'One Punch Man', 'Planetes' Art Director Shigemi Ikeda Dies at 69

by Vindstot
Nov 3, 2024 9:21 PM | 20 Comments

Shigemi Ikeda, a celebrated art director and the founder of the background art studio Atelier Musa, died on October 13 at the age of 69, his family confirmed.

Born in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Ikeda graduated from Tokyo Designer Academy's animation program (now Tokyo Net Wave) before beginning his career in the art department of Ad Cosmo. After his tenure there, he joined animation studio Group TAC and Studio Uni before establishing Atelier Musa, where he crafted a unique legacy as an art director.

Ikeda's extensive portfolio includes work on iconic Gundam series such as Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn, Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack, Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket, Turn A Gundam, and Mobile Suit Gundam SEED.

His art direction credits also include One Punch Man, Boku no Hero Academia (My Hero Academia), Yakusoku no Neverland (The Promised Neverland), Overlord, Yahari Ore no Seishun Love Comedy wa Machigatteiru. (My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU), and Planetes, among others.

In 2009, Ikeda achieved a historic milestone by winning the Primetime Emmy Juried Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation for his work on Afro Samurai: Resurrection, becoming the first Japanese artist to receive this honor.

Source: Gonzo on X

Life Event Staff

20 Comments Recent Comments

Rest in peace Sir.

Nov 16, 2024 6:31 PM by Hirax

Memore said:
@RobertBobert, big stress from overwork maybe. It is one of the highest percentage of suicides on Japan sadly due to abnormal long working hours, lack of vacations and their traditions to do all the work perfectly.

I highly doubt any recent deaths being covered in these news feeds are related to the actual Anime industry. You could look at the early deaths of countless Western celebrities which range from drug overdoses to stuff like cancer to even tragic accidents. When I was 15 back in the early 90s, a 14 year old girl I was friends with for only a few months died of anaphylactic shock. Which basically means she died of an bad allergic reaction to a bee sting. Another person at my high school who was only 15, prematurely died from falling down a flight of stairs and breaking his neck.

Specifically looking at modern North America, Gun violence is one of the leading cause of premature death in the U.S. Chances are high that a teenage kid will die prematurely by a gun over any other tragic way.

People just prematurely die all the time. I would highly doubt someone as successful as a man like Shigemi Ikeda would have committed suicide, when they likely could have easily retired even nearly a decade ago.

Nov 6, 2024 3:35 PM by ColourWheel

@RobertBobert, big stress from overwork maybe. It is one of the highest percentage of suicides on Japan sadly due to abnormal long working hours, lack of vacations and their traditions to do all the work perfectly.

Nov 6, 2024 2:07 PM by Memore

Is something happening in the industry? This is the second or even third famous art director whose death I have heard about in the last month. But anyway, rest in peace. I liked the shows mentioned and if I understand the tasks of the art director correctly, I liked his work.

Nov 6, 2024 10:53 AM by RobertBobert

>and again, its ALWAYS within the same age range of 30-70, if thats not a pattern, idk what is
That isn't a pattern, I don't think this is the best place to start an argument, but 30-70 is an absurdly big age range and literally most of humanity fall in there, it isn't a "club", it isn't a pattern either, literally the majority of people will die in this age range. No, the industry doesn't "need to collapse" either, this exact same ages apply even outside of Japan.

Nov 5, 2024 8:43 AM by Ionliosite2

@3inPunisher

if you find anything wrong with what i said then you obviously haven't been paying any attention... i have every reason to speculate

this is a pretty big topic now with peoples growing knowledge of the industry and Japanese work culture as a whole

go cry in the comment section of Trash Tastes video segment on how dangerous it is to work in the Anime Industry if you have a problem with what i said, since they have a far larger audience then someone like me which is the only reason i'd mention them

Nov 5, 2024 2:07 AM by EcchiGodMamster

@EcchiGodMamster Its pretty funny how your throwing speculation about this guy you dont know personally and how he died because of "the industry" then also saying how kubo and oda wont probably live for 20+ yrs because of the industry your speculating the guys death on. And then on top of that hoping the industry collapses so they can "fix" this bullshit because somehow you know how the guy past away?????

Idk if you typed this in a "heated" moment mentally, but to speculate about a person you dont know personally and their death is very very weird

I get it, the industry isnt perfect, but you just dont speculate a persons death, you dont know how the medical conditions they past away from or if it was just a natural passing or conditions they had even before getting into the industry etc... There many ways for people to just pass away. And to pin all of those that have died in the "30-70s" on the industry is just weird

Nov 4, 2024 10:00 PM by 3inPunisher

Another great art director gone, rest in peace master! 🙏🕊️

Nov 4, 2024 4:54 PM by Jonas-K

My condolences. Rest in peace.

Nov 4, 2024 12:41 PM by Memore

@ItsXolo

and again, its ALWAYS within the same age range of 30-70, if thats not a pattern, idk what is

it was nice to see someone in the industry actually live to 90 like a week ago

imagine living in the country of the longest living people and there being a profession where you can barely make it to 60-70

its sad to say but people like Oda and Kubo probably won't live another 20+

the industry honestly just needs to collapse so they can at least attempt to fix all this bullshit

Nov 4, 2024 9:23 AM by EcchiGodMamster

Everybody just keep dying, it really sucks

Nov 4, 2024 6:45 AM by ItsXolo

Huge talent and impressive portfolio. He worked on so many great anime, including iconic OVA series like Bubblegum Crisis or Sol Bianca. RIP

Nov 4, 2024 6:13 AM by Adnash

Fuck Man, why so many great art directors dying this month, first it was Mob Psycho art director and now this.

R.I.P

Nov 4, 2024 5:51 AM by Temperanced

Rest in peace Sir.

Nov 4, 2024 5:37 AM by Absurdo_N

Rest in peace, my condolences.

Nov 4, 2024 2:51 AM by Memore

Ah yes... yet another member of the 30-70 club

Smfh...

Nov 4, 2024 2:23 AM by EcchiGodMamster

Damn we've lost another art director with quite the résumé. RIP.

Nov 4, 2024 2:07 AM by thebrentinator24

Holy crap, this guy is going to be really missed. He has been the Art Director for so many franchises. The guy even worked on other iconic stuff like Gantz, Basilisk, Bubblegum Crisis, Urotsukidouji, Battle Athletess, Sol Bianca, InuYasha, and Bastard. He was even the art director for Rosario to Vampire, High School DxD, and Mysterious Girlfriend X.

R.I.P.

Nov 4, 2024 1:48 AM by ColourWheel

rest in peace, man.

Nov 3, 2024 9:58 PM by tchitchouan

another legend died rip

Nov 3, 2024 9:22 PM by deg