The veteran animator and director passed away on 4 June, 2026.
Animation studio Eiken announced on 15 June, that the long-running Sazae-san anime’s chief director Hiromitsu Morita died on 4 June, 2026. The cause of his death was not mentioned in the obituary.
Who is Hiromitsu Morita?
Hiromitsu Morita was a veteran animator and director. He was mainly known for directing the long-running Sazae-san anime since 2005. He became the chief director of the series in 2011, voluntarily retiring in March 2024.
Morita’s other work as director includes various episodes of Heart Cocktail, Kobo-chan, and its specials Matsuri ga Ippai! and Yakusoku no Magic D. He also directed the Ijiwaru Baasan anime (1996) series, the Cello-Hiki no Gauche (1997) OVA, The World of Narue, Tegami, and Ashita Kirarin.
He was also the storyboard artist for Astro Boy, an episode of Monster, The Yearling, Claymore, and many other anime projects. Morita was the key animator in projects such as Metropolis and Cardcaptor Sakura: The Sealed Card.
The talented animator and director left behind a collection of beloved projects as his legacy. The anime industry will mourn his loss deeply.