Norio Matsumoto

Matsumoto Norio (松本憲生) is an influential and prolific action and character animator. He began his career after graduating from Tatsunoko's animators training program, and following this, worked as an "inbetweener" for Oh! Productions (1987-89). Norio was mentored under Tomohiro Hirata and influenced by Satoru Utsunomiya and Takashi Nakamura, for which he has adapted elements of their approach for a wider audience. His style employs soft and simplified drawings to make very fluid, realistic movements; He is known within the industry for his drawing speed and pure volume of quality cuts on a single work. Norio is perhaps best known for his work on the Naruto franchise, being the lead animator on Wakabayashi's episodes 30, 71, 133; and episode 167 of Shippuden.