ANIMENEWS

Japanese Director and The Boy Who Saw the Wind Screenwriter Izuru Narushima Dies at 65

The award-winning filmmaker and screenwriter, whose work included The Boy Who Saw the Wind and the acclaimed Yōkame no Semi, died of lung cancer on August 24.

By , Editorial Assistant 1 min read

All content is independently fact-checked & reviewed — our editorial standards

Thread

A scene featuring Amon in The Boy Who Saw the Wind, the 2000 anime film for which Izuru Narushima wrote the screenplay. (Image via Hitachi Maxell and Brain's Base)

Japanese director and screenwriter Izuru Narushima has died at the age of 65. According to Kyodo News, Narushima died of lung cancer on August 24.

Narushima began his screenwriting career in 1994 before making his directorial debut in 2004. He received major recognition for Yōkame no Semi (Rebirth), which won 10 awards at the 35th Japan Academy Film Prize, including Best Picture and Best Director.

Izuru Narushima, the award-winning Japanese director and screenwriter who died at age 65. (Image via Japan Academy Film Prize)

Anime fans may know Narushima as the screenwriter of the 2000 animated film The Boy Who Saw the Wind. His later work included directing Father of the Galactic Railroad, a 2023 live-action film about Night on the Galactic Railroad author Kenji Miyazawa.

The Japan Academy Prize Association also shared its condolences, noting Narushima’s award-winning contributions to Japanese cinema. His other directing credits included Solomon’s Perjury, Midnight Eagle, and The Lone Scalpel.

Verified since 2024 Editorial Assistant

Britney Jones is a Bangalore-based Editorial Assistant at OtakuKart and a passionate writer with a keen interest in anime, gaming, and manga. She spends her free time gaming and graphic designing when she's not covering new manga launches and shōnen series announcements.

View all posts

THREAD

Share your take. All comments are held for review before appearing.

Be the first to share your thoughts.

RECOMMENDED