His Grave of the Fireflies and American Hijiki won the Naoki Prize in 1967.
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In December 1978, he was credited for giving former rugby player-turned pro wrestler Susumu Hara his ring name, Ashura Hara.
By December 1978, he returned to Japan and was given the name Ashura Hara by author Akiyuki Nosaka, who happens to be a fan of Hara's.
Akiyuki Nosaka (born 1930), Japanese novelist, singer, lyricist, and former member of the House of Councillors
"OBC Song (OBCソング)" (the lyrics by Akiyuki Nosaka (野坂 昭如), music by Taku Izumi (いずみ たく)) is Japan's first commercial broadcasting station's song produced in 1961.
His first independent feature was a free adaptation of Akiyuki Nosaka's 1963 novel about life on the fringes of Osaka society, The Pornographers.
Bitmob writer Jasmine Rea called Fragile Dreams an "experience rather than a game", citing that it had an emotional impact similar to that of Isao Takahata's adaptation of Akiyuki Nosaka's novel Grave of the Fireflies.