Fumi Kitahara obit

Fumi Kitahara Dies: Veteran Animation Publicist Was 56

 

She was not on the list.

Fumi Kitahara, a widely respected animation publicist who helped steer award-winning campaigns for studios including DreamWorks, Aardman, Laika, Netflix, and Disney, passed away on Monday due to complications from a rare form of blood cancer, her family announced. She was 56.

“Dear Friends of Fumi,” the family wrote. “We’re devastated to share that our dear Fumi passed away this afternoon, February 24, after her long struggle with a rare blood cancer. She was surrounded by the love of her family and close friends.”

Signed “Simon, Max & the Kitahara Family,” the joint statement continued, “We know many of you will be as heartbroken as we are in saying goodbye to her unforgettable personality, her infectious smile, and her warm and loving heart. This is an unimaginable loss for us, our family, and the animation community. Thank you for the love, support, and friendship you have shown her over the years. She meant the world to so many.”

Throughout her more than 30-year career, Kitahara played a vital role in publicizing some of the most beloved animated films of recent decades. Her work included campaigns for multiple Shrek films, Chicken Run, Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, Coraline, How to Train Your Dragon, Kubo and the Two Strings, Over the Moon, and The Sea Beast. Additionally, she oversaw awards campaigns for Oscar-winning animated shorts such as The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse and War Is Over! Inspired by the Music of John and Yoko.

Born on March 2, 1968, Kitahara earned a degree in business marketing from California State University, Northridge. She began her career in 1992 at Walt Disney Studios, working under veteran publicist Howard Green. During her time there, she contributed to publicity efforts for classics like The Lion King, Pocahontas, Toy Story, The Nightmare Before Christmas, and the documentary Frank and Ollie.

In 1996, Kitahara joined DreamWorks SKG as Head of Animation Publicity, where she built and led the department for 11 years. There, she was instrumental in launching campaigns for The Prince of Egypt, Shrek, and Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, among other titles.

After leaving DreamWorks in 2007, Kitahara founded her own boutique publicity firm, the PR Kitchen, where she contributed to numerous high-profile awards campaigns. She also pent four years with Google Spotlight Stories, helping to promote titles such as Pearl, Duet, and Age of Sail; collaborated with Baobab Studios on projects including Baba Yaga and Namoo; and worked on documentary films such as Walt & El Grupo, Waking Sleeping Beauty, and Tyrus.

A champion for women in the industry, Kitahara served as PR Chair for Women in Animation for over a decade and was a member of the Public Relations branch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. She’s survived by her husband, filmmaker Simon Otto; their son, Max; her mother, Teruko Kitahara; sister, Hiroko Kitahara Domes; and brother, Keiichi Kitahara. Information on a celebration of life will be forthcoming.

Additional Crew

Opera (2020)

Opera

7.3

Short

International PR

2020

 

Sonaria (2017)

Sonaria

7.4

Short

public relations: the pr kitchen

2017

 

Rain or Shine (2016)

Rain or Shine

6.8

Short

public relations: the pr kitchen

2016

 

Pearl (2016)

Pearl

6.9

Short

public relations: the pr kitchen

2016

 

Tyrus (2015)

Tyrus

8.4

publicist

2015

 

Neil Patrick Harris, Benjamin Bratt, Terry Crews, Anna Faris, Bill Hader, and Andy Samberg in Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 (2013)

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2

6.3

unit publicist

2013

 

The Pirates! Band of Misfits (2012)

The Pirates! Band of Misfits

6.7

unit publicist

2012

 

Neil Patrick Harris, Anna Faris, Bill Hader, and Jeremy Shada in Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (2009)

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

6.9

unit publicist

2009

 

HBO First Look (1992)

HBO First Look

6.2

TV Series

unit publicist

production coordinator

2005–2008

7 episodes

 

The Enchanted Island of Madagascar

6.9

Video

production coordinator

2005

 

The Tech of Shrek 2 (2004)

The Tech of Shrek 2

5.6

Video

production publicist

2004

 

John Cleese, Antonio Banderas, Cameron Diaz, Mike Myers, Julie Andrews, Rupert Everett, Eddie Murphy, Jennifer Saunders, and Conrad Vernon in Shrek 2 (2004)

Shrek 2

7.4

unit publicist

2004

 

Val Kilmer in The Prince of Egypt (1998)

The Prince of Egypt

7.2

publicist

1998

 

Thanks

Oni: Thunder God's Tale (2022)

Oni: Thunder God's Tale

8.1

TV Mini Series

special thanks: Friends and Families of the Oni Crew

2022

2 episodes

 

Weeds (2017)

Weeds

6.5

Short

special thanks

2017

 

18th Annual Animation Show of Shows (2016)

18th Annual Animation Show of Shows

7.2

special thanks

2016

 

Tyrus (2015)

Tyrus

8.4

special thanks

2015

 

Duet (2014)

Duet

7.2

Short

special thanks

2014

 

Max (2013)

Max

4.4

Short

special thanks

2013

 

The Pirates! Band of Misfits: Starz/Encore Special

7.5

TV Movie

special thank you

2012

 

HBO First Look (1992)

HBO First Look

6.2

TV Series

special thanks

2009

1 episode

 

Jerry Seinfeld in Bee Movie (2007)

Bee Movie

6.1

special thanks

2007

 

Antonio Banderas, Cameron Diaz, Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, and Conrad Vernon in Shrek the Third (2007)

Shrek the Third

6.1

special thanks

2007

 

Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005)

Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit

7.5

special thanks

2005

 

John Cleese, Antonio Banderas, Cameron Diaz, Mike Myers, Julie Andrews, Rupert Everett, Eddie Murphy, Jennifer Saunders, and Conrad Vernon in Shrek 2 (2004)

Shrek 2

7.4

special thanks

2004

 

Brad Pitt, Michelle Pfeiffer, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Frank Welker in Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas (2003)

Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas

6.7

special thanks

2003