Anime director Satoshi Kon (Perfect Blue, Tokyo Godfathers, Millenium Actress, Paprika) died of cancer earlier this week, age 46. He wrote a long statement about his death, which his family posted on his blog, and which blogger Makiko Itoh has translated into English.
While my wife was running around getting things in place for my escape, I was pleading with doctors “If I can go home for even half a day, there are things I can still do!”, then waiting alone in the depressing hospital room for death. I was lonely, but this was what I was thinking.
“Maybe dying won’t be so bad.”
I didn’t have any reasons for it, and perhaps I needed to think like that, but I was surprisingly calm and relaxed.
However, there was just one thought that was gnawing away at me.
“I don’t want to die here…”
As I thought that, something moved out from the calendar on the wall and started to spread around the room.
“Oh dear, a line marching out from the calendar. My hallucinations aren’t at all original.”
I had to smile at the fact at my professional instincts were working even at times like this, but in any case I was probably the nearest to the land of the dead that I’d ever been at that point. I really felt death very close to me. [But] with the help of many people, I miraculously escaped Musashino Red Cross and came back home, wrapped up in the land of the dead and bedsheets.
Funny guy. Glad he got to go home for his last days. That’s where I’d prefer to be. Or else on the beach with a glass of red in hand.
I am so sad that he died so young. I realize it may be heresy to say this, but I really think he was the best animator of his generation, and perhaps the best director.
Oh, this makes me sad. He was a wonderful director, and seemed like a lovely guy. I’m glad that at least he got to go home.