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[[File:Shoji Kawamori and son.jpg|thumb|upright=2|Shōji Kawamori (left)]]
[[File:Shoji Kawamori and son.jpg|thumb|upright=2|Shōji Kawamori (left)]]


'''Shōji Kawamori''' (河森 正治 ''Kawamori Shōji'') is a renowned Japanese mechanical designer best known as the primary architect of the ''{{w|Macross}}'' mega-franchise which he continues to lead to this day. He was born on [[February 20]], [[1960]], in Toyama Prefecture.
'''Shōji Kawamori''' (河森 正治 ''Kawamori Shōji'', b. [[February 20]], [[1960]]) is a renowned Japanese mechanical designer best known as the primary architect of the ''[[Super Dimension Fortress Macross|Macross]]'' mega-franchise which he continues to lead to this day.


He cut his teeth as one junior designer of many in the design studio [[Studio Nue]] working for [[TakaraTomy|Takara]] on the [[pre-Transformer]] ''[[Diaclone]]'' franchise, where he is known to have contributed to the design of ''Diaclone'' flagship "Battle Convoy" (pre-[[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys|Optimus Prime]]) and quite a few of the pre-[[Autobot Cars]], amongst others. ''Diaclone'' is a bit of a footnote however, relative to his most famous work: creating and writing the seminal 80s mecha anime ''{{w|The Super Dimension Fortress Macross}}'' and nine of its ten and counting sequels, as well as his work on many smaller critically acclaimed productions such as ''{{w|Escaflowne}}'' and ''{{w|Eureka 7}}''. Of particular pertinence to ''Transformers'' is his design work on the transforming "VF-1 Valkyrie" fighter jet/mecha of the original ''Macross'', which was subsequently ported into ''The Transformers'' alongside his ''Diaclone'' work as [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]].
Kawamori cut his teeth as one junior designer of many in the design studio [[Studio Nue]] working for [[TakaraTomy|Takara]] on the [[pre-Transformer]] ''[[Diaclone]]'' franchise, where he is known to have contributed to the design of ''Diaclone'' flagship "Battle Convoy" (pre-[[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys|Optimus Prime]]) and quite a few of the pre-[[Autobot Cars]], amongst others. ''Diaclone'' is a bit of a footnote however, relative to Kawamori's most famous work: creating and writing the seminal '80s mecha anime ''Super Dimension Fortress Macross'' and nine of its ten and counting sequels, as well as his work on many smaller critically acclaimed productions such as ''{{w|Escaflowne}}'' and ''{{w|Eureka 7}}''. Of particular pertinence to ''Transformers'' is his design work on the transforming "VF-1 Valkyrie" fighter jet/mecha of the original ''Macross'', which was subsequently ported into ''The Transformers'' alongside his ''Diaclone'' work as [[Jetfire (G1)/toys#Toys|Jetfire]].


Kawamori briefly returned to the ''Transformers'' franchise in 2006 to oversee the design of a new [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys#Hybrid Style|Generation 1 Optimus Prime toy]] for Takara's ''Transformers [[Hybrid Style]]'' line as well as the immaculate jet mode of the original [[Starscream (G1)/toys#Masterpiece|Starscream]] toy of the nascent ''[[The Transformers: Masterpiece|Masterpiece]]'' toyline.
Kawamori briefly returned to the ''Transformers'' franchise in 2006 to oversee the design of a new [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys#Hybrid Style|Generation 1 Optimus Prime toy]] for Takara's ''Transformers [[Hybrid Style]]'' line as well as the immaculate jet mode of the original [[Starscream (G1)/toys#Masterpiece|Starscream]] toy of the nascent ''[[The Transformers: Masterpiece|Masterpiece]]'' toyline.


==Known design work==
==Known design work==
===''Diaclone''===
===''[[The Transformers (toyline)|The Transformers]]''===
*A decent chunk of the [[Diaclone#Car Robots|''Car Robots'']] subline
====via ''[[Diaclone]]''====
===Generation 1===
{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys#The Transformers|Optimus Prime]]
|width="20%" valign="top"|
*[[Skids (G1)#The Transformers|Skids]]<ref>[https://twitter.com/_necronomitron_/status/1395127091629199361 Diaclone concept art] in a thread on the conceptual history of [[Reboost]] by [[Pre-Transformer]] historian Necronomitron on Twitter</ref>
<ul class="iconlist">
*[[Jetfire (G1)/toys#The Transformers|Jetfire]] (via ''Macross'')
{{Bp-a1|[[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys#The Transformers|Optimus Prime]]}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/toys#The Transformers|Ultra Magnus]]<ref name="2009v1">"Design Maniax" feature in ''[[Transformers Generations 2009 Volume 1]]'' by [[TARKUS]], p74-79</ref>}}
|
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''[[Autobot Cars#The Transformers|Autobot Cars]]
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-a1|[[Inferno (G1)/toys#The Transformers|Inferno]]<ref name ="2009v1"/>}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Mirage (G1)/toys#The Transformers|Mirage]]<ref name ="2009v1"/>}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Skids (G1)#The Transformers|Skids]]<ref name = "DiacloneNext">''Diaclone World Guide Next'' by [[Kōji Igarashi]], p.106</ref>}}
|
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''[[Dinobot (G1)#The Transformers|Dinobot]]s'''
{{Bp-a1|[[Grimlock (G1)/toys#The Transformers|Grimlock]]<ref name ="2009v1"/>}}
{{Bp-a1|[[Sludge (G1)#The Transformers|Sludge]]<ref name ="2009v1"/>}}
|
|width="20%" valign="top"|
|}


===''Hybrid Style''===
====via ''[[Super Dimension Fortress Macross|Macross]]''====
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys#Hybrid Style|Convoy]]
{{Bp-a1|[[Jetfire (G1)/toys#The Transformers|Jetfire]]}}


===''Masterpiece''===
===''[[The Transformers: Collector's Edition|Collector's Edition]]''===
*[[Starscream (G1)/toys#Masterpiece|MP-3 Starscream]] (final version, initial design by [[Hironori Kobayashi]])
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-a1|[[Crosscut (G1)#Toys|Crosscut]] (via ''Diaclone'')<ref name = "DiacloneNext"/>}}</ul>
 
===''[[Hybrid Style]]''===
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-a1|[[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys#Hybrid Style|Convoy]]}}</ul>
 
===''[[The Transformers: Masterpiece|Masterpiece]]''===
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-d1|[[Starscream (G1)/toys#Masterpiece|MP-3 Starscream]] (final version, initial design by [[Hironori Kobayashi]])}}</ul>


==References==
==References==
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*[https://shojikawamori.jp/ Shōji Kawamori's personal website]
*[https://shojikawamori.jp/ Shōji Kawamori's personal website]
*[https://twitter.com/kawamoriexpo Shōji Kawamori on Twitter]
*[https://twitter.com/kawamoriexpo Shōji Kawamori on Twitter]
*[https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%B2%B3%E6%A3%AE%E6%AD%A3%E6%B2%BB Shōji Kawamori] at Japanese Wikipedia
*{{w|lang=ja|河森正治|Shōji Kawamori}} at Japanese Wikipedia
*{{w|Shōji Kawamori}} at English Wikipedia
*{{w|Shōji Kawamori}} at English Wikipedia


[[Category:Generation 1 designers|Kawamori Shoji]]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kawamori, Shoji}}
[[Category:Masterpiece designers|Kawamori Shoji]]
[[Category:Generation 1 designers]]
[[Category:TakaraTomy designers|Kawamori Shoji]]
[[Category:Masterpiece designers]]
[[Category:Studio Nue]]
[[Category:TakaraTomy designers]]

Latest revision as of 11:46, 21 March 2026

Shōji Kawamori (left)

Shōji Kawamori (河森 正治 Kawamori Shōji, b. February 20, 1960) is a renowned Japanese mechanical designer best known as the primary architect of the Macross mega-franchise which he continues to lead to this day.

Kawamori cut his teeth as one junior designer of many in the design studio Studio Nue working for Takara on the pre-Transformer Diaclone franchise, where he is known to have contributed to the design of Diaclone flagship "Battle Convoy" (pre-Optimus Prime) and quite a few of the pre-Autobot Cars, amongst others. Diaclone is a bit of a footnote however, relative to Kawamori's most famous work: creating and writing the seminal '80s mecha anime Super Dimension Fortress Macross and nine of its ten and counting sequels, as well as his work on many smaller critically acclaimed productions such as Escaflowne and Eureka 7. Of particular pertinence to Transformers is his design work on the transforming "VF-1 Valkyrie" fighter jet/mecha of the original Macross, which was subsequently ported into The Transformers alongside his Diaclone work as Jetfire.

Kawamori briefly returned to the Transformers franchise in 2006 to oversee the design of a new Generation 1 Optimus Prime toy for Takara's Transformers Hybrid Style line as well as the immaculate jet mode of the original Starscream toy of the nascent Masterpiece toyline.

Known design work

[edit]

The Transformers

[edit]

via Diaclone

[edit]
Autobot Cars Dinobots
  • Grimlock[1]
  • Sludge[1]
    		•

    via Macross

    [edit]
  • Jetfire

    • Collector's Edition

    [edit]

    Hybrid Style

    [edit]

    Masterpiece

    [edit]

    References

    [edit]
    1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 "Design Maniax" feature in Transformers Generations 2009 Volume 1 by TARKUS, p74-79
    2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Diaclone World Guide Next by Kōji Igarashi, p.106
    [edit]
    Retrieved from "https://tfwiki.duckdns.org/index.php?title=Shōji_Kawamori&oldid=1903172"