Toshimasa Suzuki (Japanese: 鈴木 利正, Hepburn: Suzuki Toshimasa) is a Japanese director, animator, and storyboard artist. He joined Shaft in 1995 as an episode director and storyboard artist, and although he continues to work for Shaft, Suzuki commonly directs series with other studios, most notably with Xebec, where he made his series directorial debut with Heroic Age in 2007.[1]
Career and life
Suzuki joined Shaft around 1988 as a key animator.[2] He made his debut as an episode director and storyboard artist for the studio's first original television series, Juuni Senshi Bakuretsu Eto Ranger, in 1995.[3] His employment with Shaft continued until the early 2000s, when he decided to go freelance (he continued to work with Shaft as a freelancer).[2] In 2007, he debuted as a series director with Xebec with Heroic Age under the supervision of Takashi Noto.[1] For the next few years, Suzuki focused solely on freelancing work with other studios. He continued to do work with Xebec, directing Lagrange: The Flower of Rin-ne and Fafner in the Azure: Heaven and Earth,[4][5] and started directing series outside of either Xebec or Shaft, such as The Pilot's Love Song and The Price of Smiles.[6][7] However, he remains a prominent figure at Shaft and works on most of the studio's productions.
Suzuki was born in 1966,[8] and he is married to color designer Mitsuko Sekimoto,[9] who has worked with Suzuki on all of his directorial projects outside of Shaft.
Style
He said that he is a fan of hard sci-fi, as well as a fan of foreign sci-fi productions, which he has used for inspiration on works like Fafner in the Azure and Heroic Age.[2] Although a fan of watching realistic and 'muddy' depictions of emotions, he himself does not like to make realistic depictions in his works, and is instead more interested in making his works beautiful and exaggerated.[2] Writer Tow Ubukata commented on Suzuki's ideal of beauty by saying he was good at directing emotional scenes.[2]
After he worked as Akiyuki Shinbo's assistant on Tsukuyomi: Moon Phase, Suzuki wanted to use some of Shinbo's visual composition techniques himself while working on Fafner: Right of Left succeeding the end of Tsukuyomi's production.[10] Broadly, he stated that his way of creating images changed after working on Tsukuyomi.[11] Director Ryūtarō Nakamura's sense of light and shadows, whom Suzuki worked under as the assistant director for Sakura Wars (2000), also had an effect on Suzuki's style.[11]
Works
Television series
In "Director(s)" column highlights Suzuki's directorial works.
^ abcEpisode director, equivalent to unit director.
Web citations
Hirota, Keisuke (2017). アニメ業界ウォッチング第30回:「監督」と「演出」は、職業的にどう違うのか? 鈴木利正インタビュー! [Anime Industry Watching No.85: What is the professional difference between "Director" and "Episode Director"? An interview with Toshimasa Suzuki!]. Akiba Souken (in Japanese). Retrieved August 29, 2023.
^ abcde15年振りのタッグが魅せる、日本アニメの表現力――『RWBY 氷雪帝国』鈴木利正(監督)&冲方丁(シリーズ構成・脚本)対談(前編) [The First Team-Up in 15 Years Brings us the Power of Expression of Japanese Animation - "RWBY: Ice Queendom" Talk with Toshimasa Suzuki (Director) and Tow Ubukata (Series Composition/Screenplay) (Part 1)] (in Japanese). Interviewed by Hidekuni Shida. July 11, 2022. Retrieved July 12, 2022.
^ abJuuni Senshi Bakuretsu Eto Ranger (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episodes 30, 38. 絵コンテ - 鈴木利正 [Storyboard artist - Toshimasa Suzuki]
^Stellvia (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episodes 5, 15, 17. 絵コンテ - 鈴木利正 [Storyboard artist - Toshimasa Suzuki]
^Stellvia (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episodes 5, 15, 21. 演出 - 鈴木利正 [Episode director - Toshimasa Suzuki]
^This Ugly yet Beautiful World (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episode 4. 原画 - 鈴木利正 [Key animator - Toshimasa Suzuki]
^This Ugly yet Beautiful World (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episodes 4, 11. 絵コンテ - 鈴木利正 [Storyboard artist - Toshimasa Suzuki]
^This Ugly yet Beautiful World (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episodes 4, 6, 11. 演出 - 鈴木利正 [Episode director - Toshimasa Suzuki]
^Tetsujin 28-go (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episode 9. 絵コンテ - 鈴木利正 [Storyboard artist - Toshimasa Suzuki]
^Fafner in the Azure: Dead Aggressor (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episode 9. 絵コンテ / 演出 - 鈴木利正 [Storyboard artist / Episode director - Toshimasa Suzuki]
^Tsukuyomi: Moon Phase (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episodes 4, 20. 絵コンテ - 鈴木利正 [Storyboard artist - Toshimasa Suzuki]
^Tsukuyomi: Moon Phase (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episodes 2, 11, 23. 演出 - 鈴木利正 [Episode director - Toshimasa Suzuki]
^Tsukuyomi: Moon Phase (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits. 助監督 - 鈴木利正 [Assistant director - Toshimasa Suzuki]
^Tsukuyomi: Moon Phase (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits 2. ED演出 - 鈴木利正 [ED unit director - Toshimasa Suzuki]
^He Is My Master (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episode 7. 演出 - 鈴木利正 [Episode director - Toshimasa Suzuki]
^He Is My Master (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits. ED演出 - 鈴木利正 [ED unit director - Toshimasa Suzuki]
^Rozen Maiden: Träumend (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episode 2. 演出 - 鈴木利正 [Episode director - Toshimasa Suzuki]
^The Third: The Girl with the Blue Eye (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episodes 8, 12, 15, 20. 絵コンテ - 鈴木利正 [Storyboard artist - Toshimasa Suzuki]
^The Third: The Girl with the Blue Eye (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episodes 8, 12, 15, 20, 23. 演出 - 鈴木利正 [Episode director - Toshimasa Suzuki]
^Heroic Age (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episodes 1, 26. 絵コンテ / 演出 - 鈴木利正 [Storyboard artist / Episode director - Toshimasa Suzuki]
^Ef: A Tale of Memories (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episode 10. 演出協力 - 鈴木利正 [Assistant episode director - Toshimasa Suzuki]
^Wangan Midnight (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episodes 22, 24. 絵コンテ - 鈴木利正 [Storyboard artist - Toshimasa Suzuki]
^Kanokon: The Girl Who Cried Fox (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episode 6. 絵コンテ - 鈴木利正 [Storyboard artist - Toshimasa Suzuki]
^Kyō no Go no Ni (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episode 6. 絵コンテ - 鈴木利正 [Storyboard artist - Toshimasa Suzuki]
^Polyphonica: Crimson S (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episode 1. 絵コンテ / 演出 - 鈴木利正 [Storyboard artist / Episode director - Toshimasa Suzuki]
^Tears to Tiara (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episode 6. 演出 - 鈴木利正 [Episode director - Toshimasa Suzuki]
^Bakemonogatari (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episodes 6, 8, 10. 演出協力 - 鈴木利正 [Assistant episode director - Toshimasa Suzuki]
^Bakemonogatari (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episodes 7, 9, 12–13. 演出 - 鈴木利正 [Episode director - Toshimasa Suzuki]
^Bakemonogatari (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episode 12. 原画 - 鈴木利正 [Key animator - Toshimasa Suzuki]
^Bakemonogatari (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episode 13. 絵コンテ - 鈴木利正 [Storyboard artist - Toshimasa Suzuki]
^Bakemonogatari (in Japanese). Event occurs at opening credits 3. オープニングディレクター - 鈴木利正 [Opening director - Toshimasa Suzuki]
^Dance in the Vampire Bund (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits. ED演出 - 鈴木利正 [Ending unit director - Toshimasa Suzuki]
^Hidamari Sketch x Hoshimittsu (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits. ED演出 - 鈴木利正 [Ending unit director - Toshimasa Suzuki]
^Arakawa Under the Bridge (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episode 6. 絵コンテ - 鈴木利正 [Storyboard artist - Toshimasa Suzuki]
^Softenni (in Japanese). Event occurs at opening credits. OP演出 / 絵コンテ - 鈴木利正 [Opening unit director / storyboard artist - Toshimasa Suzuki]
^Lagrange: The Flower of Rin-ne (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episodes 1–2, 24. 絵コンテ - 鈴木利正 [Storyboard artist - Toshimasa Suzuki]
^Lagrange: The Flower of Rin-ne (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episodes 1, 24. 演出 - 鈴木利正 [Episode director - Toshimasa Suzuki]
^Unlimited Psychic Squad (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episode 10. 絵コンテ - 鈴木利正 [Storyboard artist - Toshimasa Suzuki]
^Unlimited Psychic Squad (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits 2–3. 絵コンテ - 鈴木利正 [Storyboard artist - Toshimasa Suzuki]
^Sasami-san@Ganbaranai (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episodes 6, 12. 絵コンテ - 鈴木利正 [Storyboard artist - Toshimasa Suzuki]
^The Pilot's Love Song (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episodes 1, 13. 絵コンテ / 演出 - 鈴木利正 [Storyboard artist / Episode director - Toshimasa Suzuki]
^Hanamonogatari (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits. エンディングアニメーション 演出 / 絵コンテ - 鈴木利正 [Ending unit director / storyboard artist - Toshimasa Suzuki]
^Fafner in the Azure: Exodus (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episodes 7, 13, 17. 演出) - 鈴木利正 [Episode director - Toshimasa Suzuki]
^Fafner in the Azure: Exodus (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episodes 13, 17. 絵コンテ - 鈴木利正 [Storyboard artist - Toshimasa Suzuki]
^Nisekoi: (in Japanese). Event occurs at opening credits 2. OP演出 - 鈴木利正 [Opening unit director - Toshimasa Suzuki]
^Sweetness and Lightning (in Japanese). Event occurs at opening credits. OP演出 - 鈴木利正 [Opening unit director - Toshimasa Suzuki]
^March Comes In like a Lion (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episode 3. 絵コンテ - 鈴木利正 [Storyboard artist - Toshimasa Suzuki]
^Fate/Extra: Last Encore (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episode 10. 絵コンテ - 鈴木利正 [Storyboard artist - Toshimasa Suzuki]
^The Price of Smiles (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episodes 1–2, 11. 絵コンテ - 鈴木利正 [Storyboard artist - Toshimasa Suzuki]
^The Price of Smiles (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episode 1. 演出 - 鈴木利正 [Episode director - Toshimasa Suzuki]
^『やぁやぁ、知ってる?魔法少女のその噂』 ["Have You Heard? That Rumor About the Magical Girls"]. Magireco (in Japanese). Retrieved March 12, 2021.
^『たったひとつの道しるべ』. Magireco (in Japanese). Retrieved March 12, 2021.