Mecha Personnel Profile: Kou Yoshinari – The One-Man-Team Animator
Sakugas is every fans’ wet dream, especially mecha. The intricate details and the smoothness of the mechanical motions of something so enormous instill inspiration and awe in everyone’s hearts. And when you talk about mecha sakugas, there are a few names that we cannot not mention. And one of them is Kou Yoshinari – the perfectionist animator that created amazing mecha moments that still looks amazing no matter when you see them.
I. Background:
Kou Yoshinari, born on 20 January, 1969 in Tokyo. He is classmate with Shingo Suzuki, Yasuhiro Ohisa, and Hironori Yamamoto. He is a massive fan of Yoshinori Kanada, whose animation style influenced a lot of Kou’s work. He also has a younger brother – Yoh Yoshinari – who is also a prolific animator due to Kou’s influence. He is currently working with Studio Silver.
Kou Yoshinari is famous (or rather, infamous) of being a perfectionist. He is very meticulous in his work so much so that he does everything by himself. His scenes are almost 100% pure Kou Yoshinari goodness. He does everything from the key frames, to the in-betweens, to the coloring, etc… Due to his super commitment to quality, his cuts are sometimes mistaken for being hand-painted or CG due to the solid shading and elaborate coloring, which is actually feasible only through digital techniques.
He debuted his unique animating method in 2004 on the 4th OP of Fullmetal Alchemist and on the super popular Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha first episode. His cuts was praised by sakuga fans and he then became a prominent name in the sakuga enthusiast circle. Due to his very unusual schedule, Studio Silver usually employs him for video game cutscenes rather than seasonal animes.
Kou Yoshinari, born on 20 January, 1969 in Tokyo. He is classmate with Shingo Suzuki, Yasuhiro Ohisa, and Hironori Yamamoto. He is a massive fan of Yoshinori Kanada, whose animation style influenced a lot of Kou’s work. He also has a younger brother – Yoh Yoshinari – who is also a prolific animator due to Kou’s influence. He is currently working with Studio Silver.
Kou Yoshinari is famous (or rather, infamous) of being a perfectionist. He is very meticulous in his work so much so that he does everything by himself. His scenes are almost 100% pure Kou Yoshinari goodness. He does everything from the key frames, to the in-betweens, to the coloring, etc… Due to his super commitment to quality, his cuts are sometimes mistaken for being hand-painted or CG due to the solid shading and elaborate coloring, which is actually feasible only through digital techniques.
He debuted his unique animating method in 2004 on the 4th OP of Fullmetal Alchemist and on the super popular Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha first episode. His cuts was praised by sakuga fans and he then became a prominent name in the sakuga enthusiast circle. Due to his very unusual schedule, Studio Silver usually employs him for video game cutscenes rather than seasonal animes.
II. Notable Works:
Kou Yoshinari animated for many famous series and his cuts are always praised by fans. But for animes, he usually just did a few episodes due to his erratic perfectionism. Some series include Fullmetal Alchemist, Armitage III, Irresponsible Captain Tylor, Dinagiga, Angel Links, etc… He was also set to be the character designer for Neppu Kairiku Bushiroad before it was cancelled after the OVA.
His main work lies in the video games, where his animated cutscenes blew fans away with how detailed and smooth they look. His most notable works are White Album, Sunrise Eiyuutan and Muv-Luv. His mecha cut-scenes has immaculate details with amazing shading, along with some really realistic explosion effects. Kou Yoshinari and his brother – another genius animator – Yoh Yoshinari single handedly animated every cut-scenes for the Muv-Luv Visual Novel trilogy, and they look absolutely stunning.
His most recent mecha works were Eureka Seven and the Shin Evangelion movie 1.0.
You can check out his work here: /kou yoshinari | sakugabooru
III. Gallery:
See Also:
A machine fitting for the queen of Neo Zeon. The Qubeley is a special machine made for a special pilot. Its funnel dominate the battlefield.
The queen of Neo Zeon, Haman Karn is a charismatic and talented leader, commanding the entire Axis herself. But deep underneath, she possesses a pure soul like any other girl.
Power overwhelming! One of the main Gundam with the highest firepower pre CCA. The ZZ Gundam is an all-in-one combiner that was pivotal in the war against the Neo Zeon.
A refreshing protagonist in the war-torn era of UC, Judau Ashta bring the levity to the Gundam franchise. But when on the spot, he can pull his own weight and then some.
The stoic and talented commander of the Vagan Force. Zeheart leads his people in the war against the Federation, serving the ultimate ideal of Lord Ezelcant. But deep down, he cares about his loved ones.
The backbone of the Principality of Zeon in the One Year War. The Zaku is not a super prototype, but its reliable performance has brought Zeon many victories – especially when Char Aznable pilot it.
One of the most chonky bois to ever appear on screen. Piloted by the nefarious Scirocco, The-O is an impressive MS that is more agile than it looks.
A mysterious and charismatic man from Jupiter that almost plunge the Earth and the Spacenoids into chaos. Paptimus Scirocco is literally a force to be reckon with.
One of the strongest Newtype pilot of Universal Century, Kamille Bidan wiped out the fearsome Titans with the Gundams because they disrespected his name.
The ultimate evolution of the Age Gundams. The Age-FX can bring an X-Rounder’s ability to their maximum potential, featuring funnels that can wipe out fleets of enemy.
No fancy super abilities, no magical genetic advantages, Asemu established himself as a thorough pilot with extreme ability. And he is more than capable to continue the Gundam’s legacy.
The first transformable Gundam in the franchise. The Zeta Gundam is an iconic mobile suit that paved the way for many Gundams that come after.
Gundam runs in the family. As Flit’s grandson and Asemu’s son, Kio Asuno follows in his family footstep as he become the ultimate pilot of the 3rd generation.
The Red Comet that flies 3x faster than anyone. A man shrouded by mystery and bloodshed. He is Char Aznable of Zeon – or is he…?
Another change in generation – the Age-3 Gundam continues to be the Asuno family’s ace in the hole, sporting all new gimmick and superior firepower.
The first Gundam pilot that paved the way for the legend of the “White Devil”. Amuro Ray is no doubt the franchise’s most iconic Gundam pilot.
The grandfather of all Gundams – the RX078-2 is a super prototype that paved the way for the Federation’s victory. It is both feared and revered by all.
The 2nd generation Gundam, the Age-2 is a straight upgrade with a heavy focus on high mobility and great firepower. A vital element in the war between the Federation and the Vagan.
The voice of the best pilots and most gallant gentlemen in mecha, Show Hayami captivate boys and girls alike with his amazing voice acting.
The first generation Gundam of the Advance Generation, the Age-1 Gundam is Flit Asuno’s most trusted partner and has served him for decades.
A normal teenage boy thrown into a brutal war for humanity’s survival. Thankfully his gamer skills aid him in becoming one of the best TSF pilot ever!