Shinya Kumazaki (熊崎 信也, Kumazaki Shin'ya; born May 21, 1979) is a Japanese video game director, game designer, HAL…Shinya Kumazaki (熊崎 信也, Kumazaki Shin'ya; born May 21, 1979) is a Japanese video game director, game designer, HAL Laboratory employee, and painter who is the current general director of the Kirby series and voice of King Dedede.
Hiromasa Yonebayashi (米林 宏昌, Yonebayashi Hiromasa; born July 10, 1973 in Nonoichi, Ishikawa, Japan), nicknamed Maro…Hiromasa Yonebayashi (米林 宏昌, Yonebayashi Hiromasa; born July 10, 1973 in Nonoichi, Ishikawa, Japan), nicknamed Maro (麻呂), is a Japanese animator and director, formerly for Studio Ghibli. After his directorial debut with Studio Ghibli (The Secret World of Arrietty), he became the youngest director of a theatrical film produced by the studio. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature in 2015 for his second film, When Marnie Was There. Together with Ghibli producer Yoshiaki Nishimura, Yonebayashi left Studio Ghibli in December 2014 after 18 years, and established Studio Ponoc in June 2015. His first film as director at Studio Ponoc is Mary and the Witch's Flower. He studied at the Kanazawa College of Art, where he majored in commercial design.
Mamoru Hosoda (細田 守, Hosoda Mamoru; born September 19, 1967) is a Japanese filmmaker and animator. He is known for the…Mamoru Hosoda (細田 守, Hosoda Mamoru; born September 19, 1967) is a Japanese filmmaker and animator. He is known for the short films that made up Digimon: The Movie (2000), The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (2006) and Summer Wars (2009). He was nominated for an Academy Award in the category Best Animated Feature Film at the 91st Academy Awards for his seventh film Mirai (2018).
Akinori Nakanishi (仲西 昭徳) (born 1954 in Japan) is the chief designer for Mitsubishi Motors, based at the company's…Akinori Nakanishi (仲西 昭徳) (born 1954 in Japan) is the chief designer for Mitsubishi Motors, based at the company's design and research centre in Okazaki, Aichi. He was appointed to this position in June 2004, having previously worked as the General Manager for Mitsubishi Design Europe in Trebur, Germany. He began working for Mitsubishi in 1977 as soon as he graduated, and was responsible for both the 1991 and 2003 Colts, the HSR concept cars and the Mitsubishi Triton, among others. He cites fashion designers Issey Miyake and Giorgio Armani and movies such as The Matrix and The Lord of the Rings as inspirations, and names the original Mini and the Jaguar E-type as his personal favourite automotive designs. For his company's future, he has envisaged a sporty, wide-track look, saying "We are not a giant company, so we should be unique. This [look] gives them a wider stance. The bean counters don't like that. It is too expensive."
Kazuo Kawasaki (川崎和男) is a Japanese industrial designer born in Fukui Prefecture in 1949. He graduated from Kanazawa…Kazuo Kawasaki (川崎和男) is a Japanese industrial designer born in Fukui Prefecture in 1949. He graduated from Kanazawa College of Art in 1972. Kawasaki is a professor at Osaka University and a visiting professor at Tama Art University and Kanazawa Institute of Technology. Representative works include the wheelchair "CARNA" (part of the permanent collection at MoMA New York), the "Kazuo Kawasaki" brand of eyeware and the "EIZO" brand of computer displays. One of his research projects is artificial heart design. Kawasaki was Apple design director in the early 1990s and designed portable computer devices (named MindTop, POPEYE, Pluto, Sweatpea, JEEP).
Naohisa Inoue (井上 直久, Inoue Naohisa; born in 1948 in Osaka, Japan) is a fantasy artist influenced by both the…Naohisa Inoue (井上 直久, Inoue Naohisa; born in 1948 in Osaka, Japan) is a fantasy artist influenced by both the Surrealism and Impressionism movements. Most of his paintings are set in the fantastical land of Iblard (イバラード, Ibarādo). He created reference and background art for the Studio Ghibli film Whisper of the Heart and also provided a cameo appearance as the voice of Minami. More recently, his works were given a more direct adaptation in the short film The Day I Harvested a Star (星をかった日, Hoshi o Katta Hi) which is shown exclusively at the Ghibli Museum. He directed the 2007 OVA Iblard Jikan, produced by Studio Ghibli. Inoue is currently a professor at Seian University of Art and Design. He attended the Kanazawa College of Art from 1971 to 1973.
Shōgyo Ōba (大場松魚, Ōba Shōgyo; March 15, 1916 – June 21, 2012) was a Japanese maki-e lacquer artist. He began practicing…Shōgyo Ōba (大場松魚, Ōba Shōgyo; March 15, 1916 – June 21, 2012) was a Japanese maki-e lacquer artist. He began practicing the art of maki-e lacquerware in Kanazawa in 1945. Shōgyo was named a Living National Treasure of Japan in 1982 for his expertise in maki-e lacquerware. Shōgyo was born Ōba Katsuo on March 15, 1916, in Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan. His grandfather had established the family lacquer business. Shōgyo graduated from Ishikawa Prefectural Industrial School, where he studied painting and design. Shōgyo then became an apprentice of Matsuda Gonroku in Tokyo. He especially skilled in the technique of hyōmon, in which pieces of gold or silver cut lead are attached to decorative objects, often to round objects, such as vases, which can be difficult to apply this technique. Shogyo restored the gold and lacquer decorations of Chūson-ji Konjiki-dō. a 10th-century Buddhist temple in Hiraizumi, Iwate, in 1964. Shōgyo Ōba died on June 21, 2012, at the age of 96.