(April 7, 1944 – May 16, 2011) was an art director and mecha designer in the Japanese anime industry.

After working for Toei Doga, he joined Tatsunoko Productions, where he drew background art and designed mecha, supporting the first Tatsunoko golden age. After leaving Tatsunoko, he founded Design Office Mecaman and served as its representative director.

Style Nakamura worked as art director on a number of anime works and has likewise worked as a mechanical designer.

He is one of the pioneering mecha designers in the Japanese anime industry and was the first to have his name included in the end credits. His best-known works as a mecha designer include Mach Five from Speed Racer, God Phoenix from Science Ninja Team Gatchaman and Time Mechabuton from Time Bokan. Mach Five, in particular, is regarded as a masterpiece of the first Tatsunoko golden age for its outstanding design sense, and its design was so perfect that it was used almost unchanged in the 2008 live-action film Speed Racer by The Wachowskis, 40 years later.

However, his speciality was not mecha design, but anime background art. Background art plays a very important role in Japanese-style animation expression techniques. This has become increasingly the case in recent years, and Nakamura's art was one of the factors to move in this direction. His representative works as an art director include Science Ninja Team Gatchaman, Mobile Suit Gundam, and Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind.

Career After graduating from junior high school, Nakamura joined Toei Doga through the help of his school teacher. He gained experience in various jobs as an assistant and then as a member of the colouring staff, where he developed his knowledge of paints and colours.

Nakamura, who wanted to paint background art, moved to the newly established Tatsunoko Productions in 1964 through an introduction from Toei. After working on the studio's first TV series Space Ace, his love of cars led him to design cars for the studio's second work, the car racing anime series Speed Racer.

He became head of the art section, where he instructs Yoshitaka Amano and Kunio Okawara. At that time, Tatsunoko's art section was not only responsible for art, but also for the design of backgrounds, props, robots and cars, all of which were entrusted to Nakamura, who was trusted by the president, Tatsuo Yoshida. The staff included many aspiring painters who had left art college, some working for a living and some with personalities of their own, and he had to lead them as section head. With the number of animations even increasing, it was impossible for him to do everything on his own. He therefore decided to entrust some of the mechanical design work to Okawara, who had just joined Tatsunoko. Nakamura and Okawara were credited as mechanical designers for the first time in Japanese animation history in Science Ninja Team Gatchaman, which began airing in 1972.

At the end of 1976, he left Tatsunoko Productions and founded Design Office Mecaman with Kunio Okawara. Initially, Mecaman was planned to be a mecha design company, as Okawara was also a member of the company. However, he soon became independent and the company specialised in background art.

Nakamura died of oral cancer on May 16, 2011, at the age of 67.

Works + Year Title Credits NotesTV anime series1965-1966Space Ace Background art1967-1968Speed Racer Art director Although only credited as art director, he actually did more than that, working on mecha design and OP key frames. He designed Mach Five.1967-1968Oraa Guzura Dado Art director1968-1969Dokachin the Primitive Boy Art director1969Judo Boy Background art1969-1970The Genie Family Art director1970-1971The Adventures of Hutch the Honeybee Art director1970-1972Inakappe Taishō Art director1971Animentary: Decision Art settings1971-1972Hyppo and Thomas Art director1972Pinocchio: The Series Background art1972-1973Tamagon the Counselor Art1972-1974Science Ninja Team Gatchaman Art director, mecha design He designed the mecha for the main characters, including God Phoenix. The enemy mecha & guest mecha were designed by Kunio Okawara.1973Demetan Croaker, The Boy Frog Art director1973-1974Casshan Art director He worked not only on art but also on mechanical design. One staff member was selected as an assistant, and Kunio Okawara helped him a little.1974-1975Hurricane Polymar Art director, mecha design He designed the main character mecha and Kunio Okawara designed the enemy mecha.1975Tekkaman: The Space Knight Art director He designed the Blue Earth, Yoshitaka Amano designed Tekkaman and Pegas, and Kunio Okawara designed the enemy mecha.1975-1976Time Bokan Art director, mecha design He designed the main mecha and almost all the sub-mecha and guest mecha.1976-1977Paul's Miraculous Adventure Art director, mecha design1976-1977Robokko Beeton Art director1977-1978Supercar Gattiger Art director, mecha design1977-1979Yatterman Mecha design Time Bokan series 2nd. He only designed two main mechas, Yatter One and Yatter Pelican. The other main mecha, which appeared mid-season, and sub mecha were designed by Kunio Okawara.1977-1978Invincible Super Man Zambot 3 Art director1978-1979Uchū Majin Daikengo Art director1978-1979Gatchaman II Art design1978-1979Invincible Steel Man Daitarn 3 Art Credited as Mecaman.1979Yamato: The New Voyage Mecha settings1979Kaitō Lupine 813 no Nazo Art director1979-1980Gatchaman Fighter Art design1979-1980Mobile Suit Gundam Art director 1979-1980The Ultraman Art1980The Wonderful Adventures of Nils Art director1980-1981Space Runaway Ideon Art director Under the pseudonym .1981-1984Urusei Yatsura Art director1981-1982Golden Warrior Gold Lightan Art PIC1981-1983Fang of the Sun Dougram Art director1981Bremen 4: Angels in Hell Art director1981-1983Miss Machiko Art director1982Shiroi Kiba: White Fang Story Stage settings1982-1983The Mysterious Cities of Gold Art director1983-1984Mrs. Pepper Pot Art director1984-1987Fist of the North Star Art design1984-1985Persia, the Magic Fairy Art director1985Dirty Pair Art director1987-1989The Three Musketeers Art1987-1989Metal Armor Dragonar Art1988-1989Grimm's Fairy Tale Classics Art director1988The Burning Wild Man Art director1989Lupin III TV special: Bye-Bye Liberty Crisis Art director1993-1994Tanoshii Willows Town Art settings1994-1995Ginga Sengoku Gun'yūden Rai Art director1996-1997Gambalist! Shun Art director1996The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus Art director1996-1997You're Under Arrest Art director1997Speed Racer X Art director1998Maico 2010 Art director1998Zazca Art director1998Shadow Skill Art director2000-2001The Legend of the Gambler: Tetsuya Art design2000Time Bokan 2000: Kaitou Kiramekiman Art director2000-2001Mighty Cat Masked Niyander Art director2001Kinnikuman: Ultimate Muscle Art director2002Jing: King of Bandits Art director2002-2003Tsuribaka Nisshi Art director2003-2005Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo Art design2004Wind: A Breath of Heart Art director2004-2005Beet the Vandel Buster Art design2005-2006Beet the Vandel Buster: Excellion Art design2005Akahori Gedou Hour Rabuge Art director2005-2006Gaiking: Legend of Daiku-Maryu Art director2007Les Misérables: Shōjo Cosette Art director2008-2009Yatterman (remake) Art director2009Fresh Pretty Cure! Art Episodes 11 and 18 only.Anime films1978Science Ninja Team Gatchaman: The Movie Art director1981-1982Mobile Suit Gundam I, II, III Art director1982Techno Police 21C Art settings1982The Ideon: A Contact & The Ideon: Be Invoked Art director Unlike the TV version, he is credited under his real name.1983Crusher Joe Art director1983Dougram: Documentary of the Fang of the Sun Art1984Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind Art director1984Chikyuu Monogatari Telepath 2500 Art director1987Aitsu to Lullaby: Suiyōbi no Cinderella Art director1987Bats & Terry Art director1989Hengen Taima Yakō Karura Mau! Nara Onryō Emaki Art director1991Musha, Khisi, Command: SD Gundam Kinkyū Shutsugeki Art1993Rokudenashi Blues 1993 Art1994Raiyantsūrī no uta Art1996PiPi Tobenai Hotaru Art director1997Eikō eno Spur -Igaya Chiharu Monogatari- Art director2002Ecchan no Sensō Art director2008Pattenrai!! ~ Minami no Shima no Mizu Monogatari Art director2009Movie Fresh Pretty Cure! The Kingdom of Toys has Lots of Secrets!? Art directorOVA 1983-1985Dallos Art director1985-1986Area 88 Art director1985Kochira Katsushika-ku Kameari Kōen mae Hashutsujo Art director1985Megazone 23 Art director1986Twinkle heart: Ginga-kei made Todokanai Art director, art settings, boards1988Space Family Carlvinson Art director1988Tokyo Vice Art settings1989-1992Crying Freeman Art director1989-1990High-Speed Jecy Art director1990-1991Hengen Taima Yakō Karura Mau! Sendai Kokeshi Enka Art director1990Hana no Asuka-gumi!: Lonely Cats Battle Royale Art director1991Vampire Wars Art director1991Slow Step Art director1992Apfelland Monogatari Art director1992-1993Kishin Corps Art directorVideo games1997Itoi Shigesato no Bass Tsuri No. 1 Art settingsTV drama series1978Haguregumo Title picture

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