Hellsing, Tideline Blue Director Passes Away at 49

After first being posted on Twitter some hours ago in Japan, colleagues have confirmed the passing of anime director Umanosuke Iida, best known for directing the first Hellsing TV series along with Tideline Blue, Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team, and producing Origin: Spirits of the Past, currently licensed by Funimation.

Aside from being a noted director, Iida also worked on Studio Ghibli’s first major production in Nausicaa: Valley of the Wind as an inbetween artist as well as working on Birdy the Mighty Decode most recently. He was 49 years old.

This follows the death of other noted luminaries in the anime industry such as Satoshi Kon and most recently. Yamato co creator Yoshinobu Nishizaki.

[via @raito_kun on Twitter]