The official blog for anime director Toshifumi Takizawa reported on Thursday the Takizawa passed away on June 22 from esophageal cancer. He was 61.

The blog mentions that up until the day before his death, he was still doing ordinary activities such as driving his car and walking his dog.

Takizawa was born in Nagano prefecture, and graduated from Tokyo Zokei University. After graduation he joined Tokyo Animation Film and worked in photography. He later joined Shin-Ei Animation, and switched tracks to directing. After he joined Sunrise, he served as series director for Dirty Pair and chief technical director for Armored Trooper Votoms.

Takizawa later became a freelancer for storyboarding, directing, and producing. In 2004, he directed GONZO's Samurai 7 television anime series inspired by Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai film.

During his career he also directed Big Wars, Crusher Joe: The OVA's, the Dirty Pair: Flight 005 Conspiracy and Dirty Pair: From Lovely Angels with Love OVAs, Blue Remains, Aura Battle Dunbine: The Tale of Neo Byston Well, and Aoki Ryūsei SPT Layzner. He also worked as a storyboard artist for Mad Bull 34, Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ, Zeta Gundam, Victory Gundam , G Gundam , New Gigantor, Inazuma Eleven, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Black Butler, and more.

Takizawa had also been working as a regular lecturer at Kurashiki University of Science and the Arts since April 2011.

Image via Toshifumi Takizawa's official blog.

Source: Yahoo! News Japan via Hachima Kikō