The famed Japanese director was known best for his 1988 film Grave of the Fireflies.

Studio Ghibli co-founder Isao Takahata has died aged 82, the Guardian reports.

“[His death] is true, but we can’t comment further as we are trying to confirm some facts around it,” a spokeswoman for Studio Ghibli said.

Takahata met fellow director and rival Hayao Miyazaki at Japan’s Toei studio and the pair founded Studio Ghibli in 1985. Takahata went on to produce a number of blockbusters including 1986’s Castle in the Sky, but was known best for his heartbreaking 1988 tale about two WW2 orphans, Grave of the Fireflies.

In 2014, Takahata received an Oscar nomination for his film The Tale of the Princess Kaguya.

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