Nizo Yamamoto

The Museum of Architectural Drawing is dedicating the first comprehensive exhibition of Nizo Yamamoto’s (1953–2023) artistic work outside of Japan to him. Yamamoto is considered one of the most influential art directors in Japanese animated film. For more than four decades, he created visual worlds that have left a lasting mark on the visual memory of the genre.

In Japan, Yamamoto’s work has long been highly regarded. Internationally, however, his name remains far less well-known than the films in which he played a key role. Through his work on *Castle in the Sky* (1986), *Grave of the Fireflies* (1988), *Princess Mononoke* (1997), and *The Girl Who Leapt Through Time* (2006), his imagery is familiar to audiences worldwide.

With “Nizo Yamamoto—Master of Anime Scenography,” the Museum of Architectural Drawing builds on its previous exhibitions on background art in Japanese animated films: In 2016, “Anime Architecture” showcased the urban spaces of major science fiction anime such as *Patlabor* (1989), *Ghost in the Shell* (1995), and *Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence* (2004); in 2022, “AKIRA – The Architecture of Neo Tokyo” presented the original background art from the groundbreaking film AKIRA (1988) for the first time worldwide.

Opening: October 2, 2026, 7 p.m.