Shoko Ikeda

Japanese animator (1975–2019)

Shoko Ikeda

池田 晶子

Born| (1975-06-18)18 June 1975
Died| 18 July 2019(2019-07-18) (aged 44)

Fushimi-ku, Kyoto, Japan

Alma mater| Yoyogi Animation Academy
Occupations|

* Animator
* character designer

Years active| 1996–2019
Employer| Kyoto Animation
Notable work|

* The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
* Sound! Euphonium

Spouse|

Yuzuru Terawaki

(m. 2007)​

Shōko Terawaki[1] (Japanese: 寺脇 晶子, Hepburn: Terawaki Shōko; 18 June 1975 – 18 July 2019), known professionally as Shoko Ikeda (池田 晶子, Ikeda Shōko), was a Japanese animator and character designer who worked at Kyoto Animation. She worked as character designer and chief animation director for The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (2006) and the Sound! Euphonium franchise, and after her death in the Kyoto Animation arson attack, she was posthumously credited for her work on the 2023 OVA Sound! Euphonium: Ensemble Contest and the anime's 2024 third season.

## Career

[edit]

Shoko Ikeda, a native of Kyoto Prefecture,[2] was born on 18 June 1975.[3] Inspired by the anime OVA Gunbuster to pursue a career as an animator,[2] she was educated at the Yoyogi Animation Academy [ja] Osaka campus' Department of Animation,[4] and she joined Kyoto Animation in 1996.[2] During her early years in Kyoto Animation, she worked as an animation director for Inuyasha, for which the studio was a coloring subcontractor, during which she encouraged employees at the studio to "make works of higher quality than any other company".[5] Additionally, her original drawings were featured prominently in the special feature pages of anime magazines.[5]

In 2006, Ikeda was the character designer and chief animation director for The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya.[6] Director Yutaka Yamamoto later recalled that "Haruhi [Suzumiya] was perfectly equal to [Ikeda],"[5] who also admitted that she herself thought Haruhi was "just like me".[7] At Anime Expo 2008, she won the Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation Award for Best Character Design for her work on the anime.[8] She also worked as an animation director for Kanon and K-On!.[9][10]

In December 2014, Ikeda was announced as the character designer for the Sound! Euphonium anime.[11] She returned as character designer for the anime's second season,[12] as well as the films Sound! Euphonium: The Movie – Welcome to the Kitauji High School Concert Band, Sound! Euphonium: The Movie – May the Melody Reach You! and Sound! Euphonium: The Movie – Our Promise: A Brand New Day.[13][14][15]

At Kyoto Animation, she continued to improve skills by sketching fashion magazine models and, secretly, other colleagues' work, as well as using another colleague as a model.[5] She supported reforms to address widespread poverty among young animators.[16]

## Personal life

[edit]

She was a fan of the Takarazuka Revue's productions of the musical Elisabeth, at one point doing a parody at Kyoto Animation's end-of-year party.[5]

She married university employee Yuzuru Terawaki (寺脇 譲, Terawaki Yuzuru) in 2007; she illustrated a commemorative picture for her own wedding.[16][2] They had two children,[1] the eldest of whom was an elementary school student at the time of his mother's death.[2] In 2021, her husband recalled that she "was innocent and really loved anime".[2] She cooked gratin dishes at home.[16]

At the time of her death, she lived in Uji, a city south of Kyoto.[17]

## Death

[edit]

Ikeda was killed in the Kyoto Animation arson attack on 18 July 2019;[1][18] her body was found on the second floor.[19] She was 44 years old.[2] She was posthumously credited as character designer for the 2023 theatrical OVA Sound! Euphonium: Ensemble Contest and, alongside Kazumi Ikeda [ja], for the 2024 third season of Sound! Euphonium.[20][21]

## Filmography

[edit]

Year  | Title  | Notes  | Ref.

|
|
|

2006 | Kanon | Animation director | [9]
2006–2009 | The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya | Character designer, chief animation director (original broadcast only) | [6]
2007 | Lucky Star | Animator | [22]
2010 | K-On! | Animation director | [10]
2015–2024 | Sound! Euphonium | Character designer; (posthumous and alongside Kazumi Ikeda [ja] in season 3) | [11][12][21]
2016 | Sound! Euphonium: The Movie – Welcome to the Kitauji High School Concert Band | Character designer, chief animation director | [13]
2017 | Sound! Euphonium: The Movie – May the Melody Reach You! | Character designer, chief animation director | [14]
2019 | Sound! Euphonium: The Movie – Our Promise: A Brand New Day | Character designer | [15]
2019 | Violet Evergarden: Eternity and the Auto Memory Doll | Animation director | [23]
2023 | Sound! Euphonium: Ensemble Contest | Character designer | [20]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c "思春期のみずみずしい感情表現 確立". Kyoto Shimbun. 28 August 2019. p. 30\. Archived from the original on 11 October 2019. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
2. ^ a b c d e f g "京アニで「ハルヒ」担当の亡き妻へ…涙の夫「もっとアニメを作りたかったろう」". Yomiuri Shimbun. 16 July 2021. Archived from the original on 17 July 2021. Retrieved 11 August 2024.
3. ^ "池田晶子のプロフィール・画像・写真". Web The Television (in Japanese). Retrieved 11 August 2024.
4. ^ "「ハルヒ」「ユーフォニアム」でキャラクターデザイン、ファンの絶大な支持 池田晶子さん". Mainichi Shimbun. 27 August 2019. Retrieved 11 August 2024.
5. ^ a b c d e "エンドロールの輝き 努力家の「キャラデザイン」池田晶子さん". Kyoto Shimbun. 16 July 2020. p. 1\. Archived from the original on 17 July 2020. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
6. ^ a b Loo, Egan (6 February 2009). "Staff for 'Renewed' Airing of Haruhi Suzumiya Announced". Anime News Network. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
7. ^ "?". Yomiuri Shimbun (Morning Edition). 28 August 2019. p. 33.
8. ^ "Anime Expo® 2008 Announces the 2008 SPJA Award Winners" (Press release). Anime Expo. 9 July 2008. Archived from the original on 13 January 2015. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
9. ^ a b "Kanon カノン（京都アニメーション版） - アニメ詳細データ". TV Drama Database (in Japanese). Retrieved 13 August 2024.
10. ^ a b "けいおん!! - アニメ詳細データ". TV Drama Database (in Japanese). Retrieved 13 August 2024.
11. ^ a b Loo, Egan (27 December 2014). "Kyoto Animation Streams Sound! Euphonism Anime's Promo". Anime News Network. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
12. ^ a b "アニメ『響け！ユーフォニアム２』スペシャルイベント開催決定". Animate Times (in Japanese). 13 November 2016. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
13. ^ a b "劇場版 響け！ユーフォニアム 北宇治高校吹奏楽部へようこそ : 作品情報". Eiga.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 13 August 2024.
14. ^ a b "劇場版 響け！ユーフォニアム 届けたいメロディ : 作品情報". Eiga.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 13 August 2024.
15. ^ a b Pineda, Rafael Antonio (28 September 2018). "Sound! Euphonium Chikai no Finale Film's Teaser Video Reveals April 19 Opening". Anime News Network. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
16. ^ a b c "寂しさこらえ、長男と一歩一歩前へ 京アニ事件2年、遺族男性が心境". Kyoto Shimbun. 17 July 2021. Archived from the original on 23 July 2021. Retrieved 11 August 2024.
17. ^ Ohara, Atsushi; Takagi, Tomoya; Sasayama, Taishi (27 August 2019). "「ハルヒ」キャラデザ・池田晶子さんも犠牲 京アニ放火". Asahi Shimbun. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
18. ^ "京アニ被害25人新たに公表 摘まれた…若い芽". Nikkan Sports. 28 August 2019. p. 2. Retrieved 16 September 2019. "※日刊スポーツでは今回の事件について、遺族の方々のお気持ちを鑑み、匿名を希望される方の実名は伏せて報じています。"
19. ^ "あとわずか 扉や窓目前で". Kyoto Shimbun (Morning Edition). 17 July 2020. p. 8.
20. ^ a b Hodgkins, Crystalyn (7 April 2023). "Sound! Euphonium: Ensemble Contest Theatrical Anime's Trailer Reveals August 4 Debut". Anime News Network. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
21. ^ a b "「響け！ユーフォニアム3」はNHK Eテレで放送、新キャラ真由役は戸松遥". Comic Natalie. 23 November 2023. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
22. ^ "らき☆すた - アニメ詳細データ". TV Drama Database (in Japanese). Retrieved 13 August 2024.
23. ^ "ヴァイオレット・エヴァーガーデン 外伝 永遠と自動手記人形 : 作品情報". Eiga.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 15 August 2024.

Authority control databases: Artists |

* MusicBrainz

|

*[m.]: married
*[Ref.]: Reference(s)