Renowned Art Director Shigemi Ikeda Passes Away at 69

Shigemi Ikeda, the celebrated Emmy Award-winning art director known for his work on titles like My Hero Academia, Overlord, Gundam Seed, Afro Samurai, and GANTZ, passed away on October 13 at the age of 69. His passing was confirmed by Studio GONZO on October 26, with Ikeda's family sharing on his social media account that his funeral would be a private event for family members.

Ikeda's distinguished career earned him an Emmy in 2009 for "Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation" for his role as an art director on the film Afro Samurai: Resurrection, a collaboration between Spike TV and GONZO.

Throughout his career, Ikeda contributed as art director to numerous notable series and films, including the first Afro Samurai anime, Bastard!!, Bokurano, Inuyasha, Library War, Phantom - The Animation, Planetes, Starship Troopers, Macross Delta, Boogiepop and Others, and both Mobile Suit Gundam classics and recent installments like Mobile Suit Gundam Seed FREEDOM. His portfolio also spans seven seasons of My Hero Academia, four seasons and films of Overlord, the first two seasons of One-Punch Man, The Promised Neverland, Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon, and many more.

In addition to his vast artistic contributions, Ikeda was the founder of Atelier Musa, a background art studio he established in 1986.