Kazuo Komatsubara

Kazuo Komatsubara (小松原 一男 or 小松原 一夫, Komatsubara Kazuo, born December 24, 1943, in Yokohama, and died 24, March, 2000 in Yokosuka) was a Japanese animator, animation director, and character designer.

He was part of the first generation of independently contracted character designer for Toei Animation in the 1970s and 1980s. He was a member of the board of directors of animation studio Oh! Production (which he helped found along with Norio Shioyama, Kōichi Murata, and Kōshin Yonekawa). He died on March 24, 2000, due to a cancerous tumor on his neck.

In recognition of his achievements, he was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Award at the Tokyo International Anime Fair 2008.

Works

 * Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (Art Director)
 * My Neighbor Totoro (Animator)
 * Only Yesterday (Assistant Animator)