AMPLIFY: Reiko Okuyama
This month's edition of AMPLIFY features the Legendary Animator Reiko Okuyama, a woman who turned an accidental job interview into a career full of animation and fought against gender discrimination in 1960s Japan.
Reiko Okuyama was born in Japan c.1936. As a child, she developed an interest in drawing while being confined to her bed due to an ongoing childhood illness. Okuyama entered the world of animation by accident. She applied for what she believed was a designer position for children’s books at Toei Doga (doga meaning picture book) but ended up in the animation department.
Being a woman in the animation industry is difficult, even today, women fighting against gender bias in anime. Reiko Okuyama encountered sexism during her time at Toei Doga (1957-1977), especially after marrying fellow animator, Yōichi Kotabe in 1963 and giving birth to their first child. She defied company executives and society by working full time and becoming one of the first female lead animators of her generation. From an in-betweener to a key animator and finally, head animator in 1976, achieving so much in the face of adversity. She was at the forefront of fighting for women’s rights and against gender discrimination in the animation industry. Okuyama spent her career drawing, animating, developing new techniques, and eventually teaching and mentoring future animators at the Tokyo Designer Gakuin College.
Five facts about Reiko Okuyama
Animator on the first Japanese animated feature film in color, “The Tale of the White Serpent” (1958)
First Woman to supervise an animation in a feature-length film (Little Mermaid, 1975)
In the late eighties, she worked with the legendary Studio Ghibli on Grave of Fireflies (Isao Takahata, 1988) *highly recommended*
Known from her geometrical shape/ snappy and caricaturesque animation, and later on, she learned copper etching work
She’s sometimes credited under the name Reiko Kotabe (Odabe)
Cool things to check out
Reiko Okuyama animation reel compiled by Josh H includes her work on Puss in Boots
Read about Reiko Okuyama and Kazuko Nakamura, two women pioneers in Japanese Anime who changed the system and fought against gender discrimination, rising to leadership positions at Toei Doga
Reiko Okuyama and her animated drawings
Reiko was a part of multiple animations during her time with Toei Doga and freelancing
More information on Reiko Okuyama the fight against gender discrimination in amination in Japan
Reiko Okuyama Legacy
Reiko Okuyama continues to inspire animators and designers, who are fighting to be seen. Her life and personality were the inspiration for the 2019 fictional character Okuhara Natsu (played by Hirose Suzu) in NHK’s 100th series, Natsuzora. It’s a 156 episodes Asadora (morning drama) that tells the story Okuhara Natsu, a girl who moves to Tokyo to join the animation industry and fulfills her dreams of becoming an animator. Just like Okuyama, Natsu overcame many obstacles working in the male-dominated industry, fighting against her company’s unfair labor practices, and became a recognized animator in Japan.
Reiko Okuyama was someone who pushed boundaries and refused to back down. She notably fought for gender and labor equality during her time at Toei Doga and spent the rest of her life working independently, teaching and developing her art. Her last work was an independent anime film by the late director Isao Takahata in 2003, called Winter Days. She and her husband, Yoichi Kotabe, designed the film, utilizing Okuyama’s copperplate engravings. The film and its designs are somber and sentimental, fitting for a story about motherhood, grief, and bereavement.
Her legacy lives on not only as an animator but as an inspiration for future female animators fighting for leadership and the ability to showcase their talent.
A brief note about AMPLIFY:
Hi! I’m Joycelyn Ghansah and I hope you enjoyed this month’s feature on The Legendary Reiko Okuyama. I hope to bring you more insight and commentary on the relatively unknown, but extraordinary women who’ve made an impact in this world.
Joycelyn lives in Cypress, Texas. She’s the daughter of immigrants and did not go to Law School, but received three degrees (BA, MA, MPH) and is happily freelancing and working in the nonprofit world. She enjoys writing about healthcare recruitment and even worked as a Healthcare Organizer. When she’s not writing, she’s transcribing, developing community toolkits, and researching womxn’s history. Which is why she’s excited about writing for AMPLIFY. On her off days, she spends her time on Twitter reminding everyone to drink water and enabling others to watch more dramas. Follow her on Twitter: @jg_humanitarian
