Studio Nue co-founder Haruka Takachiho reported on Wednesday that Noboru Ishiguro, the veteran director of such works as Space Battleship Yamato, the first color Astro Boy anime series (1980), The Super Dimension Fortress Macross, and Legend of the Galactic Heroes, has passed away. He was 73.

Ishiguro directed some of the most highly regarded anime classics of the last five decades, including those listed above as well as Megazone 23, The Super Dimension Century Orguss, The Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Do You Remember Love? film, and Yōkai Ningen Bem. Ishiguro also conceived of Megazone 23's story and founded Artland in 1978, the studio that co-produced Macross, Orguss and Galactic Heroes , and animated more recent titles such as Mushishi, Demon King Daimao, and Katekyo Hitman Reborn!

Most recently, Ishiguro directed the 2008-2009 television anime series Tytania, which was based on a series of novels by Galactic Heroes author Yoshiki Tanaka, and Pattenrai!! - Minami no Shima no Mizu Monogatari, a 2009 film based on the life of Yoichi Hatta, the Japanese engineer that helped modernize Taiwan when it was a colony of Japan.

Ishiguro was scheduled to attend North Carolina's Animazement convention on May 25-27. He attended past U.S. conventions such as several Anime Expo events, Anime Weekend Atlanta in 2007, and Otakon in 2009.

Update: Artland's more representative titles added. Thanks, Takkun4343.

Update 2: Ishiguro passed away on Tuesday, March 20, at 5:45 p.m. in a Kawasaki City hospital. The Tokyo-born director leaves behind his wife Yumi. Source: Sports Nippon