Takeshi Honda

[Wiki (jp)](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/本田雄) After dropping out from Tokyo Designers' College in 1987, Honda joined Atelier Giga. He later joined [Gainax](https://anilist.co/studio/6/), where he debuted as the studio's youngest animation director on [Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water](https://anilist.co/anime/1251/). A few years later in 1994, he got to handle the character designs for the first time on [Metal Fighter Miku](https://anilist.co/anime/1175/), a TV series directed by [Akiyuki Shinbou](https://anilist.co/staff/100089/). After having left Gainax, Honda participated in most of [Satoshi Kon](https://anilist.co/staff/99580/)'s works. Perhaps most notably as a character designer on [Millenium Actress](https://anilist.co/anime/1033/), a role which was originally planned to be [Hideki Hamasu](https://anilist.co/staff/125820/)'s, but was given to him due to Hamasu having contracted a severe tendon inflammation. Honda also designed the characters for [Mitsuo Iso](https://anilist.co/staff/100151/)'s [Dennou Coil](https://anilist.co/anime/2164/). In 2006, Honda joined [Studio Khara](https://anilist.co/studio/47/) and reprised his vital staff roles in the [Evangelion](https://anilist.co/anime/2759/) franchise. The same year he made his long-awaited debut in a [Studio Ghibli](https://anilist.co/studio/21/) film, working as a key animator on [Tales from Earthsea](https://anilist.co/anime/1829/) and then again on [Ponyo](https://anilist.co/anime/2890/). His work received high praise by [Hayao Miyazaki](https://anilist.co/staff/96870/) for expressing the characters' individuality through their movements. Nicknamed as "Master" (師匠, Shishou), by [Takahiro Kishida](https://anilist.co/staff/101403/) during the production of [Bubblegum Crisis](https://anilist.co/anime/1347/). Since then the nickname has been widely recognized within the industry.