Line #7 Creator/TakeshiShudo


1	[[quoteright:260:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/takeshi_shudo.jpg]]
2
3	Takeshi Shudō (首藤剛志) (August 18, 1949-October 29, 2010) was a Japanese scriptwriter best known for being the original showrunner and a frequent writer for ''Anime/PokemonTheOriginalSeries'', including its [[Anime/PokemonTheFirstMovie first]] [[Anime/Pokemon2000 three]] [[Anime/Pokemon3 films]]. During the making of the second movie, he also created the Pokémon Lugia, the first in the series to not be made in-house at Creator/GameFreak; Shudō originally envisioned Lugia as a film-exclusive character and was surprised to see it included in ''VideoGame/PokemonGoldAndSilver''. He relinquished his role as series constructor (or showrunner) early in the Johto saga (following production of the third movie in 2000), although he would continue to contribute scripts until 2002; [[Recap/PokemonS5E35EnlightenUp Episode 244]], aired towards the end of Johto, was his final episode.
4
5	Reading his blogs reveal a ''lot'' of WhatCouldHaveBeen for the anime series. [[Literature/PocketMonstersTheAnimation His novels]] also go into detail on the anime's world, which paints it in a... ''[[CrapsackWorld different]]'' light than what many fans would think. He also wrote ''Radio/PokemonTheBirthOfMewtwo'' radio drama which was later adapted into ''Anime/PokemonTheFirstMovie'', as well as the ''Radio/ItsAWhiteTomorrowTeamRocket'' radio drama.
6
7	[[HeAlsoDid Prior to]] the anime, he worked on ''Anime/{{GoShogun}}'', both instalments of ''Anime/MagicalPrincessMinkyMomo'' (both of which which he worked on with ''Pokémon'' director Kunihiko Yuyama), ''Anime/IdolAngelYokosoYoko'' and ''Literature/LegendOfTheGalacticHeroes'', among others.
8
9	A firm believer in ArtisticStimulation, Shudō's creative process revolved heavily around combining alcohol and over-the-counter tranquilizers to get his creative juices flowing, something he openly admitted to on his personal blogs. This behavior unfortunately and inevitably had ill long-term effects, contributing to his tragic death of a subarachnoid hemorrhage at age 61 in 2010. However, he received a PosthumousCredit as a writer for ''Anime/PokemonIChooseYou'', a retelling of the start of Ash's journey and ''Anime/MewtwoStrikesBackEvolution'', a remake of the first Pokémon movie that released nine years after his death.
10	!! Tropes:
11	* EccentricArtist: A more depressing example than most. As stated in the description, Shudo had a history of substance abuse, on top of untreated depression that often made him rather erratic and [[PrimaDonnaDirector temperamental]] to work with. His tendency to formulate his characters' dialogue through an intense form of method acting (in which he would allegedly wander around speaking with their mannerisms and personalities for days at a time) likewise may have drained him emotionally (further fuelling his depression and substance abuse) and further complicated communications with other production staff. Several of these behaviors would eventually contribute to his death in 2010.
12	* GodNeverSaidThat: A particularly egregious example. After his death, fans of his work like to greatly exaggerate just how much contempt he had for the executives of the anime, and that [[Literature/PocketMonstersTheAnimation his original novels]] were made specifically to spite them. This isn't true; in truth, while he was frustrated by his ideals often being [[LighterAndSofter softened]] by [[ExecutiveMeddling the higher ups]], he mostly maintained an amicable work relationship with those that worked on the anime (several of whom had collaborated with him on other shows), and merely wished to explore the [[FridgeHorror darker implications]] of the Pokémon world rather than making it dark specifically to spite the franchise. His willingness to stick with the anime until mid-to-late Johto gives an ideal of his willingness to work under the confines of the higher ups.
13	* OutlivedItsCreator: ''Anime/PokemonTheSeries'' would continue on ''long'' after his death, and it wouldn't be until ''2023'', a full 13 years after his death, would the story he started reach its proper conclusion, with Ash finally leaving as the protagonist of the series after deciding on what he feels a Pokémon Master is.

Context Creator / TakeshiShudo