Shouji Kawamori

Shouji Kawamori is an anime creator director and mechanical designer. Also a current advisor for Satelighthttps://anilist.co/studio/41/. Famous for his work in the Macrosshttps://anilist.co/anime/1088/ and Transformers franchises. He pioneered several innovative concepts in his works such as transforming mecha including the VF1 Valkyrie in Macross and Optimus Prime in Transformers and virtual idols including Lynn Minmay and Sharon Apple in the Macross franchise. Kawamori attended Keio University together with Macross screenwriter Hiroshi Oonogihttps://anilist.co/staff/97701/ and character designer Haruhiko Mikimotohttps://anilist.co/staff/96968/. There they became friends and founded a Mobile Suit Gundamhttps://anilist.co/anime/80/ fan club called Gunsight One a name the group would use years later during the development of the fictional world of the Macross series. Later on his career Kawamori created or cocreated the concepts which served as basis for several anime series. His projects are usually noted to contain strong themes of love war spirituality or mysticism and ecological concern. Kawamori also helped to design various toys for the Takara toyline Diaclone in the early 80s. Among them the first Optimus Prime toy design Prowl Bluestreak Smokescreen Ironhide and Ratchet. Over 20 years later he returned to Transformers by designing both the Hybrid Style Convoy and the Masterpiece version of Starscream for Takara.