Space Battleship Yamato Producer Found Dead After Boat Accident

Japan’s Asahi news service has filed a brief report stating that Yoshinobu Nishizaki has passed away after reportedly falling overboard from a ship sailing near the Chichijima islands in Ogasawara, Tokyo around 12:30PM local time. According to authorities, he was wearing a lifejacket and still drowned.

Nishizaki was best known for producing the Space Battleship Yamato series, known in the US as Star Blazers and was a frequent collaborator with co-producer Leiji Matsumoto until both had a legal falling out over issues stemming over the rights to Space Battleship Yamato that lasted until 2003, with a settlement between both parties. His last major production was the 2009 Space Battleship Yamato: Rebirth Yamato feature film. He was 75 years old.

[via @kransomwastaken (Ko Ransom) on Twitter]