. In 1995, Kubota moved up to production management, which began with Shaft's first original series: Juuni Senshi Bakuretsu Eto Ranger.[4] He was promoted to managing director of the studio that year.[5] The year after, Kubota and Shaft were approached by Triangle Staff and Ryūtarō Nakamura to produce the second episode of their Legend of Crystania: The Chaos Ring OVA series, which the studio and Kubota accepted the offer to.[6] In 2004, Shaft's founder, Hiroshi Wakao, retired as president of the company and Kubota was chosen to succeed him, with the former staying as a chairman with the studio.

After watching several Akiyuki Shinbo's works as a director, namely The SoulTaker and Le Portrait de Petit Cossette, Kubota invited the former to become a director and mentor with the studio for the purpose of creating a uniquely identifiable brand. Shinbo brought many talents to the studio, such as directors Shin Ōnuma, Tatsuya Oishi, Naoyuki Tatsuwa, and Tomoyuki Itamura, and the studio has since achieved fame for having "arthouse" productions and "striking" visuals throughout the studio's works.[7][8][9] In the mid-2000s, following several instances of Triangle Staff and Nakmaura outsourcing episodes of their series to Shaft, Kubota asked Nakamura to direct REC at the studio, which Nakamura agreed to.[6] During production of the series, Kubota was approached to produce a film version of Kino's Journey, which Nakamura had previously directed at Triangle Staff, to which Kubota and Shaft obliged their services.[6]

Kubota remains relatively active in the creative process to Shaft's series. For The Quintessential Quintuplets∽, Kazuya Shiotsuki mentioned that Kubota directly supervised the creation of the key visuals for the work and gave much of his opinion on the colors.[10] Doroinu also mentioned that Kubota came up with the idea of expressing a theme of "connectivity" in the Magia Record anime adaptation.[11] It was also Kubota's idea to change Nagisa Momoe's hair color from blonde to white in Puella Magi Madoka Magica: Rebellion according to Shinbo.[12]

Works

Television series

Year Title Studio Producer Planner Other roles and notes Ref(s)
1980 Time Bokan Series: Time Patrol Tai Otasukeman Tatsunoko Production No No Cel painter
Kaibutsu-kun Shin-Ei Animation No No Cel painter
1981 Miss Machiko Studio Pierrot No No Cel-painting inspector
1982 Hitotsuboshi-ke no Ultra Baasan Knack No No Color designer
1983 Superbook 2 Tatsunoko Production No No Color coordinator
Serendipity the Pink Dragon Zuiyo No No Cel painter
Nine 2 Group TAC No No Cel painter
1984 Attacker You! Knack No No Cel-painting inspector
1985 Touch Group TAC No No Cel painter
1987 Mister Ajikko Sunrise No No Color coordinator
1988 Osomatsu-kun Studio Pierrot No No Cel painter
City Hunter TMS Entertainment No No Color coordinator
1989 Blue Blink Tezuka Productions No No Color coordinator
1990 Kyatto Ninden Teyandee Tatsunoko Production No No Color coordinator
Special effects
1991 Oh! My Konbu Studio Koriumi No No Special effects
1992 Thumbelina: A Magical Story Enoki Films No No Special effects
1994 The Legend of Snow White Shaft No No Special effects
1995 Juuni Senshi Bakuretsu Eto Ranger Shaft No No Production assistant
Production manager
1997 Battle Athletes Victory AIC Production producer No
1998 Silent Mobius Radix
Shaft 		Production producer No [13]
1999 Dual! Parallel Trouble Adventures AIC Yes No
2000 Dotto Koni-chan Shaft Yes No
2001 Mahoromatic Gainax
Shaft 		Yes No
2002 Mahoromatic: Something More Beautiful Gaianx
Shaft 		Yes No
2003 Popotan Shaft Yes No
2004 This Ugly yet Beautiful World Gainax
Shaft 		Animation producer No
Tsukuyomi: Moon Phase Shaft Animation producer No
2005 He is My Master Shaft Animation producer No
Pani Poni Dash! Shaft Animation producer No
2006 REC Shaft Yes No
Negima!? Shaft Animation producer No
2007 Hidamari Sketch Shaft No Yes
Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei Shaft Animation producer No
Ef: A Tale of Memories Shaft Yes No
2008 Zoku Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei Shaft Animation producer No
Hidamari Sketch x 365 Shaft No Yes
Ef: A Tale of Melodies Shaft Yes No
2009 Maria Holic Shaft Animation producer No
Natsu no Arashi! Shaft Animation producer No
Bakemonogatari Shaft Yes No
Zan, Sayonara Zetsubou-Sensei Shaft Animation producer No
Natsu no Arashi! Akinai-chuu Shaft Animation producer No
2010 Dance in the Vampire Bund Shaft Animation producer No
Hidamari Sketch x Hoshimittsu Shaft No Yes
Arakawa Under the Bridge Shaft Animation producer No
And Yet the Town Moves Shaft Yes No
2011 Puella Magi Madoka Magica Shaft No Yes
Ground Control to Psychoelectric Girl Shaft Animation producer No
Maria Holic Alive Shaft Animation producer No
Hidamari Sketch x SP Shaft No Yes
2012 Nisemonogatari Shaft Yes No
Nekomonogatari: Black Shaft Yes No
2013 Sasami-san@Ganbaranai Shaft No Yes
Monogatari Series Second Season Shaft Yes No
2014 Nisekoi Shaft Yes No
Mekakucity Actors Shaft No Yes
Hanamonogatari Shaft Yes No
Tsukimonogatari Shaft Yes No
2015 Gourmet Girl Graffiti Shaft No Yes
Nisekoi: Shaft Chief producer No
Owarimonogatari Shaft Yes No
2016 March Comes In like a Lion Shaft No Yes
2017 Owarimonogatari II Shaft Yes No
March Comes In like a Lion 2nd Season Shaft No Yes
2018 Fate/Extra: Last Encore Shaft No Yes
2019 Zoku Owarimonogatari Shaft No Yes
2020 Magia Record Shaft Yes No
Assault Lily Bouquet Shaft Produce Yes
2021 Pretty Boy Detective Club Shaft No Yes
Magia Record: The Eve of Awakening Shaft No Yes
2022 Magia Record: Dawn of a Shallow Dream Shaft No Yes
Luminous Witches Shaft No Yes
RWBY: Ice Queendom Shaft No No Planning supervisor
2023 Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead Bug Films No No Production assistance
The Quintessential Quintuplets∽ Shaft No No Animation supervisor

OVAs/ONAs

Year Title Studio Producer Planner Other roles and notes Ref(s)
1987 Yume kara, Samenai Shaft No No Color coordinator
Taiman Blues: Naoto Shimizu-hen Shaft No No Color coordinator
1991 Legend of Heavenly Sphere Shurato: Dark Genesis Tatsunoko Production No No Special effects
1994 Legend of the Galactic Heroes Kitty Film Mitaka Studio
Magic Bus
Shaft[a] 		No No Production assistant
Production manager
Production desk
1995 Weather Report Girl Pastel No No Cel painter
1996 Shadow Skill Zero-G Room No No Production desk
1997 Inma Youjo: The Erotic Temptress Magic Bus No No Production desk
Legend of Crystania: The Chaos Ring Triangle Staff No No Production manager [6]
Sakura Diaries Shaft No No Production manager
1998 Legend of the Galactic Heroes Gaiden Shaft[a] Production producer No Production manager
2001 Initial D Extra Stage Pastel Yes No
Kikaider 01: The Animation Radix
Studio Ox 		Line producer No
2002 Arcade Gamer Fubuki Shaft Animation producer No
2006 Negima! Spring Shaft Animation producer No
Negima! Summer Animation producer No
2008 Negima! Shiroki Tsubasa Ala Alba Shaft Animation producer No
Goku Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei Shaft Animation producer No
2009 Negima! Mou Hitotsu no Sekai Shaft Animation producer No
Zan Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei Bangaichi Shaft Animation producer No
2011 Katteni Kaizō Shaft Animation producer No
2012 Palutena's Revolting Dinner Shaft Animation producer No
2013 Hidamari Sketch: Sae & Hiro's Graduation Arc Shaft No Yes
2014 Nisekoi Shaft Yes No
2015 Magical Suite Prism Nana Shaft No Yes
2016 The Beheading Cycle: The Blue Savant and the Nonsense Bearer Shaft No Yes
Koyomimonogatari Shaft Yes No
2019 Ikebukuro PR Anime Shaft Yes No
2021 Assault Lily Fruits Shaft No Yes
2024 Monogatari Series Off & Monster Season Shaft No Yes

Films

Year Title Studio Producer Planner Other roles and notes Ref(s)
1981 Furiten-kun Knack No No Cel painter
1983 Urusei Yatsura 2: Beautiful Dreamer Studio Pierrot No No Cel painter
1984 Kakkun Cafe Osamu Kobayashi No No Color coordinator
1994 Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie Group TAC No No Cel painter
2007 Kino's Journey: Country of Illness Shaft Animation producer No
2011 Negima! Anime Final Shaft Animation producer No
2012 Puella Magi Madoka Magica: Beginnings Shaft No Yes
Puella Magi Madoka Magica: Eternal No Yes
2013 Puella Magi Madoka Magica: Rebellion Yes No
2016 Kizumonogatari I: Tekketsu Shaft Yes No
Kizumonogatari II: Nekketsu Shaft Yes No
2017 Kizumonogatari III: Reiketsu Shaft Yes No
Fireworks Shaft No No Production committee [14]
2022 The Quintessential Quintuplets Movie Bibury Animation Studios No No Thanks
2024 Kizumonogatari: Koyomi Vamp Shaft No Yes

Video games

Year Title Developer Studio Roles Ref(s)
1997 Roommate: Inoue Ryouko Datam Polystar
Fupac 		Shaft Animation producer
2001 You're Under Arrest Hamster Corporation Shaft Production manager
2003 Neon Genesis Evangelion: Girlfriend of Steel 2nd Gainax Gainax Production
2017 Magia Record f4samurai Shaft Production assistance
2021 Assault Lily Last Bullet Pokelabo Shaft Executive producer

Notes

General notes

  1. ^ a b Kitty Film Mitaka Studio produced the first 86 episodes and was assisted by various studios, one of which was Magic Bus which contracted Shaft for some sub-contracting work. Following the demise of Kitty Films, K-Factory took over production and outsourced all animation to one of four studios, one of which was Shaft. Gaiden was likewise outsourced to Shaft and other studios by K-Factory.

Book citations

  • Shinbo, Akiyuki (July 27, 2012). 新房語 [Shinbogatari] (in Japanese). Ichijinsha. ISBN 978-4758012591.
  • Kizawa, Yukito; Takayama, Atsushi; Saitou, Fusano, eds. (2014). 劇場版魔法やまどかマギカ[新編]叛逆の物語公式ガイドブック only you. [Movie Version Puella Magi Madoka Magica [New Edition] Story of Rebellion Official Guidebook only you.]. Houbunsha. ISBN 978-4832244290.
  • Oota, Keiji; Shaft (August 18, 2017). パンフレット 打ち上げ花火、下から見るか?横から見るか? [Pamphlet: Fireworks, Should We See It from the Side or the Bottom?] (in Japanese). Toho.
  • Maeda, Hisashi; Nakagami, Yoshikatsu; Kawabata, Takeshi; Nishitani, Nanako (2020). マギアレコード 魔法少女まどか☆マギカ外伝 TVアニメ公式ガイドブック 1巻 [Magia Record Puella Magi Madoka Magica TV Anime Official Guidebook Volume 1] (in Japanese). Houbunsha. ISBN 978-4832272019.

References

  1. ^ 首都圏集中型のアニメ業界に変革を。その第一歩は静岡市から(株式会社シャフト) [Reforming the Anime Industry Concentrated in the Toktoy Metropolitan Area. The first step is Shizuoka City (Shaft)] (in Japanese). December 23, 2022. Retrieved January 9, 2023.
  2. ^ "久保田光俊". allcinema (in Japanese). Stingray. Retrieved June 8, 2017.
  3. ^ "Company". Shaft (in Japanese). Retrieved December 30, 2020.
  4. ^ Rubin, Lucy Paige (2017). Between Comedy and Despair: The House Style of Studio Shaft (Bachelor of the Arts). Wesleyan University. Retrieved May 24, 2021.
  5. ^ プロデューサー 久保田光俊 [Producer Mitsutoshi Kubota]. SPOT (in Japanese). Vol. 7. September 16, 2017. p. 76.
  6. ^ a b c d 中村隆太郎監督の作品をこれからも楽しんでいきたいという思いが詰まった「プレイバック中村隆太郎」レポート ["Playback Ryūtarō Nakamura", a Report Filled with the Desire to Continue to Enjoy the Work of Director Ryūtarō Nakamura]. Gigazine (in Japanese). September 16, 2016. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
  7. ^ Jones, Evan (November 8, 2016). "Interview: Studio SHAFT president Mitsutoshi Kubota". AnimeNewsNetwork. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
  8. ^ Creamer, Nick (January 18, 2017). "The Secret of Studio SHAFT". AnimeNewsNetwork. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
  9. ^ Loveridge, Lynzee (September 8, 2012). "The List - 8 Most Visually Striking Anime Production". Retrieved January 3, 2021.
  10. ^ Nate "Kbnet" (August 4, 2023). "Interview with Quintessential Quintuplets TV Special Staff at Otakon 2023". Artist Unknown. Retrieved August 5, 2023.
  11. ^ Maeda et al. 2020, p. 105.
  12. ^ Kizawa, Takayama & Saitou 2014, p. 107.
  13. ^ Shinbo 2012, p. 240.
  14. ^ Oota & Shaft 2017, p. 42.
Allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitsutoshi_Kubota
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