TOEI President Tezuka Osamu’s sudden death shocks the industry

TOEI President, Tezuka Osamu has passed away at the age of 62.

President Tezuka had previously announced that he was undergoing treatment for an illness, but the shock was great as he attended the New Year’s conference of the Motion Picture Producers Association of Japan held on January 31st.

President Tezuka was born in Chiba Prefecture in 1960. He joined Toei in 1983 after graduating from Aoyama Gakuin University. In addition to working on popular TV series such as “Sukeban Deka” (Fuji TV), “Ajiichimonme”, “Kyoto Labyrinth Guide”, “Kasouken no Onna” (both TV Asahi), he has also worked on movies. Also in charge of “Tokimeki Memorial” and “Ooku”.

In 2020, he assumed the position of CEO. Toei’s annual box office revenue in 2022 exceeded 32.5 billion yen, and the number of annual mobilization exceeded 23.64 million, achieving the highest record ever.

Toei’s 70th anniversary work “Legend & Butterfly”, which was released on January 27th, was also a big hit.

Actor Takuya Kimura attended an online fan session for the movie “Legend & Butterfly” held in Tokyo on the 15th. Before the start of the event, officials at the venue offered a moment of silence to Toei President Tezuka Osamu, whose death was reported on the 14th, and Kimura also mourned the deceased.

Kimura said, ” Before the event started, Kimura offered a moment of silence to President Tezuka, saying, “In the past, he took care of me at a studio in Uzumasa, Kyoto. I was embarrassed to say goodbye properly… I told him, half-jokingly but also half-truthful, ‘I want to come back as Nobunaga the next time I come back’. Even though I was silent, I kept thinking, ‘Thank you again'”, thanking President Tezuka for his work.