Anime screenwriter Takao Koyama (Dragon Ball Z, Urusei Yatsura) reported on his website on Tuesday that anime director and storyboard artist Hidehito Ueda passed away on June 28. He was 61.

Koyama noted that Ueda was a junior of his at Tatsunoko Productions, and two men worked together on Time Bokan Series , Shōwa Aho Zōshi Akanuke Ichiban!, Okawari-Boy Starzan S, and Yoroshiku Mechadock, among others. He added that Ueda had was an extraordinary gag anime director. Koyama noted that he had only found out the other day that Ueda had been fighting cancer for more than a year and a half.

Ueda directed A.D. Police (pictured at right), H2, Cybuster, The Three-eyed One, Lupin III: Stolen Lupin, Everyday Is Sunday, Don-Don Domel to Ron, Ambassador Magma, Transformers: Armada, Mori no Senshi Bonolon, and Honoo no Alpen Rose: Judy & Randy, among others. He also served as a series director for Toriko for 32 episodes, and served as an episode director for Natsume's Book of Friends, Heartcatch Precure!, Doteraman, Kamisama Kazoku, Beelzebub, White Album, Osomatsu-kun, and more. As a storyboard artist he worked on Gantz, Genshiken, Mononoke, Naruto, Flame of Recca, Gakuen Alice, Shin Megami Tensei Devil Children, Ninku, Mister Ajikko, Kotetsushin Jeeg, Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha Strikers S, and many more.

Animation director Junichi Hayama (Kimi no Iru Machi, From the New World, Casshern Sins) posted a memorial illustration for Ueda on Wednesday along with the message "I wanted to work with him and drink with him more. It's so regrettable."

Koyama added in a separate post that Ueda's wake was held on July 1 and his funeral service was held on July 2.