is a Japanese painter, color designer, producer, and the current president of Shaft.
Career Kubota began his career in the anime industry as a cel painter in the 1980s as a sub-contractor with painting studio Shaft, which had been founded in 1975 by Hiroshi Wakao. The next year, he did his first job as color designer on Hitotsuboshi-ke no Ultra Baasan (1982–1983). From then until 1995, Kubota mainly served as a cel painter, color coordinator, and coloring inspector. In 1995, Kubota moved up to production management, which began with Shaft's first original series: Juuni Senshi Bakuretsu Eto Ranger. He was promoted to managing director of the studio that year. The year after, Kubota and Shaft were approached by Triangle Staff and Ryūtarō Nakamura to produce the second episode of their Legend of Crystania: The Chaos Ring OVA series, which the studio and Kubota accepted the offer to. In 2004, Shaft's founder, Hiroshi Wakao, retired as president of the company and Kubota was chosen to succeed him, with the former staying as a chairman with the studio.
After watching several Akiyuki Shinbo's works as a director, namely The SoulTaker and Le Portrait de Petit Cossette, Kubota invited the former to become a director and mentor with the studio for the purpose of creating a uniquely identifiable brand. Shinbo brought many talents to the studio, such as directors Shin Ōnuma, Tatsuya Oishi, Naoyuki Tatsuwa, and Tomoyuki Itamura, and the studio has since achieved fame for having "arthouse" productions and "striking" visuals throughout the studio's works. In the mid-2000s, following several instances of Triangle Staff and Nakmaura outsourcing episodes of their series to Shaft, Kubota asked Nakamura to direct REC at the studio, which Nakamura agreed to. During production of the series, Kubota was approached to produce a film version of Kino's Journey, which Nakamura had previously directed at Triangle Staff, to which Kubota and Shaft obliged their services.
Kubota remains relatively active in the creative process to Shaft's series. For The Quintessential Quintuplets∽, Kazuya Shiotsuki mentioned that Kubota directly supervised the creation of the key visuals for the work and gave much of his opinion on the colors. Doroinu also mentioned that Kubota came up with the idea of expressing a theme of "connectivity" in the Magia Record anime adaptation. It was also Kubota's idea to change Nagisa Momoe's hair color from blonde to white in Puella Magi Madoka Magica: Rebellion according to Shinbo.
Works Television series Year Title Studio Producer Planner Other roles and notes Ref(s)1980Time Bokan Series: Time Patrol Tai OtasukemanTatsunoko ProductionCel painterKaibutsu-kunShin-Ei AnimationCel painter1981Miss MachikoStudio PierrotCel-painting inspector1982Hitotsuboshi-ke no Ultra BaasanKnackColor designer1983Superbook 2Tatsunoko ProductionColor coordinatorSerendipity the Pink DragonZuiyoCel painterNine 2Group TACCel painter1984Attacker You!KnackCel-painting inspector1985TouchGroup TACCel painter1987Mister AjikkoSunriseColor coordinator1988Osomatsu-kunStudio PierrotCel painterCity HunterTMS EntertainmentColor coordinator1989Blue BlinkTezuka ProductionsColor coordinator1990Kyatto Ninden TeyandeeTatsunoko ProductionColor coordinatorSpecial effects1991Oh! My KonbuStudio KoriumiSpecial effects1992Thumbelina: A Magical StoryEnoki FilmsSpecial effects1994The Legend of Snow WhiteShaftSpecial effects1995Juuni Senshi Bakuretsu Eto RangerShaftProduction assistantProduction manager1997Battle Athletes VictoryAIC1998Silent MobiusRadixShaft1999Dual! Parallel Trouble AdventuresAIC2000Dotto Koni-chanShaft2001MahoromaticGainaxShaft2002Mahoromatic: Something More BeautifulGainaxShaft2003PopotanShaft2004This Ugly yet Beautiful WorldGainaxShaftTsukuyomi: Moon PhaseShaft2005He is My MasterShaftPani Poni Dash!Shaft2006RECShaftNegima!?Shaft2007Hidamari SketchShaftSayonara, Zetsubou-SenseiShaftEf: A Tale of MemoriesShaft2008Zoku Sayonara, Zetsubou-SenseiShaftHidamari Sketch x 365ShaftEf: A Tale of MelodiesShaft2009Maria HolicShaftNatsu no Arashi!ShaftBakemonogatariShaftZan, Sayonara Zetsubou-SenseiShaftNatsu no Arashi! Akinai-chuuShaft2010Dance in the Vampire BundShaftHidamari Sketch x HoshimittsuShaftArakawa Under the BridgeShaftAnd Yet the Town MovesShaft2011Puella Magi Madoka MagicaShaftGround Control to Psychoelectric GirlShaftMaria Holic AliveShaftHidamari Sketch x SPShaft2012NisemonogatariShaftNekomonogatari: BlackShaft2013Sasami-san@GanbaranaiShaftMonogatari Series Second SeasonShaft2014NisekoiShaftMekakucity ActorsShaftHanamonogatariShaftTsukimonogatariShaft2015Gourmet Girl GraffitiShaftNisekoi:ShaftOwarimonogatariShaft2016March Comes In like a LionShaft2017Owarimonogatari IIShaftMarch Comes In like a Lion 2nd SeasonShaft2018Fate/Extra: Last EncoreShaft2019Zoku OwarimonogatariShaft2020Magia RecordShaftAssault Lily BouquetShaft2021Pretty Boy Detective ClubShaftMagia Record: The Eve of AwakeningShaft2022Magia Record: Dawn of a Shallow DreamShaftLuminous WitchesShaftRWBY: Ice QueendomShaftPlanning supervisor2023Zom 100: Bucket List of the DeadBug FilmsProduction assistanceThe Quintessential Quintuplets∽ShaftAnimation supervisor2025A Ninja and an Assassin Under One RoofShaft
OVAs/ONAs Year Title Studio Producer Planner Other roles and notes Ref(s)1987Yume kara, SamenaiShaftColor coordinatorTaiman Blues: Naoto Shimizu-henShaftColor coordinator1991Legend of Heavenly Sphere Shurato: Dark GenesisTatsunoko ProductionSpecial effects1994Legend of the Galactic HeroesKitty Film Mitaka StudioMagic BusShaftProduction assistantProduction managerProduction desk1995Weather Report GirlPastelCel painter1996Shadow SkillZero-G RoomProduction desk1997Inma Youjo: The Erotic TemptressMagic BusProduction deskLegend of Crystania: The Chaos RingTriangle StaffProduction managerSakura DiariesShaftProduction manager1998Legend of the Galactic Heroes GaidenShaftProduction manager2001Initial D Extra StagePastelKikaider 01: The AnimationRadixStudio Ox2002Arcade Gamer FubukiShaft2006Negima! SpringShaftNegima! Summer2008Negima! Shiroki Tsubasa Ala AlbaShaftGoku Sayonara, Zetsubou-SenseiShaft2009Negima! Mou Hitotsu no SekaiShaftZan Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei BangaichiShaft2011Katteni KaizōShaft2012Palutena's Revolting DinnerShaft2013Hidamari Sketch: Sae & Hiro's Graduation ArcShaft2014NisekoiShaft2015Magical Suite Prism NanaShaft2016The Beheading Cycle: The Blue Savant and the Nonsense BearerShaftKoyomimonogatariShaft2019Ikebukuro PR AnimeShaft2021Assault Lily FruitsShaft2024Monogatari Series Off & Monster SeasonShaft
Films Year Title Studio Producer Planner Other roles and notes Ref(s)1981Furiten-kunKnackCel painter1983Urusei Yatsura 2: Beautiful DreamerStudio PierrotCel painter1984Kakkun CafeOsamu KobayashiColor coordinator1994Street Fighter II: The Animated MovieGroup TACCel painter2007Kino's Journey: Country of IllnessShaft2011Negima! Anime FinalShaft2012Puella Magi Madoka Magica: BeginningsShaftPuella Magi Madoka Magica: Eternal2013Puella Magi Madoka Magica: Rebellion2016Kizumonogatari I: TekketsuShaftKizumonogatari II: NekketsuShaft2017Kizumonogatari III: ReiketsuShaftFireworksShaftProduction committee2022The Quintessential Quintuplets MovieBibury Animation StudiosThanks2024Kizumonogatari: Koyomi VampShaft2025Virgin Punk: Clockwork GirlShaft2026Puella Magi Madoka Magica: Walpurgisnacht - RisingShaft
Video games Year Title Developer Studio Roles Ref(s)1997Roommate: Inoue RyoukoDatam PolystarFupacShaftAnimation producer2001You're Under ArrestHamster CorporationShaftProduction manager2003Neon Genesis Evangelion: Girlfriend of Steel 2ndGainaxGainaxProduction2017Magia Recordf4samuraiShaftProduction assistance2021Assault Lily Last BulletPokelaboShaftExecutive producer2025Puella Magi Madoka Magica: Magia Exedraf4samuraiPokelaboShaftProduction assistance
Other Year Title Roles Ref(s)2023The Quintessential Quintuplets∽ Art ExhibitProduction committee2026SHAFT 50th Anniversary ExhibitionProduction committee
Notes General notes
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