Yutaka Minowa - Style

Style

Minowa's character designs are usually angular, lending them a decidedly different look from most other anime characters. His men often feature imposing chins, squared jaws, and muscular torsos. Female characters are typically not of the bishōjo type seen commonly, and are more often are fighters who struggle to survive in a man's world. They feature butch haircuts, unusually broad shoulders, and large, expressive eyes that offer insight into the emotion hidden behind their tough exteriors. However, beautiful people of both genders also populate his designs. Distinguished by his curly hair (another design oddity for anime) and the smooth, straight lines of his face, Minowa's redesign of Yoshitaka Amano's D in Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust is an example.

Initially influenced by Yoshiaki Kawajiri's art style, since Ninja Scroll Minowa has become central in defining the look of Kawajiri anime. Although often not credited, in recent years Minowa has largely taken over the task of storyboarding from Kawajiri, working closely with the director to capture the look he wants.

Beyond working as a character designer, Minowa's position as an animation director (a task he is frequently assigned by Kawajiri) allows him to be very hands-on with the process. From drawing key animation poses that stress the extremes of the character's actions to correcting other animator's work to ensure all the drawings have a uniform feel, Minowa's duties often make him the center of the film's animation process, as expressed by his comments on his involvement in the Program section of The Animatrix: "I typically have a lot more contact with the artists than the actual director of the film, which is a big challenge in my work."