Animator and character designer Kenichirō Katsura died on September 30, 2026, at the age of 59. His family announced the death, and Oricon News reported it on October 5, 2026.
In a statement, the family said Katsura died on September 30 while receiving treatment for an illness, which they did not name. They thanked the fans who had loved the works and designs he was involved in, as well as the production companies, staff and others he had worked with. The funeral was held with close relatives only, and the family apologized for reporting it after the fact.
Addressing people who had praised his drawing, animation and designs, the family wrote that if someone quietly thought to themselves that they liked one of his characters, one of his illustrations or his animation, that thought would reach him and make him happy. They added that they would be happiest if people took the time to watch his works again.
The official X account for the TV anime Knight's & Magic posted a tribute on October 5. It said Katsura, who served as character designer and chief animation director on the series, died on September 30, 2026, expressed respect for his work and offered condolences on behalf of the staff and everyone involved. The post is signed by the Knight's & Magic production committee.
Oricon lists Katsura's credits as character design on Macross 7, chief animation director on Knight's & Magic, character design on the ToHeart2 series, chief animation director on That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, and chief animation director on SHY Tōkyō Dakkan-hen.