From ANN –
Bones Co-Founder Hiroshi Ōsaka Passes Away at 44
Posters on the 2ch message boards have noted a mixi social community site’s diary entry that reported the passing of Hiroshi Ōsaka, the co-founder of the BONES animation studio and animation director of several works including The Vision of Escaflowne, Cowboy Bebop, and Fullmetal Alchemist: The Movie – Conqueror of Shamballa. Animation director Kazuaki Moori (Pokémon, The Daichis – Earth Defence Family) confirmed on his official website’s diary that his colleague Ōsaka passed away on the morning of September 24.
Ray’s take: actually I don’t know if he’s an anime great, but at least he’s in Otaku heaven. One can find his presence when he travels to Gaia, I guess. Someone get Ed to revive him! One thing I notice is that a lot of creative artists in the anime industry die young. Damn…