Animator Kenichiro Katsura Dies at 59 After Illness

Animator Kenichiro Katsura passed away on September 30 at the age of 59 while receiving medical treatment for an illness. His wife, Satoko Miyachi, shared the news via her social media account on Monday, noting that a private funeral was held with only close family members present.

Katsura recently served as animation director for Gintama: The Movie 2026 and worked as a key animator on That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime the Movie. His extensive career included roles as chief animation director for Synduality: Noir and character designer for Knight's & Magic. He also contributed to Macross 7 and various other series.