Masaaki Mori, a renowned Japanese animator celebrated for his distinctive clay animation work, passed away on March 24 at the age of 69. The announcement was made by Tokyo Zokei University, where he served as an honorary professor, via their official website on March 26.

Born in 1955 in Shizuoka Prefecture, Mori graduated from the Department of Accounting in the Faculty of Commerce at Chuo University. From a young age, he was fascinated by puppet-making, and during his college years, he began creating special effects and puppet animations. After winning several awards, including at the FUJI 8mm Contest, he decided to pursue a career in animation.

In 1980, Mori joined Animation Staff Room, where he worked on numerous animation commercials, including early experiments in computer graphics. However, he later discovered a deep passion for analog clay animation, where he hand-crafted and animated figures himself. This led him to establish his own studio, Mori Craft Animation, in 1990.

Mori’s most well-known works include the opening sequence for the TV show Tonneruzu no Minasan no Okage Desu, as well as animations for iconic commercials such as “Garagara Hebi ga Yattekuru” and “Gaja Imo.” He also worked on the TV commercials for Nintendo's Pikmin 2 and Idemitsu's “Maido Card,” along with the music video animation for Minimoni’s Telephone! Rin Rin Rin. His unique and warm animation style left a lasting impression on audiences across generations.

Masaaki Mori's legacy continues through his countless contributions to Japanese animation and advertising, where his handcrafted style brought charm, humor, and life to the screen.

Source : ORICON NEWS