The official Twitter account for illustrator Mutsumi Inomata, renowned for her exceptional work in character design for Bandai Namco Entertainment’s Tales of Game series, shared the heartbreaking news of her passing on March 10. Inomata’s family held a private funeral service to bid her farewell.
“It was so sudden…” expressed Inomata’s younger sister in a statement. “There are rough sketches she was still working on, and I’m sure she is drawing them in heaven. Surrounded by her favorite cats, she must be creating cute, strong-eyed characters one after another…I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all those who have loved and supported Mutsumi Inomata, and I hope that you will continue to love her.”
ファン、関係者の皆さまへ
いのまたむつみの妹です。 pic.twitter.com/yp6BCTzXcS— いのまたむつみ (@inomatanekomata) March 18, 2024
Following her passing, the official Twitter account for The Tales game series also issued a heartfelt statement:
“On the occasion of the passing of Mutsumi Inomata-sensei, we would like to express our deepest condolences and gratitude for her achievements during her lifetime. The entire ‘Tales of’ team will continue to weave the story with great care so that the bonds with the irreplaceable characters created by her will continue to shine brightly in the hearts of fans forever.”
いのまたむつみ先生のご逝去に際し、生前のご功績への感謝と、深い哀悼の意を捧げます。
先生の生み出して下さったかけがえのないキャラクター達との絆がいつまでもファンの皆様の心の中で輝き続けていけるよう、『テイルズ オブ』チーム一同これからも大切に物語を紡ぎ、歩んでまいります。— テイルズチャンネル＋ (@tales_ch) March 18, 2024
Before her illustrious career as an illustrator, Inomata made significant contributions as an animator and was highly esteemed for her character design work in various popular series during the 1980s.
Some of her notable anime character design works include:
– *Makyo Densetsu Acrobunch* (1982)
– *Plawres Sanshiro* (1983)
– *Leda: The Fantastic Adventure of Yohko* (1985)
– *Windaria* (1986)
Even in recent years, Inomata continued to leave her mark by contributing to character designs for the *Mobile Suit Gundam Seed* series.
The Seed series’ official Twitter account expressed their sadness over her passing and acknowledged her significant contributions:
“We are sad to announce the passing of Mutsumi Inomata-sensei, a design collaborator for the Mobile Suit Gundam Seed series, who passed away on March 10. She had contributed to many of our works. In memory of her achievements during her lifetime, we would like to express our sincere condolences to her family.”
いのまたむつみ先生のご逝去について
機動戦士ガンダムSEEDシリーズのデザイン協力をしていただいた
いのまたむつみ先生が 3月10日にご逝去されました
弊社の数々の作品にお力添えをいただいておりました
生前のご功績を偲び 心からご冥福をお祈り申し上げます
SUNRISEst(BNF）— 機動戦士ガンダムSEEDシリーズ (@SEED_HDRP) March 18, 2024
Inomata’s decades-long contributions to the video game and anime industry are deeply appreciated, and she will be remembered fondly. May she rest in peace.
