Recently a reader of my columns sent me a letter. It was on Japanese culture related with animation. He asked me if Japanese animators were acquainted with each other.

Some documentaries on movie producing let us know many creators do not know each other. Perhaps animators do not know others but hear their names. Some animation fans pay attention to Atsuko Nakajima. She is an animator at present. Mainly she designs styles of anime characters. For example, she took charge of the character-designer in TV-animation type "You're Under Arrest." Many Japanese animation fans knows it, of course. She also took charge of drawing director of ending theme of "Rurouni Kenshin." Some animation fans pointed out that Kaoru Kamiya in "Rurouni Kenshin" resembled Miyuki Kobayakawa in "You're Under Arrest" in TV animations.
Many people must had seen File 44: Bokutou 100 Stories of "You're Under Arrest." Director of Traffic Division frightened Natumi Tsujimoto and Ken Nakajima to tell them ghost stories. In the story, a shop called "Akabeko" and a shop called "Aoi-ya" appeared. Moreover, an old man stood in front of "Aoi-ya." He resembled Okina of Nenji Kashiwazaki in "Rurouni Kenshin."
You must know "Aoi-ya" and "Akabeko" appear on "Rurouni Kenshin."
Both "Rurouni Kenshin" and "You're Under Arrest" are popular animations in Japan. They holds backgrounds in common.
It is exciting. And you must not be angry.



(Atsuko Nakajima also took charge of the character-designer in TV-animation type "Ramma 1/2." The animation was also one of the earliest works of Megumi Hayashibara, the most popular voice actress in Japan. But Ranma does not resemble Kaoru Kamiya.)

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