Chris Ishii's journey began after graduating from Chouinard Art Institute in 1940, when he joined Disney as an assistant animator on iconic films such as Fantasia, Dumbo, The Reluctant Dragon, and numerous Disney cartoons. However, his life took an unexpected turn when World War II broke out, and he was interned at the Assembly Center at Santa Anita, followed by a transfer to the Granada Relocation Center in Amache, Colorado.
Despite the challenges he faced, Chris continued to work as a cartoonist on the camp newspapers, showcasing his artistic talents. In 1943, he volunteered to join the U.S. Army, where he served in the Military Intelligence Service as an illustrator for the Office of War Information, assigned to the India/China/Burma theater of war. It was during this time that he met and married his wife, Ada Suffiad, in Shanghai, and brought her to the U.S. with him after demobilization.
After the war, Chris briefly studied art in Paris, France, before settling with his family in New York in 1952. He went on to become a successful artist, known for his film work, and worked at UPA Studios on projects such as "A Unicorn in the Garden" and "Madeline," as well as Gerald McBoing Boing and Mr. Magoo cartoons.
In 1965, Chris joined forces with two partners to form Focus Productions, a film production company, and later became a freelance artist in 1975. During his illustrious career, he contributed to numerous projects, including the animated sequence in Woody Allen's Annie Hall, and garnered two Clio "best" and four "runner-up" awards for his television commercials.
Chris lived in Dobbs Ferry, New York from 1955 to 2001, and was predeceased by his wife, Ada, who passed away in 1988. He is survived by his sisters Kiyo and Sumi, brother Jack, three children, Christopher, Naka, and Jonathan, and four grandchildren.
