Norio Matsumoto

Wiki jphttps://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Originating from Tatsunokos animators training institute where he met Atsushi Wakabayashihttps://anilist.co/staff/105805/. Though primarily an action animator hes demonstrated impressive range elsewhere like in his scenes for Haibane Renmeihttps://anilist.co/anime/387/ and Kaguyahimehttps://anilist.co/anime/16664/. He has the reputation of a fast and disciplined worker. Toshiyuki Inouehttps://anilist.co/staff/103724/ said that he must have a secret for producing such a large volume of superb cuts. Though one of his earliest assignments was as an inbetweens checker for Akirahttps://anilist.co/anime/47/ his first major job was on Ranma https://anilist.co/anime/210/ working under the director of the series Kazuhiro Furuhashihttps://anilist.co/staff/100655/. He would collaborate with Furuhashi again on Rurouni Kenshin Youre Under Arresthttps://anilist.co/anime/1577/ and Hunter x Hunterhttps://anilist.co/anime/136/. Around this time Matsumoto was also mentored by Tomohiro Hiratahttps://anilist.co/staff/122071/ on Irresponsible Captain Tylorhttps://anilist.co/anime/569/. Matsumotos character animation is loose and full of smears often looking like featureless masses in individual frames. He draws smoke without highlights a tendency that earned the nickname Norio smoke and has been imitated by animators like Shingo Yamashitahttps://anilist.co/staff/114914/ and Kenichi Kutsunahttps://anilist.co/staff/116007/. He occasionally storyboards his own scenes as he did for the 12th episode of Birdy Decode:02https://anilist.co/anime/5074/ the third Naruto moviehttps://anilist.co/anime/2144/ and episodes 31 85 of Rurouni Kenshinhttps://anilist.co/anime/45/. Prefers battles that take place in wideopen spaces with lots of forward momentum and background movement. Influenced by Satoru Utsunomiyahttps://anilist.co/staff/101489/ and Takashi Nakamurahttps://anilist.co/staff/102031/ and has adapted elements of their approach for a wider audience. Whenever he serves as animation director on an episode he does a lot of the key animation work himself. He also soloed the 7th episode of EatManhttps://anilist.co/anime/1704/ and the Kuragehimehttps://anilist.co/anime/8129/ ED. He failed attempting to solo the 39th episode of Youre Under Arrest and requested his name not be on the telop despite animating the vast majority of the episode. Famoust for his work on the Narutohttps://anilist.co/anime/20/ franchise in which he often collaborated with Atsushi Wakabayashi. As a well known animator with a wide network of connections he regularly helps and receives help from his friends. Source: Animators Wiki