Ko Hashiguchi

American pro astrologer, illustrator, cartoon-character and special-effects animation artist who works at a studio in the Los Angeles area. Ko Hashiguchi is also an astrologer who is trained and skilled in Chinese astrology and is the author of "Pillars of Heaven: Chinese Astrology Explained" (to be published by Llewellyn tentatively in 2003). Ko has been drawing since the age of three and a half, starting with dinosaurs. As he was known as a very bookish and quiet person at home, his parents did not know he was as boisterous in public until confronted with the evidence by his camp counselor when he was 12. Ko is the second of three kids born to an aeronautical engineer and a sewing and tailoring instructor at the community college level. He is the only son. He completed one and a half years of education at the University of Washington, and two years at a private commercial art school. His older sister, Mia Jean Hashiguchi, was born 4/28/1952 at 01:31 in Seattle, WA; information taken from Birth Certificate in mothers possession. His younger sister, Aya Marie Hashiguchi, was born 9/28/1956 at 18:33 in Seattle; information from same source as older sister. His mother, Starr Miyeko Urakawa Hashiguchi was born 10/21/1929 at 22:30 in Auburn, Washington; information from her sons memory. His father, Hachiro Hashiguchi, was born 3/17/1920 at 11:30 in Seattle; information from fathers memory. Kos father died between midnight and 3:00 on 4/30/2001 in Renton, Washington. In June 1967, Ko traveled across the country and on an airplane for the first time with his family, visiting relatives in Washington DC, visiting New York City and Expo 67 in Montreal. In 1971 he went to the Boy Scout World Jamboree in Japan, held at the foot of Mount Fuji, which was rained out by a typhoon in mid-festival. Later that same summer, Ko made his one and only "student" film; a Super-8 black and white 25 minute featurette spoofing the style of one of his cinematic heroes, Alfred Hitchcock. In January of 1984, within days of his exact Saturn return, Ko moved to Los Angeles to find employment in the motion picture business. With a good friend to break ground for him, he did -- on the film "Ghostbusters." While he got paid for his work and got into the Animators union, you will not find his name in the credits. Also, since his work was special effects and matte-work, his work was NOT intended to be seen! It was a success when the live-action and special effects were merged seamlessly on the screen. Moving to California as an adult, Ko has worked in the motion picture and animation business since 1984. His first job was on the live-action version of "Ghostbusters." Three years at Filmation Studios followed, drawing the television shows "He-Man and the Masters of the Universe", and "She-Ra, Princess of Power", the first cartoon shows to start out as toys first, cartoons second. Five years of animated television commercials followed, including Disney characters for Chevrolet Lumina and three Tony the Tiger/Kelloggs commercials. In 1990, Ko received his first notable credit in an animated feature, Disneys "Prince and the Pauper" with Mickey Mouse playing both title roles. He has worked on "The Swan Princess," 1993, for Rich Animation, "Cats Dont Dance," 1995 for Turner, "Hercules," 1997 and "Tarzan," 1999 for Disney, and "Rugrats in Paris," 2000 for Nickelodeon. From June 2000 he has played the role of stay-at-home dad to his two young children, aged four and two. Ko met Read less