Japan's government has named director Rintarō (*Galaxy Express 999*, Metropolis) one of its 20 Persons of Cultural Merit for 2026. Per ANN, citing Nikkei, the honor recognizes his contributions to the development of television animation, starting with Astro Boy. Rintarō, whose real name is Shigeyuki Hayashi, is 85.
Quick answer
Rintarō was selected as a 2026 Person of Cultural Merit, one of Japan's top cultural honors, for his work building TV animation from Astro Boy onward. He directed the **1979 Galaxy Express 999 film, which SenpaiRanks tracks at 7.34, and Madhouse's 2001 Metropolis at 7.22. He is also writing the original story draft for Toei Animation's new Galaxy Express 999 film**.
Sixty years of anime history
Rintarō's résumé is the history of the medium. He worked directly with Osamu Tezuka on Astro Boy, Kimba the White Lion and Phoenix: Karma Chapter. Then came a run of films that defined the late-70s and 80s theatrical boom: Galaxy Express 999, Adieu Galaxy Express 999, Space Pirate Captain Harlock, Harmagedon, The Dagger of Kamui and X/1999. In 2001 he directed Metropolis, his adaptation of Tezuka's manga with a Katsuhiro Otomo script. It's still one of the best-looking films of its decade (it appears in our best anime films of the 2000s).
Still working
He isn't treating this as a lifetime-achievement send-off. In 2023 he directed his first work in 14 years, a silent short that screened at the first Niigata International Animation Film Festival. His autobiographical manga, My Life in 24 Frames per Second, launched in January 2024, won the Grand Prize at the 29th Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize, and was nominated for Best Graphic Memoir at the 2026 Eisner Awards. And he's back on 999: our Galaxy Express 999 new film guide covers Toei's project.
Last year's honorees included Masako Nozawa, Goku's voice and the first voice actor to receive the title. For more of the studio history Rintarō helped build, see our best Toei Animation anime and best 80s and 90s anime rankings, or the Tezuka documentary post.
Frequently asked questions
Q: What award did Rintarō receive in 2026?
A: Japan's government named him one of 20 Persons of Cultural Merit for 2026, for his contributions to television animation.
Q: What anime did Rintarō direct?
A: Galaxy Express 999 (1979 film), Adieu Galaxy Express 999, Harmagedon, The Dagger of Kamui, X/1999 and Metropolis (2001), among others.
Q: Is Rintarō working on a new Galaxy Express 999?
A: Yes. He wrote the original story draft for Toei Animation's new Galaxy Express 999 film.
Q: How is Metropolis ranked?
A: SenpaiRanks tracks Rintarō's Metropolis (2001) at 7.22 and the 1979 Galaxy Express 999 film at 7.34.