Fumi Kitahara Dies: Veteran Animation Publicist Was 56

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.