Tomoharu Katsumata
- Director
- Art Department
- Animation Department
He was born in Shimoda City. Joined Toei Doga in the late 50s to doing
planning and assistance tasks. In the mid-60s he began to direct
episodes of TV animation series "Boy Ninja Fujimaru" and "Rainbow
Squadron Robin". Debuted in long-feature format film with "The Three
Musketeers'n Boots" (1972), sequel of "Puss'n Boots". Katsumata also
co-directed the first animation TV Series based on mangas by Gô Nagai
and Dynamic Pro.: "Devil Man" (1972-73), "Mazinger Z" (1972-74) [and
the first film of the saga, "Mazinger Z Vs. Devilman" (1973)] and
"Cutie Honey" (1973-74). Later focused in adaptations of mangas by
Reiji Matsumoto "Space Battleship Yamato" and "Captain Harlock". From
1978 he began a long professional relation with live-action film
director Toshio Masuda: Katsumata would focus in animation and Masuda
would supervise the whole. In the 90s the couple worked on Katsumata's
most personal and ambitious project, the trilogy film adaptation of the
"Sangokushi" (1992-94).