Short answers, pulled from the story.
Noburō ōfuji began his career in the early 1920s as a trainee under Jun'ichi Kōuchi. This master animator taught him the fundamentals of frame-by-frame movement and visual storytelling.
The artist chose washi paper over standard celluloid sheets for most of his productions. He specifically selected Edo chiyogami patterns to add color and texture to his characters.
A film called Kirigami zaiku Saiyuki released in 1926 demonstrated this technique clearly. The paper cutouts moved across the screen to tell stories about the Monkey King.
World War II brought significant changes to Noburō ōfuji's production schedule and themes. Government restrictions limited the types of stories animators could produce during those years.
International festivals began screening works like Yūreisen released in 1956. Critics outside Japan noticed the unique aesthetic created by paper cutouts.
The Mainichi Film Awards established a special prize named after Noburō ōfuji. This honor recognizes outstanding contributions to animation within the industry.