Toshio Okada

Toshio Okada (岡田 斗司夫, Okada Toshio, born July 1, 1958) is an anime producer, author, and lecturer. He is a co-founder and former president of the production company Gainax. He is portrayed by actor Gaku Hamada in the 2014 TV Drama Aoi Honō based on the autobiographical manga by his fellow Kazuhiko Shimamoto. He is representative director of Otaking Inc. and Cloud City Inc., as well as the founder of FREEex Inc. He also served as a part-time lecturer at the University of Tokyo's college of art and sciences and as a visiting scholar at Osaka University of Arts' character creative arts department.

Toshio Okada
Native name
岡田 斗司夫
Born (1958-07-01) July 1, 1958
Sumiyoshi-ku, Osaka, Japan
Pen nameOtaking (オタキング)
OccupationProducer, essayist, businessman, critic, planner
LanguageJapanese
NationalityJapan
GenreBiography
Essay
Assessment
SubjectSubculture
Science Fiction
Film
Humanities
Social science
Notable worksIntroduction to Otakuology
Japan Otaku Award
Don't Think You Have To Be Fat Forever
SpouseKazumi Okada (1989–1999)
ChildrenShizuka Okada
Website
blog.livedoor.jp/okada_toshio/

Biography

Childhood

Okada was born on July 1, 1958 in Osaka, Japan.

He has written several Japanese-language books on otaku culture, and lectured on the topic as an adjunct instructor at University of Tokyo from 1996 to 1997.[1] He is considered the foremost authority on otaku and in addition, in a tribute to his own otaku-ness[2] has been crowned "OtaKing" amongst his colleagues and fellow otaku.

University, Daicon Film and General Products

Okada was admitted to Osaka Electro-Communication University to learn to use computer in 1978, but he could not obtain any credits in the first year because he had forgotten to hand in his course registration form. For this reason, he stopped completing all the courses necessary for a university degree, and he joined a group of SF fans and went into its activity. He lived on a monthly allowance from his parents who did not know of his dropping out. In the same year, he saw Star Wars while dressed as Darth Vader.

In 1981, his group promoted 20th Japanese SF convention (aka Daicon III), and he put "DAICON III Opening Animation" on the screen. Okada and Yasuhiro Takeda and their group established "Daicon Film" as an anime producing team and commissioned undergraduates of Osaka University of Arts to produce DAICON III and IV Opening Animations for the SF convention. Hideaki Anno, Takami Akai, and Hiroyuki Yamaga who were undergraduates of that university worked on those animations.

Okada realized that he could make a business out of selling SciFi products because he made a large profit selling Garage kits and videos of opening animations at this convention.

In 1981, he was formally expelled from his university.

On February 14, 1982, he opened "General Products" as a part of his parents company to sell SF Goods in Osaka. Before opening his shop, he borrowed money from his parents and got permission to use term of general products from Larry Niven. In this year, he got married.

Gainax

In 1986, he established Gainax as an Anime studio and isolated General Products from his parents company. Okada assumed office as CEO of Gainax and Yasuhiro Takeda assumed office as CEO of General Products.

In 1989, Okada's first child was born, a daughter.

In 1992, Okada retired from Gainax.

Works

Anime

Title Year Post
Daicon III Opening Film 1981 Planner
Daicon IV Opening Film 1983 Planner
Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honnêamise 1987 Planner
Gunbuster 1988 Scriptwriter
Otaku no Video 1991 Scriptwriter
Planner

Books

Japanese Title English Title Year ISBN
ぼくたちの洗脳社会
Bokutachi No Sennou Shakai
Our Brainwashing Society 1995 4-02-261244-4
オタク学入門
Otaku-gaku Nyumon
Introduction to Otakuology 1996 4-10-290019-5
東大オタク学講座
Toudai Otaku-gaku Kouza
University of Tokyo Otaku Studies Course 1997 4-06-208292-6
国際おたく大学 1998年 最前線からの研究報告
Kokusai Otaku-gaku 1998-nen Saizensen Kara No Kenkyuuhoukusha
International Otaku Studies: 1998 Report From The Front Line 1998 4-334-97182-2
失われた未来
Ushinawareta Mirai
Lost Future 2000 4-620-31450-1
フロン 結婚生活・19の絶対法則
Furon Kekkon Seikatsu: 19 No Zettai Housoku
Furon Married Life: 19 Absolute Rules 2001 4-907727-19-4
日本オタク大賞
Nippon Otaku Taishou
Japan Otaku Award 2003 4-594-03900-6
恋愛自由市場主義宣言!—確実に「ラブ」と「セックス」を手に入れる鉄則
Renai Jyuushijyou Shuki Senken! Kakujitsu Ni "Rabu" To "Sekkusu" Wo Te Ni Ireru Tessoku
Declaration of Love's Free-market Principles! Absolute Rules Certain To Obtain "Love" and "Sex" 2003 4-8211-0842-9
プチクリ!—好き=才能!
Puchikuri Suki = Sainou!
Little Creator: Love = Talent! 2005 4-344-01082-5
世界征服」は可能か?
Sekaiseifuku Wa Kanouka?
Is World Conquest Possible? 2007 4-480-68762-9
いつまでもデブと思うなよ
Itsu Made Mo Debu To Omou Na Yo
Don't Think You Have To Be Fat Forever 2007 4-10-610227-7
オタクはすでに死んでいる
Otaku Wa Sude Ni Shindeiru
You Otaku Are Already Dead 2008 4-10-610258-7

Video games

Title Year Post
Cybernetic Hi-School 1989 Planner
Cybernetic Hi-School Scenario I Ver2.0 1989 Planner
Cybernetic Hi-School II 1989 Planner
Cybernetic Hi-School III 1990 Planner
Cybernetic Hi-School IV 1991 Planner

Movie

Title Year Post
Aikoku Sentai Dai Nippon 1982 Scriptwriter
Kaiketsu Noutenki 1982 Actor (as Goro Asuka )
The Return of Ultraman 1983 Scriptwriter
Noutenki in USA 1984 Director

Career

Post Period Organization
Shop manager 1982–1984 General Products
President 1984–1992 Gainax Company, Limited
Visiting scholar 2005–2015 Character Creative Arts Department, Osaka University of Arts
Lecturer 2003 Massachusetts Institute of Technology
President 1997–current Otaking Co,.Ltd
Part‐time teacher 1994–1995 College of Arts and Sciences, University of Tokyo
President 2011–current Cloud City Co,.Ltd

References

  1. Takeda 2002.
  2. "In those days, we didn't have the word "otaku" yet, but my first impression of Okada was, Here's a geek if I've ever seen one.' With his girly long hair and his freakishly excited way of speaking, all I could think was, This guy is exactly like me? pg 31, Takeda 2005
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