Ippei Kuri was the pen name of Toyoharu Yoshida, a Japanese manga artist, animator, and a foundational figure in the anime industry as a co-founder and the third president of Tatsunoko Production. He was born in Kyoto on January 1, 1940, as the youngest of three brothers, all of whom would play pivotal roles in the creation of one of Japan’s most influential animation studios. His early artistic ambitions were shaped by American comics such as Superman, which he encountered as a child during the post-World War II occupation of Japan. Inspired by this dynamic visual style, he left high school in 1958 to join his older brothers, Tatsuo and Kenji, in Tokyo to pursue a career as a manga artist.

Kuri made his manga debut in 1959 with Abare Tengu, and in the early 1960s, he worked on notable titles including Mach Sanshirō and the original manga for Judo Boy, known in Japan as Kurenai Sanshiro. In 1962, the three Yoshida brothers formally established Tatsunoko Production. Initially, Kuri contributed to the company’s early projects as a manga creator, but as the studio grew, his role expanded to encompass nearly every aspect of animation production, including planning, character design, series direction, and producing.

Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, he was instrumental in shaping many of Tatsunoko’s most iconic works. His extensive production credits from this period include Space Ace, the original Speed Racer series, and The Adventures of Hutch the Honeybee. He served as a producer on enduring franchises such as Science Ninja Team Gatchaman, Casshan, and the inaugural Time Bokan series. In 1975, he was a producer on the original Tekkaman: The Space Knight, establishing a foundation for the later 1990s series Tekkaman Blade. Following the death of his eldest brother Tatsuo in 1977, Kuri took on greater executive responsibilities, eventually becoming the president of Tatsunoko Production in 1987, a position he held until the studio was acquired by the toy manufacturer Takara in 2005.

Even after stepping down as president, Kuri remained active in creative roles. His later contributions as an original creator and producer include works such as the 1993 revival Time Bokan: Royal Revival, the 1997 series Speed Racer X, and the 1983 comedy series Itadakiman. He was also recognized for his lifetime achievements in the industry, receiving a special award at the Animation Kobe event in 2005. Ippei Kuri passed away on July 1, 2023, at the age of 83, leaving behind a legacy as a foundational creator whose work, alongside his brothers, defined a significant era of Japanese animation.