Japanese illustrator and animator Mutsumi Inomata has passed away on March 10, 2024 at age 63. A cause of death was not shared.
Inomata is best known as one of the main character designer on a number of Bandai Namco's Tales of series. Her past works includeTales of Destiny, Tales of Eternia, Tales of Destiny 2, Tales of Rebirth, Tales of the Tempest, Tales of Innocence, Tales of Hearts, Tales of Graces, Tales of Xillia, Tales of Xillia 2, Tales of Zestiria, Tales of Berseria, and Tales of Crestoria.
Within anime, Inomata worked as an animator at Ashi Production from 1979 until 1982, when she and some animators from Ashi Production left the company and founded Kaname Production. There, she worked as character designer and animator on such anime as Acrobunch - The Quest for Treasure, Plawres Sanshiro, Leda - The Fantastic Adventure of Yohko, Once Upon a Time, and Watt Poe to Bokura no Ohanashi, among others. In her later freelance career, she drew character designs for such anime as Future GPX Cyber Formula, Saitama Bōsō Saizensen Flag! Shinimonogurui no Seishun!!, and Brain Powerd. She also drew the illustrations for the Utsunomiko and The Weathering Continent novel series, both of which later inspired anime adaptations.