Japanese animator-filmmaker Shigeki Awai, who is also called Shigenori Awai, passed away, reports Anime News Centre. He was 71. Shigeki worked on several popular anime series, such as One Piece, Naruto: Shippuden, My Hero Academia, and Attack on Titan, to name some. Shigeki's career in the anime industry spanned five decades, where he directed numerous anime episodes and played a part in many animation projects. Reportedly, in his illustrious career, Shigeki directed in excess of 200 episodes and worked in over 500 projects. His recent works include The Misfit of Demon King Academy Season 2, Uzumaki, Terminator Zero, and Suicide Squad ISEKAI.

Animators Tsutomu Ohno and Hideaki Matsuoka honoured Shigeki's enduring legacy. On X, Tsutomu Ohn penned, "When I was commissioned by Studio Comet to do the original drawings for "Kamengumi" and "Tonchinkan," I think Comet probably advised me to go to Studio Musashi, where Awai was based at the time, to learn from them." Tsutomu added that he "received instruction" from Shigeki "for a short period of time."

On the other hand, Matsuoka said that he "was surprised to see the news of Awai Shigeki's death" on X. Matsuoka then offered his condolences and reminisced about the time they worked together.