Masami Ōbari


Masami Ōbari is a Japanese anime director, animation director and mecha and character designer.
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Biography

After graduating from high school in 1985, Masami Obari began his career when he joined the animation studio Ashi Production, where he worked on shows such as Special Armored Battalion Dorvack, Transformers, and Star Musketeer Bismarck. Soon after, at the age of 19, he got his first major break when he landed the role of mecha designer on Dancouga – Super Beast Machine God. Not too long after, at the young age of 21, he was given his first directorial role by directing episodes 5 and 6 of the Bubblegum Crisis OVA series. He also made three Fatal Fury films from December 23, 1992, to July 16, 1994.
In 1993, he founded Studio G-1 with fellow animators Kazuto Nakazawa, Masahiro Yamane, Takehiro Nakayama, and Atsuko Ishida, to whom Masami Obari was married, but from whom he is currently divorced. Studio G-1 was later disbanded and was reformed under the name of Studio G-1 Neo in 2000.
Although not originally interested in animation, he was inspired when he formed a high school friendship with classmate Satoshi Urushihara.
In 2016, Obari married the professional model maker Ritsu Togasaki.
He has a younger brother named Takami, who served as the president and CEO of New Japan Pro-Wrestling between October 2020 and December 2023.

Filmography

Director

Original video animation

Original net animation

Television series

Animated feature film

Designer

Character design

Direct-to-video animation

Mecha design

Direct-to-video animation