Yasuo Ootsuka

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In 1956 Ootsuka saw an advertisement in Yomiuri Shinbun where Toei were asking for applications for animators. After passing the test Ootsuka worked with Yasuji Mori and Akira Daikubara on the Tale of the White Serpent and learnt their approaches. Wanting to learn more animation theory, he began to seek out textbooks and was shown a textbook on US animation written by Preston Blair. After working on Magic Boy in 1959 his animation of a skeleton was unintentionally considered comical due to its realism. This led to comical bad guy characters becoming Ootsuka's speciality.

Ootsuka believed that genuine realism doesn't suit animation and "constructed realism" is more suitable. Hayao Miyazaki compared Ootsuka to Kenichi Enomoto, a Japanese comedian, in the use of this approach. After completion of his next film The Wonderful World of Puss 'n Boots Ootsuka left Toei to join Shin-Ei Animation, then A Production.

Ootsuka wrote several books about the anime industry. His Sakuga Asemamire is considered "a prime resource for the history of '60s and '70s anime."

In July 2002 an exhibition of his work and personal pieces was held in Ginza.