Anime just lost a legend whose work quietly connected generations of fans. 🕊️ Veteran animator, character designer and animation director Kenichiro Katsura has passed away at 59 while undergoing treatment for an illness. Across more than four decades, Katsura worked on everything from classic anime to modern hits, sometimes designing entire casts and other times helping bring individual scenes to life. Some of his notable works included: - Macross 7 — character design / animation direction - Knight’s & Magic — character design / chief animation director - That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime — chief animation director - SYNDUALITY Noir — character design / chief animation director - Ranma ½ — key animation - Magic Knight Rayearth — key animation - Date A Live II — key animation - Blue Lock Season 2 — key animation - Gintama: The Movie 2026 – Yoshiwara in Flames — animation director - The Fruit of Grisaia — chief animation director Anime and many more! From Ranma ½ and Macross 7 to Blue Lock and Slime, Katsura’s career became a bridge between different eras of anime. His family’s final request was beautifully fitting: remember the characters and drawings you loved, and someday watch his work again. The animator is gone, but thousands of frames carrying his hand will keep moving. Rest in peace, Kenichiro Katsura. 🤍