Reiko Okuyama, née, was a Japanese animator, notable for being one of the first female Japanese animators. She has also been credited as Reiko Kotabe and Reiko Kitagawa. The 2019 asadoraNatsuzora is loosely based on her life and career.
Early life
Okuyama spent much of her early life confined to bed due to a series of illnesses. She developed her interest in drawing during this time. After the end of World War II, she entered mission school. After graduation, she entered Tohoku University. Obeying her father's wishes, she entered this university. But, she dropped out and left her home town to work inTokyo. She had various jobs in Tokyo. A few years later, her uncle referred her to a job at Toei Animation.
Career
In 1957 Okuyama applied for a position with Toei Doga, mistakenly believing that they were publishers of children's books. Her drawing skills were enough for her to be hired as an in-betweener. Her first work was on the landmark feature-length animeHakuja den. She was promoted to second key animator on 1959's Shonen Sarutobi Sasuke, in spite of some sexual discrimination on the part of the studio heads. Okuyama continued her work as second key animator for 1960's Saiyuki. Her primary role was to even out the stylistic differences between the work of Toei Doga's two top animators, Yasuji Mori and Akira Daikuhara. Okuyama continued to work for Toei Doga until 1976, eventually rising to the position of head animator. After briefly joining her husband at Nippon Animation, Okuyama went freelance, providing work for one last Toei film, 1979's :ja:龍の子太郎|Tatsu no ko Taro. She has gone on to illustrate several children's books, and has taught animation at the Tokyo Designer Academy. She participated in the animated project Winter Days in 2003. She then continued to produce animation until she died on May 6, 2007.
Personal life
In 1963, Okuyama married Yoichi Kotabe, a fellow animator. Okuyama gave birth to their first child shortly thereafter. On May 6, 2007 Okuyama died.
