Following the Jury's recommendations, we commend the person who has made a great contribution to the media arts.
TSUJI Masaki (Animation Scriptwriter, Mystery Writer)
Born in Nagoya, 1932. Entered NHK in pioneer days of television and was involved in production and direction of Bus Dori Ura, Owarai Sanningumi, Fushigina Shonen, among others. Regarding animation, he has offered scripts for many companies including Mushi Production, Tokyo Movie, Toei Doga, and Eiken from the dawn of animation. Won the Anime Grand Prix script award five times. After receiving Mystery Writers of Japan Award in 1982, opportunities to write mystery have increased, but he has kept his interest in animation and manga and stayed in the post of judge for Chunichi Manga Taisho for 19 years and for Jump AKATSUKA Taisho for 10 years. Honored with HASEGAWA Shin Prize and the Special Contribution Award of Tokyo International Anime Fair.
Mr. TSUJI Masaki has written a tremendous volume of scripts since the dawn of TV animation. Science fiction, sports, fantasy, home drama, gag, and thrillers; there are no blind corners in his talent. He always writes something once he accepts a job... anyway, this is the way he makes us feel; the number of pieces he has written is enormous, it is said well beyond 1500 pieces. In any case, he is said to write very fast. There is no need to dwell on the fact that this speed has supported the area of story writing in the TV animation industry. Furthermore, Mr. TSUJI’s interests overflow out of TV animation; he writes crime novels, he loves railroads, he visits hot-spring hotels, and he is a brilliant conversationalist...he will never stop once he has started speaking about animation. He is really deeply in love with animation.
In the past, when I kept writing while watching the hands of a clock from the corner of my eye, little did I dream that I could be given an award like THIS. It is nice to live long, isn’t it? Neither money nor glory were in my mind. Just because I liked animation, I went on writing frantically thinking just, if only I could create even slightly more amusing ones. Even now I feel the person I was back then who went on with such thoughts in mind is touching.
