Yukihiro Shibutani

**Yukihiro Shibutani**
**Profile**
**Gender:**
Male
**Date of birth:**
November 26, 1960
**Date of death:**
September 15, 2024 *(63)*
**Place of birth:**
[Tsuruta](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsuruta,_Aomori "wikipedia:Tsuruta, Aomori"), Aomori Prefecture, Japan
**Position:**
Art director
**Years active:**
1981-2024
**Alias:**
しぶたに ゆきひろ
**Yukihiro Shibutani** (渋谷 幸弘 ,*Shibuya Yukihiro*[?](/wiki/Help:Japanese "Help:Japanese"), November 26, 1960 – September 15, 2024) was a Japanese art director for anime. He was the first art director of the *Detective Conan* [anime](/wiki/Anime "Anime") and [movies](/wiki/Movies "Movies"), serving persistently in a stint of 20 years.
## Contents
* [1 Biography](#Biography)
* [2 Other notable works](#Other_notable_works)
+ [2.1 Anime](#Anime)
* [3 References](#References)
## Biography[[edit](/wiki/index.php?title=Yukihiro_Shibutani&action=edit&section=1 "Edit section: Biography")]
Yukihiro Shibutani was born in Aomori Prefecture[](#cite_note-akita-1); after graduating from high school in 1981, he joined animation firm [Ishigaki Production](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ja:%E7%9F%B3%E5%9E%A3%E3%83%97%E3%83%AD%E3%83%80%E3%82%AF%E3%82%B7%E3%83%A7%E3%83%B3 "wikipedia:ja:石垣プロダクション") (石垣プロダクション) at an age of 20 back then[](#cite_note-akita-1). When working at this firm, Shibutani had served as its director/supervisor[](#cite_note-blog-2)[](#cite_note-akita-1).
In 1996, the anime *Detective Conan* began its broadcast, whereupon Shibutani joined the production thereof, starting with [**Episode 1**: Roller Coaster Murder Case](/wiki/Roller_Coaster_Murder_Case "Roller Coaster Murder Case"). He served as the art director from episodes 1 to 345 (excluding episodes 96, 174, 218-219, 284-344). In some [Extended Specials](/wiki/Detective_Conan_Anime_Specials#Regular "Detective Conan Anime Specials"), Shibutani was absent for the art direction[[Note 1]](#cite_note-3). Starting the digital era, namely, [**Episode 284**: Chinatown Deja Vu in the Rain (Part 1)](/wiki/Chinatown_Deja_Vu_in_the_Rain "Chinatown Deja Vu in the Rain") onwards, Shibutani had gradually faded from the anime production, except his sole return in [**Episode 345**: Head-to-Head Match with the Black Organization: A Dual Mystery on a Full Moon Night](/wiki/Head-to-Head_Match_with_the_Black_Organization:_A_Dual_Mystery_on_a_Full_Moon_Night "Head-to-Head Match with the Black Organization: A Dual Mystery on a Full Moon Night"). Despite the cease in involvement in the anime, Shibutani still worked for the movies steadily until stepping down from the role fully after [**Movie 19**: Sunflowers of Inferno](/wiki/Sunflowers_of_Inferno "Sunflowers of Inferno").
Owing to an exacerbation of certain chronic illness, Yukihiro Shibutani passed away on September 15, 2024 at a hospital in Tokyo, at 63 years old[](#cite_note-blog-2)[](#cite_note-depart-4).
## Other notable works[[edit](/wiki/index.php?title=Yukihiro_Shibutani&action=edit&section=2 "Edit section: Other notable works")]
### Anime[[edit](/wiki/index.php?title=Yukihiro_Shibutani&action=edit&section=3 "Edit section: Anime")]
* *Ajin S1-S2*: Background art (Y.A.P. Ishigaki Production)
* *Kaginado S1-S2*: Art director
* *Lupin III: Part III*: Background art[[Note 2]](#cite_note-5)
* *Natsume's Book of Friends S1-S7*: Art director, Background art