Although the exact date of his passing has not been officially announced, multiple sources suggest that director Tatsuya Nagamine died this summer. This partly explains his notable absence from major projects like Dragon Ball DAIMA and the latest One Piece arc.
News of Nagamine’s death began circulating on social media on the afternoon of November 13, following a private memorial held at Toei Animation’s Osaka studio. Nagamine, a legendary director at Toei Animation and the creative force behind Dragon Ball Super: Broly and the Super anime series, passed away at the age of 53.
A Major Contributor to One Piece and Dragon Ball Anime
Composer Kohei Tanaka, who scored One Piece Film: Z directed by Nagamine, shared his emotions: “Today, I attended the memorial for the late director Nagamine held at Toei Animation’s Osaki studio. He was definitely a key contributor to the One Piece anime. His achievements at Ani-One were extraordinary. I also recall the lively meetings with him. I wish I could hear his rapid-fire conversations once more!”
Screenwriter Osamu Suzuki, who wrote One Piece Film: Z, recalled their first collaboration in 2010. His initial script was rejected, and the final story was based on an idea proposed by Nagamine himself. Suzuki remembered: “When I finished the script, the director entered the meeting room, bowed deeply, and said ‘Thank you for your hard work.’ I almost cried. He rarely smiled and looked serious, but he worked with his whole soul.” Suzuki noted that Nagamine was a perfectionist who was willing to push himself to the limit to perfect every detail.
For One Piece, Nagamine served as the main director from episode 892, marking the start of the Wano Country arc, through episode 1122, covering the first part of the Egghead Island arc before the anime paused in 2024. Beyond the main series, he directed One Piece Film Z, one of the franchise’s most acclaimed movies, produced the movie Heart of Gold, and worked on various spin-off projects.
Nagamine also played a key role in Dragon Ball’s revival during the 2010s. He directed Dragon Ball Super: Broly, a global box office hit in 2018, and co-directed episodes 77 to 131 of Dragon Ball Super alongside Ryota Nakamura. Earlier in his career, he was assistant director for The Path to Power and contributed to Dragon Ball GT and Dragon Ball Z Kai.
Wide-Ranging Legacy and Final Impact
Nagamine’s work extended beyond these two iconic franchises. He had extensive experience with Digimon (including Digimon Savers the Movie and Digimon Adventure 02: Hurricane Touchdown) and the Pretty Cure series, directing HappinessCharge Precure! and serving as series director for Heartcatch Precure!, along with numerous films and individual episodes within this long-running brand.
He was also part of the core production teams for unique anime like Ojamajo Doremi, Saint Seiya Omega, and multiple installments of the Saint Seiya project.
With his vast contributions, Nagamine is regarded as one of the most influential directors shaping the style of mainstream Japanese anime over the past two decades.
The shocking news of his passing explains his concerning absence from Toei’s biggest series this year, such as Dragon Ball DAIMA and One Piece.
Tatsuya Nagamine’s death closes a significant chapter in Toei Animation’s history and leaves a monumental artistic legacy for the global anime industry.