Felix Nakamura

Felix Nakamura (1944 - April 2000), the legendary latinoamerican animator was born in Peru from Japanese parents, he lived much of his life in Venezuela with his wife Isolina Nakamura and her daughter Rosa Nakamura, which made great friends and developed much of his career. He died in his native Peru because of the cancer, in April 2000.

History

He is known in Venezuela and in some countries of America as one of the most prominent exponents of Traditional Animation in Latin America. He started his career in Argentina as animator, and then settle in Venezuela, brought by the hand of the founder of Bolivar Films.

He was one of the pillars of the founding of the Simon Bolivar University animation studios and its media division Artevisión in Caracas, Venezuela, he served for several years like director of many young animators who began their careers in this animation company. During those years he produce with his team the first soap opera "telenovela" that used animated characters with real people in RCTV, "Dulce Ilusión" was a huge success in the latinoamerican television.

In the 90’s, he prepared the curriculum of studies for the career of animation that was designed at the Andes University in Venezuela. He taught numerous animation courses for beginners, both in Venezuela and in other countries of the Caribbean. Nakamura in his later years became the center of activity cartoons in Venezuela.

Influences

In several interviews, Nakamura always refers to Max Fleischer and Walt Disney like his most important influence. His favorite movie was Pinocchio, and his preferred character was Betty Boop. Some of these influences can be appreciated in his work.

Work

Nakamura appears in almost all the credits of the animated film material produced in Venezuela between 1985 and 2000. His most memorable work was the animated material used in the Children Museum of Caracas, Venezuela, and the TV commercial of "Pocetas MAS" that after 25 years still on air. "Canción del elegido" is maybe the most remembered material by his public. This video clip was the maximum goal reached by the Simon Bolivar Studios. Other projects like, "Chiribitil" and "Tatacosmico" never were finished because the cost by that period of time. His last great project was "Rosaura en Bicicleta" but never was finished, because his health condition.

Some of those who are professionally trained by him are: Jesus Quesada, Rosa Nakamura, Manuel Loayza, Maximum Cuya, Benicio Vincent Kou, Pedro Vivas, Miguel Lemman and Jorge Zambrano.

Reference

Cartoons: One Hundred Years of Animation Cinema, Giannalberto Bendazi: 1994, Indiana University Press,