Japan anime giant Takahata dies at 82

TOKYO - Oscar-nominated Japanese anime director Isao Takahata, who co-founded Studio Ghibli and was best known for his work Grave of the Fireflies, has died aged 82, the studio said on Friday.

The winner of many awards domestically and internationally, Takahata was considered one of the greats of Japanese animated film and is often linked with long-term Studio Ghibli collaborator Hayao Miyazaki.

He enjoyed a career spanning several decades, producing both films and work for the small screen and his latest production, The Tale of the Princess Kaguya, earned him an Academy award nomination for best animated feature.