Yoshitaka Amano was born in Shizuoka, Japan. Joining the early Japanese animation movement in 1967, Amano first came into prominence with his work on the anime adaptation of “Speed Racer.” Amano later worked on character design for a number of Japanese TV programs, including popular series such as “Time Bokan,” “Tekkaman,” “Gatchaman,” and “Honey Bee.” In the 1980s, Amano partnered as a freelance illustrator with numerous authors, working on best-selling novels such as “The Guin Saga” and “Vampire Hunter D,” and was awarded the Bram Stoker Award in 1999 for his collaboration with internationally acclaimed novelist Neil Gaiman on “Sandman: The Dream Hunters.” Amano is also well known for his commissioned illustrations for the popular video game franchise “Final Fantasy.” Additionally, Amano has won the Seiun Award five times, along with the Dragon Con Award and the Eisner Award in 2000.