Martian Successor Nadesico, Bodacious Space Pirates Director Tatsuo Satō Dies

Satō died of liver failure last month at 61 years old

Anime studio NAGOMI revealed on Thursday that director and writer Tatsuo Satō died of liver failure on April 24. He was 61.

NAGOMI added that Satō had been undergoing medical treatment for some time before his death. His family held a private funeral, and NAGOMI plans to hold a memorial ceremony at a later date.

Satō was born in Kanagawa prefecture on July 7, 1964. After graduating from Waseda University he worked as an animator and assistant director at Ajiado. He then changed track to directing, and worked on anime such as Chibi Maruko-chan and Gaki Deka.

Satō directed the Martian Successor Nadesico, Stellvia, Atom The Beginning, Shigofumi - Letters from the Departed, Lagrange - The Flower of Rin-ne (chief director), Cat Soup, Soar High! Isami, Helck, and the Ninja Scroll television series (series director).

Sato served as head writer and director for Bodacious Space Pirates, Bodacious Space Pirates The Movie: Abyss of Hyperspace, Martian Successor Nadesico: The Motion Picture - Prince of Darkness, Tokyo Tribe 2, TASUKETSU -Fate of the Majority-, and Lord Marksman and Vanadis.

The Shingu: Secret of the Stellar Wars anime was based on his own original story, and he wrote the scripts for every episode and also directed the anime.

Martian Successor Nadesico: The Motion Picture - Prince of Darkness and Bodacious Space Pirates both won a Seiun Award, and Cat Soup won awards at the 6th Fantasia Film Festival and the 2001 Media Arts Festival.

Sources: NAGOMI's X/Twitter account, Comic Natalie