Mamoru Nagano
Japanese mechanic designer, character designer, cartoonist
About Mamoru Nagano
Born 1960. Mamoru Nagano is a Japanese mangaka, film director, animator, mechanical designer, character designer and comics artist.
is a Japanese manga artist, animator, and mecha and character designer. Born in Maizuru, Kyoto Prefecture, he is noted for his work with anime studio Sunrise. He is married to voice actress Maria Kawamura.
Career Mamoru Nagano made his professional debut in 1984 working with Yoshiyuki Tomino on the TV series Heavy Metal L-Gaim. Fool for the City, his first manga, came out in 1985 but it was 1986 that brought The Five Star Stories, which is still in production today. Nagano founded Toys Press, Inc. to publish much of his work.
His work in Heavy Metal L-Gaim introducing mecha with armor plates that appeared to fit loosely over an internal skeleton. These detailed and somewhat plausible designs sparked a fresh wave of designs in mecha anime. From there, Nagano went on to design elegant and graceful mecha for his manga The Five Star Stories that displayed elongated lines, delicate curves and a degree of decoration and detail that appealed to the imaginations of a generation of mecha fans. Nagano can be called an innovator in the field of mecha design. He has also contributed to the mecha designs of Zeta Gundam. Among his contributions were the Rick Dias and Hyaku Shiki.
Nagano is also the co-author (along with Kunihiko Ikuhara) and illustrator of Schell Bullet, a novel in two volumes. Later, he has worked on the anime Gothicmade with studio Automatic Flowers as the producer, director, chief writer, character and mechanical designer for the series.
Nagano is a very versatile man and has been a professional artist, manga writer, musician and fashion designer. Some of his art books show him dressed up as Minako Aino from Sailor Moon for cosplay.
Works Manga Fool For the City - Story and art The Five Star Stories β Story and art
Anime All That Gundam β Mechanical design Brain Powered β Mecha design Delpower X Bakuhatsu Miracle Genki! β Character design The Five Star Stories β Original manga Giant Gorg β Mechanical Design Gundam Evolve β Mechanical design Gothicmade β Director, screenplay, storyboard, original creator, character design, key animation, layout, photography Heavy Metal L-Gaim β Character design Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam β Design Round Vernian Vifam β Mechanical Design
Video games Tekken 3 β Anna Williams's costume design Tekken Tag Tournament β Anna Williams's costume design Tekken 5 β Anna Williams's extra costume design Tekken 6 β Anna Williams and Asuka Kazama's costume design
Novels Schell Bullet β with Kunihiko Ikuhara
Donβt just read it β
keep it.
Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.
- E-book
- Audio
- Video
Instant download Β· yours to keep Β· every purchase keeps this site free
Important facts
Family & relationships
People in Mamoru Nagano's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Mamoru Nagano's
Frequently asked questions
Who is Mamoru Nagano?
Japanese mechanic designer, character designer, cartoonist (1960-)
When was Mamoru Nagano born?
Mamoru Nagano was born on 21 January 1960 in Maizuru.
What is Mamoru Nagano's occupation?
Mamoru Nagano is a mangaka, film director, animator, mechanical designer, character designer and comics artist.
What nationality is Mamoru Nagano?
Mamoru Nagano is Japanese.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Mamoru Nagano. https://biography.guide/mamoru-nagano/
MLA: "Mamoru Nagano." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/mamoru-nagano/.
Chicago: "Mamoru Nagano." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/mamoru-nagano/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 Β· Spot an error? Report a correction.
Page generated 2026-09-27 05:13 UTC