河森正治 Kawamori Shōuji (born February 2, 1960 in Toyama, Japan) is a renowned japanese anime creator, screenwriter and designer, having created or co-created such notable series as Choujikuu Yousai Macross, Tenkuu no Escaflowne, Earth Girl Arjuna, Sousei no Aquarion, Macross 7, Macross Frontier, Basquash!, AKB0048 and Macross Delta. He directed the anime film Macross: Do You Remember Love? in 1984, when he was only 24 years old.
Kawamori attended Keio University in the same years as Macross screenwriter Ōnogi Hiroshi and character designer Mikimoto Haruhiko (where they had a Mobile Suit Gundam fanclub called "Gunsight-1"). He occasionally used the alias 黒河影次 Kurokawa Eiji early in his career when he started as a member of Studio Nue.
Kawamori Shouji is also an accomplished visual artist and mecha designer. Some of his early anime works include designs for Techno Police 21C, Ulysses 31 and Crusher Joe. He may be best known as the designer of the legendary VF-1 Valkyrie from MACROSS and the original Convoy (Optimus Prime) toy for Transformers.
Each and every variable fighter from the Macross series (except those from Macross 2) was created by him.
These and other designs have established Kawamori as a (perhaps the) master of transforming mecha. He’s also known for designing the Gundam GP-01 Zephyranthes and the Gundam GP-02 Physalis from Gundam 0083. Kawamori has also created designs for videogames like Choukou Senki Kikaiou (Rafaga) and the Armored Core series. He still works with Studio Nue on certain projects. The majority of his designs are sleek and aerodynamic although he’s quite versatile – many people have trouble identifying Kawamori designs. He is sought after as a mecha designer and has worked on a large variety of projects and continues to produce and direct anime TV series and OVA’s.
Kawamori is currently executive director at the animation studio Satelight. His projects are usually noted to contain strong themes of love, war, spirituality or mysticism, ecological concern... and lots of music idols.
