AnimaXtion SYMPOSIUM – SPEAKERS’ BIOGRAPHY

AKITARO DAICHI

Anime Producer, Japan

A popular anime director, Akitaro Daichi has directed over 20 TV A/OAV animation titles.  Daichi started out behind the camera as a cameraman and progressed to directing and production as his passion for the art of animation grew. To date, he has participated in the production of more than 50 animation titles and series.

Akitaro Daichi earned his first success when he directed Fairy Princess Ren. He exploded onto the mainstream anime community with his direction of the hugely popular Kodomo no Omocha (Child's Toy) anime. This was followed by his direction of the Sogoiyo Masaru-san (Sexy Commando Masaru-san) TV series.

Daichi also tried his hand at both writing and directing with the Jubei - chan the Ninja Girl, followed by Kaze Makase Tsukigake Ran. His more recent works include many of the most popular anime, from the hyperactive comedies Anime Runner Kuromi-chan, to the shoujo anime hits Nurse Angel Ririka SOS, Fruits Basket and Ojaru Maru to the critically acclaimed TV series Now and Then, Here and There, a story he both created and directed. He also directed the TV series Legends, which began its run in Japan from April 2004.

Daichi’s latest work is Makasete Iruka! (released as Grrl Power in the US), a self-produced, charming animated drama.  Makasete Iruka is also the first anime in the history of Japanese animation to feature sign language. The story follows Umi, Sora, and Ao, three sisters in the sixth-grade who together run the best little do-it-all shop in all of Shonan Beach near Kamakura.

With his diverse record of achievements, Daichi has emerged as one of the top anime writers and directors in Japan.  His work has earned him an award from the Animation Kobe festival as well as the “Best Director” title at the Tokyo International Animation Fair 2002.  Daichi writes for Animage and has his own radio show and has spoken at major animation festivals such as the Big Apple Anime Festival 2002, Anime Expo New York 2002, FanimeCon 2003 in California as well as Sakura-Con 2004 in Seattle. 

YOSHIRO KATAOKA

Anime Producer, Marvellous Entertainment, Japan

After graduating from Keio University, Department of Law, Yoshiro Kataoka started his career at Tokyu Agency in 1969 and pursued a career in advertising at ADK Co. Ltd.  In October 2000, Kataoka joined Marvellous Entertainment, Japan and never looked back.

As an anime producer, Kataoka has about 90 TV/theatre animation and musicals, based on original animation works, to his credit. He has planned animation content, worked on anime character merchandising, foreign sales promotions and documentation. Kataoka is recognised as one of the leading experts in the anime and advertising industry

Proclaimed as classics, Kataoka’s achievements include Rurouni Kenshin (Samurai X in the U.S.), Medabots (broadcast in the U.S.), Yu-Gi-Oh! and HUNTER×HUNTER.   Other works include Touch, High school! Kimengumi, Kiteretsu Daihyakka, Akazukin Cha Cha, Mizuirojidai, Sasuga no Sarutobi, Kochira Katsushikaku Kameari Kouenmae Hashutsujyo as well as Kureyon Shinchan.

Active in the animation industry, Kataoka is also involved in ANIMAX (Cable channel for animation), CoMix Wave (a management company for creators) and Japan Anime Festival/The ATOM Award (the “anime musical” and “anime radio” genre).

NICKSON FONG
Chief Executive Officer, Egg Story Creative Production Pte Ltd

A graduate from the Savannah College of Art and Design in 1994, Nickson first started as a CG animator for Future Pirates, a games developer in Tokyo, Japan.  In 1996, he joined DreamWorks SKG and was one of the first few CG animators involved in early pre-production work for Shrek, which won an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film in 2001.

In the late 1990s, Nickson worked with several of Hollywood's largest and renowned visual effects companies, including Sony Pictures Imageworks, where he was the Lead Compositor for Starship Troopers (Academy Award nominee for Best Visual Effects in 1997).

At Centropolis Effects, where he was Lead Light/Render Technical Director for Godzilla and The 13th Floor, Technical Supervisor for Stuart Little (Academy Award nominee for Best Visual Effects in 1999), Nickson also supervised a team of FX Technical Directors and headed the effects Department for The Patriot (Academy Award nominee for Best Cinematography, Music and Sound in 2000).  He was also Senior Technical Director for 8 Legged Freaks and The Scorpion King.  Over at ESC Entertainment, Nickson was FX Technical Director for the Matrix Reloaded and Shot Development Technical Director on Matrix Revolutions, sequels to The Matrix.

Prior to co-founding Egg Story Creative Production, Nickson was headhunted by Digimax, a media and entertainment company based in Taiwan, to be their Chief Operating Officer to manage the start-up of their new CG Animation Division, as well as the development of Digimax's first CG animated feature film and the construction of a major visual effects and animation facility in Taipei.

At Digimax, Nickson developed, produced and directed his third CG animated short film, The Egg Story. The initial film trailer was released at the annual Taipei International Animation Festival in 2004 and was extremely well received by both the international media and major industry players alike.

Nickson’s other works include Screamscape, a CG animated MTV featured in SIGGRAPH 1994 Electronic Theatre as well as Dreamaker, a CG animated short film featured in SIGGRAPH 1996, World Animation Celebration 1996, Art Futura 1996, Sydney Intermedia Network 1996 and Computer Animation Showcase 1997.

Armed with in-depth knowledge in animation production, Nickson was a regular presenter at major events such as Broadcast Asia 2004 in Singapore, SIGGRAPH 2001 and 2002 in the US as well as the 1999 International 3D Animation Conference in Taiwan.

Mr Akitaro Daichi, Mr Yoshiro Kataoka and Mr Nickson Fong will speak at the AnimaXtion Symposium on 30 November 2004, 7.30pm to 10pm, at Hall 5 Cathay Cineplex Orchard, Level 6, Cathay Cineleisure Orchard, 8 Grange Road. Tickets at $6.50 are available at the Cathay Cineplex Orchard box office (Level 5) from 15 November 2004.

Content Contributor: Rubix Cube Communications for Media Development Authority