Nizō Yamamoto

Nizo Yamamoto (山本 二三, Yamamoto Nizō, 27 June 1953 – 19 August 2023) was a Japanese art director. He began his career working on Future Boy Conan, but also worked on numerous films, most notably Studio Ghibli films such as Castle in the Sky, Grave of the Fireflies, Princess Mononoke, and Spirited Away. Additionally, he worked on Mamoru Hosoda's film The Girl Who Leapt Through Time and Makoto Shinkai's film Weathering with You. He died of stomach cancer on 19 August 2023, at the age of 70.

Works

Director Onigiri Kororin - (おにぎりころりん), 1991 Miyori no Mori - (ミヨリの森), 2007 Tenjo Taifu - (天上大風～わたしが出遇った良寛さま～), 2017

Art director Future Boy Conan - (未来少年コナン), 1978 Jarinko Chie - (じゃりン子チエ), 1981 Sherlock Hound - (名探偵ホームズ), 1984 Castle in the Sky - (天空の城ラピュタ), 1986 Grave of the Fireflies - (火垂るの墓), 1988 Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland - (NEMO ニモ), 1989 Fujiko F Fujio no SF Tanpen Theater Ep.1 - (藤子F不二雄SF短編シアター「宇宙船製造法」), 1990 Ojisan Kaizou Kouza - (おじさん改造講座), 1990 Onigiri Kororin - (おにぎりころりん), 1991 Dōgen Sama - (道元さま), 1992 The Wolf and the Seven Young Goats - (おおかみと7ひきのこやぎ), 1993 Tōi Umi kara Kita Coo - (遠い海から来たCOO), 1993 Tobira wo Akete - (トビラを開けて), 1995 Princess Mononoke - (もののけ姫), 1997 Clover - (CLOVER), 1999 Yocchan no Biidama - (よっちゃんのビー玉), 1999 Fantastic Children - (ファンタジックチルドレン), 2004 The Girl Who Leapt Through Time - (時をかける少女), 2006 Kawa no Hikari - (川の光), 2009 The Bears'School Jackie & Keity - (くまのがっこう ジャッキーとケイティ), 2010

Assistant background art director Monarch: The Big Bear of Tallac - (シートン動物記 くまの子ジャッキー), 1977 Bannertail: The Story of Gray Squirrel - (シートン動物記 りすのバナー), 1979

Background art Anne of Green Gables - (赤毛のアン), 1979 Lupin the 3rd Part II - (ルパン三世 TV第2シリーズ), 1980 Phoenix 2772 - (火の鳥2772 愛のコスモゾーン), 1980 Sanshiro Sugata - (姿三四郎), 1981 Adieu Galaxy Express 999 - (さよなら銀河鉄道999 アンドロメダ終着駅), 1981 Haguregumo - (浮浪雲), 1982 The Golden Bird - (グリム童話 金の鳥), 1987 The Story of Yanagawa's Canals - (柳川堀割物語), 1987 Robot Carnival - (ロボットカーニバル), 1987 Goku: Midnight Eye II - (MIDNIGHT EYE ゴクウ II), 1989 Cyber City Oedo 808 - (電脳都市OEDO808), 1990 A Wind Named Amnesia - (風の名はアムネジア), 1990 Soreike! Anpanman: Baikinman no Gyakushuu - (それいけ!アンパンマン ばいきんまんの逆襲), 1990 Only Yesterday - (おもひでぽろぽろ), 1991 Legend of Crystania – The Motion Picture - (はじまりの冒険者たち レジェンド・オブ・クリスタニア), 1995 Anne no Nikki - (アンネの日記), 1995 Whisper of the Heart - (耳をすませば), 1995 Memories: Magnetic Rose - (MEMORIES Episode.1「彼女の想いで」), 1995 Spriggan - (スプリガン), 1998 Perfect Blue - (パーフェクトブルー), 1998 Spirited Away - (千と千尋の神隠し), 2001 A Tree of Palme - (パルムの樹), 2002 Nitaboh - (NITABOH 仁太坊-津軽三味線始祖外聞), 2004 Arashi no Yoru ni - (あらしのよるに), 2005 Fullmetal Alchemist the Movie: Conqueror of Shamballa - (劇場版 鋼の錬金術師 シャンバラを征く者), 2005 Highlander: The Search for Vengeance, 2007 Porphy no Nagai Tabi - (ポルフィの長い旅), 2008 Mai Mai Miracle - (マイマイ新子と千年の魔法), 2009 Welcome to the Space Show - (宇宙ショーへようこそ), 2010 Je t'aime - (Je t'aime), 2010 Rainbow Fireflies - (虹色ほたる 〜永遠の夏休み〜), 2012 The Life of Budori Gusuko - (グスコーブドリの伝記), 2012 Weathering with You - (天気の子), 2019

Art books Nizou Yamamoto Works from Film (山本二三画集 フィルムからの言葉). Kadokawa Shoten, 1993. The Background Art Of Yamamoto Nizo (山本二三背景画集). Kosaido Publishing, 2012. Yamamoto Nizo Landscape Painting (山本二三 風景を描く). Bijutsu Shuppan, 2013. 100 Views Yamamoto Nizo (山本二三百景 新装版). EI Publishing, 2019.