(written from a Production point of view)
Masao Okazaki is a graphic designer and artist, who was officially credited as a "Technical Consultant" to the production of the 2008 remastered version of the Star Trek: The Original Series episode "The Ultimate Computer". It has been, to date, his only official credit, though his involvement with Star Trek extended to fandom.
Born in Brooklyn and a Star Trek fan since 1966, Okazaki's main work is The Starfleet Museum, a 'historical record' of ships used in the Earth-Romulan War and the early Federation era. His design for a 23rd century starbase was requested for use in the novel series Star Trek: Vanguard, being translated into a CGI version by Doug Drexler, who commented upon the design, "I dig Vanguard station because it looks appropriately old school, while embracing the design directions of the original feature films!" [1](X). The design was also later adapted by Michael Okuda and CBS Digital as Starbase 6 in the remastered version of "The Ultimate Computer".
Okazaki received a credit as Technical Consultant for the episode, of which he was exceedingly proud, "This was something I had never imagined. Thanks to the inclusion, I am now credited as "creative consultant" on the IMDB page of Star Trek, my favorite TV show of all time. When I was watching Trek on a black and white TV set when I was a kid, I would never have guessed that would happen." (Star Trek Magazine issue 162, p. 81).
In addition, Okazaki designed the USS Sagittarius, an Archer-class starship seen on the cover of the Vanguard novel Reap the Whirlwind.
Okazaki currently lives in Tokio, Japan as a manuscript editor and English teacher for a medical school.
Further reading[]
- "Vanguard: Form and Substance", Star Trek Magazine issue 162, July/August 2011, pp. 76-81