Tomoharu Katsumata

He was born in Shimoda City. Joined Toei Doga in the late 50s to doing planning and assistance tasks. In the mid-60s he began to direct episodes of TV animation series "Boy Ninja Fujimaru" and "Rainbow Squadron Robin". Debuted in long-feature format film with "The Three Musketeers'n Boots" (1972), sequel of "Puss'n Boots". Katsumata also co-directed the first animation TV Series based on mangas by Gô Nagai and Dynamic Pro.: "Devil Man" (1972-73), "Mazinger Z" (1972-74) [and the first film of the saga, "Mazinger Z Vs. Devilman" (1973)] and "Cutie Honey" (1973-74). Later focused in adaptations of mangas by Reiji Matsumoto "Space Battleship Yamato" and "Captain Harlock". From 1978 he began a long professional relation with live-action film director Toshio Masuda: Katsumata would focus in animation and Masuda would supervise the whole. In the 90s the couple worked on Katsumata's most personal and ambitious project, the trilogy film adaptation of the "Sangokushi" (1992-94).