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 | July 1, 1958 Sumiyoshi-ku, Osaka, Japan |
| Pen name | Otaking (オタキング) |
| Occupation | Producer, essayist, businessman, critic, planner |
| Language | Japanese |
| Nationality | Japan |
| Genre | Biography Essay Assessment |
| Subject | Subculture Science Fiction Film Humanities Social science |
| Notable works | Introduction to Otakuology Japan Otaku Award Don't Think You Have To Be Fat Forever |
| Spouse | Kazumi Okada (1989–1999) |
| Children | Shizuka Okada |
| Website | |
| blog | |
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 |
External links
- Official blog (in Japanese)
- Toshio Okada on Twitter
- Toshio Okada on Facebook
- Toshio Okada's channel on YouTube
- Toshio Okada at IMDb
- Otaking Space Port: Toshio Okada On The Web (in Japanese)
- A Review of "You Otaku Are Already Dead"
- Return of the Otaking: Toshio Okada at Anime America '96 -(introduction)
- "Conscience of the Otaking" -(4-part 1995/1996 Animerica interview)
References
- Takeda 2002.
- "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
- Takeda, Yasuhiro (2002). The Notenki memoirs: studio Gainax and the men who created Evangelion. ADV Manga. p. 190. ISBN 1-4139-0234-0.
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