animator, animation director, president of Shirogumi, Inc., film producer
Professor at Kyoto University of Art and Design
1958 graduated from Tokyo University of the Arts (Geidai)
he was part of the first group of recruits hired by Toei Animation (then Toei Doga) to work on Japan's first full colour animated feature film The Legend of the White Serpent (白蛇伝 / Hakujaden,1958)
he also worked at Gakken and Tokyo Commercial before forming his own company Shimamura Planning Office in 1973
he was became involved in the independent animation scene in the 1960s, showing works at the Sogetsu Animation festivals in 1966 and 1967
Shirogumi has become one of the largest CG and VFX production studios in Japan. Their head office is in Aoyama, Tokyo, with two more studios in Sangenjaya and Chofu.