Hiroshi Nagashima (長島 浩, Nagashima Hiroshi) (born March 15, 1966, in Kanagawa) is a retired boxer from Japan, who…Hiroshi Nagashima (長島 浩, Nagashima Hiroshi) (born March 15, 1966, in Kanagawa) is a retired boxer from Japan, who competed for his native country at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona. Nagashima competed in the Men's Light-Middleweight (– 71 kg) division. He was defeated in the first round by Maselino Masoe of American Samoa after the referee stopped the contest due to injury.
Akira Nogami (野上 彰, Nogami Akira; born March 13, 1966) is a Japanese professional wrestler and actor, currently working…Akira Nogami (野上 彰, Nogami Akira; born March 13, 1966) is a Japanese professional wrestler and actor, currently working as Akira (occasionally stylised in all-capitals). He has also worked as a trainer.
Koji Imada (今田 耕司, Imada Kōji; born March 13, 1966 in Osaka city) is a Japanese musician, comedian, tarento and TV…Koji Imada (今田 耕司, Imada Kōji; born March 13, 1966 in Osaka city) is a Japanese musician, comedian, tarento and TV presenter. His talent agency is Yoshimoto Kogyo. In the mid-1990s, Imada paired with the acclaimed Japanese record producer Towa Tei under the stage name Koji 1200. He released two albums and multiple hit singles, including Now Romantic and Blow Ya Mind. Imada is currently one of the most prominent figures in the Japanese television industry as an active TV presenter and comedian. Although they were not an official comedy duo, Imada along with Koji Higashino were known as the W Koji as they shared the same name and were both graduates of the Yoshimoto NSC Osaka Comedy School as the 4th generation. Among the shows he's presented for was Amazon Prime's Caligula.
Masami Okui (奥井 雅美, Okui Masami; born March 13, 1966) is a Japanese singer and songwriter from Itami, Hyōgo. She began…Masami Okui (奥井 雅美, Okui Masami; born March 13, 1966) is a Japanese singer and songwriter from Itami, Hyōgo. She began her professional musical career at age 21 as a concert backup singer. From almost the very beginning of her career, Masami has sung themes for anime television and movies. She is especially well known for her songs from Revolutionary Girl Utena, Tales of Eternia The Animation, Slayers, Sorcerer Hunters, Di Gi Charat, Magical DoReMi, Magic User's Club, Jungle de Ikou!, Akihabara Dennou Gumi, Ray the Animation, He Is My Master and Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters. She has performed material for more than 50 singles and 20 albums to date (including her work with JAM Project and Chihiro Yonekura). Okui hosts @Tunes, an anime music news program, on the Japanese anime television network Animax.
Yukishige Okubo (大久保 潔重, Ōkubo Yukishige; born March 12, 1966) is a Japanese politician of the Democratic Party of…Yukishige Okubo (大久保 潔重, Ōkubo Yukishige; born March 12, 1966) is a Japanese politician of the Democratic Party of Japan, a member of the House of Councillors in the Diet (national legislature). A native of Isahaya, Nagasaki and graduate of Nagasaki University, he had served in the assembly of Nagasaki Prefecture since 2003. After running unsuccessfully for the House of Representatives in 2005, he was elected to the House of Councillors for the first time in 2007.
Junko Ishida (石田 順子, Ishida Junko; born March 11, 1966) is a former Japanese football player. She played for the Japan…Junko Ishida (石田 順子, Ishida Junko; born March 11, 1966) is a former Japanese football player. She played for the Japan national team.
Kenichi Ōkuma (Japanese: 大熊謙一, Hepburn: Ōkuma Kenichi; 7 March 1966 – 22 July 2022), also known as Kenichi Okuma…Kenichi Ōkuma (Japanese: 大熊謙一, Hepburn: Ōkuma Kenichi; 7 March 1966 – 22 July 2022), also known as Kenichi Okuma, Kenichi Ohkuma, Kenichi Ookuma, or Ken-ichi Ookuma, was a Japanese video game music composer, sound designer and musician. On July 22nd 2022, he died of esophageal cancer.
Atsushi Sakurai (Japanese: 櫻井 敦司, Hepburn: Sakurai Atsushi; March 7, 1966 – October 19, 2023) was a Japanese musician.…Atsushi Sakurai (Japanese: 櫻井 敦司, Hepburn: Sakurai Atsushi; March 7, 1966 – October 19, 2023) was a Japanese musician. He was the lead vocalist and primary lyricist of the rock band Buck-Tick from 1985 until his death in 2023. Initially joining as their drummer in 1983, Sakurai fronted the band for 38 years and 23 studio albums, nearly all of which reached the top ten on Japan's Oricon chart. Sakurai and Buck-Tick are commonly credited as among the founders of the visual kei movement. Sakurai released the solo album Ai no Wakusei in 2004, and was a member of Schwein alongside his Buck-Tick bandmate Hisashi Imai, Sascha Konietzko and Raymond Watts. In 2015, he debuted a solo project called The Mortal. After falling ill during a Buck-Tick concert, Sakurai died from a brainstem hemorrhage in a Yokohama hospital on October 19, 2023.
Megumi Itō (伊東 恵, Itō Megumi; born 6 March 1966) is a former Japanese competitor in synchronised swimming. She competed…Megumi Itō (伊東 恵, Itō Megumi; born 6 March 1966) is a former Japanese competitor in synchronised swimming. She competed for Japan in the women's solo competition at the 1988 Summer Olympics. She won two bronze medals at the 1986 World Aquatics Championships.
Kiyomi Takahashi (高橋 清美, Takahashi Kiyomi; born 3 March 1966) is a Japanese former swimmer who competed in the 1984…Kiyomi Takahashi (高橋 清美, Takahashi Kiyomi; born 3 March 1966) is a Japanese former swimmer who competed in the 1984 Summer Olympics and in the 1988 Summer Olympics.
Kenji Suda (須田 健仁, Suda Kenji) (born 26 February 1966) is a Japanese former ski jumper. In the World Cup, he finished…Kenji Suda (須田 健仁, Suda Kenji) (born 26 February 1966) is a Japanese former ski jumper. In the World Cup, he finished twelve times among the top 10, his best result being a second place from Örnsköldsvik in March 1994. He participated in the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, where he finished 39th in the normal hill, 17th in the large hill and 4th in the team event.
Norihiro Akimura (秋村 謙宏, Akimura Norihiro; born February 26, 1966 in Yamaguchi, Japan) is a retired Japanese Nippon…Norihiro Akimura (秋村 謙宏, Akimura Norihiro; born February 26, 1966 in Yamaguchi, Japan) is a retired Japanese Nippon Professional Baseball pitcher. He played for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp and the Nippon Ham Fighters.
Zen Kajihara (梶原 善, Kajihara Zen; born 25 February 1966 in Okayama), is a Japanese theatre actor. Originally a member…Zen Kajihara (梶原 善, Kajihara Zen; born 25 February 1966 in Okayama), is a Japanese theatre actor. Originally a member of the Tokyo Sunshine Boys theatrical troupe, he now works mainly with the Gekidan Shinkansen troupe. He is known for being very short in stature, but very noisy and wild on stage, specializing in comedy. He had a problem reading kanji (Chinese characters) and insists that his roles have long, complicated, difficult-to-remember names.
Kasugafuji Akihiro (February 20, 1966 – March 9, 2017), born as Shoki Iwanaga, was a Japanese sumo wrestler and coach…Kasugafuji Akihiro (February 20, 1966 – March 9, 2017), born as Shoki Iwanaga, was a Japanese sumo wrestler and coach from Oshika, Miyagi. He was an active wrestler in professional sumo from 1981 until 1996, reaching a highest rank of maegashira 1. After his retirement he re-established the Kasugayama stable in 1997 and trained his own wrestlers. He left the Japan Sumo Association in 2012 after an expenses scandal, and was involved with a legal dispute in 2013 with his successor as head of Kasugayama stable which was not resolved until shortly before his death in 2017.
Satoko Okudera (奥寺 佐渡子, Okudera Satoko; born 1966) is a Japanese screenwriter. She is known for her screenplays in both…Satoko Okudera (奥寺 佐渡子, Okudera Satoko; born 1966) is a Japanese screenwriter. She is known for her screenplays in both live-action and anime media. Her 1995 screenplay for School Ghost Stories was nominated for the Japan Academy Film Prize. She is best known for her collaborations with anime director Mamoru Hosoda.
Daishin Nakamura (中村大伸, Nakamura Daishin; born February 11, 1966 in Tokyo) is a Japanese baseball outfielder who won a…Daishin Nakamura (中村大伸, Nakamura Daishin; born February 11, 1966 in Tokyo) is a Japanese baseball outfielder who won a silver medal in the 1996 Summer Olympics.
Satoshi Urushihara (うるし原 智志) (pen name) or Urushihara Satoshi (漆原 智志; (real name) born February 9, 1966), the "Master…Satoshi Urushihara (うるし原 智志) (pen name) or Urushihara Satoshi (漆原 智志; (real name) born February 9, 1966), the "Master of Breasts", is a Japanese manga artist and illustrator known for his distinctive style of beautiful characters. His work is the basis for anime such as Plastic Little and Legend of Lemnear, and appears in the Langrisser and Growlanser series of tactical role-playing video games.
Ryue Nishizawa (西沢 立衛, Nishizawa Ryūe; born 1966 in Kanagawa Prefecture) is a Japanese architect based in Tokyo. A…Ryue Nishizawa (西沢 立衛, Nishizawa Ryūe; born 1966 in Kanagawa Prefecture) is a Japanese architect based in Tokyo. A graduate of Yokohama National University, he established his own firm, Office of Ryue Nishizawa, in 1997. In 1995, he co-founded the firm SANAA (Sejima and Nishizawa and Associates) with architect Kazuyo Sejima. In 2010, he became the youngest recipient ever of the Pritzker Prize, together with Sejima.
Shōu Tajima (田島 昭宇, Tajima Shōu; born February 7, 1966 in Saitama Prefecture, Japan) is a manga illustrator and anime…Shōu Tajima (田島 昭宇, Tajima Shōu; born February 7, 1966 in Saitama Prefecture, Japan) is a manga illustrator and anime character designer. He has done character designs for the anime Kai Doh Maru, Otogi Zoshi, the survival horror video game Galerians: Ash, and the CGI OVA Galerians: Rion, as well as Kill Bill Chapter 3: The Origin of O-Ren. He also provided character designs and artwork for the Final Fantasy VII novel The Kids Are Alright: A Turks Side Story, some of which later appeared in the video game Final Fantasy VII Remake.
Kenji Ohtsuki (大槻 ケンヂ, 大槻 賢二, Ōtsuki Kenji; born February 6, 1966 in Nakano, Tokyo) is a Japanese rock musician and…Kenji Ohtsuki (大槻 ケンヂ, 大槻 賢二, Ōtsuki Kenji; born February 6, 1966 in Nakano, Tokyo) is a Japanese rock musician and Seiun Award-winning writer. His musical career began in the late 1970s. He is the vocalist of Kinniku Shōjo Tai, Tokusatsu, Underground Searchlie and Karate Bakabon. The lyrics of a Kinniku Shōjo Tai's song "Doko e demo Ikeru Kitte" affected the character design of Rei Ayanami, from the popular anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion. He's also performed the theme songs to several anime, including Welcome to the N.H.K., Hellsing and Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei.
Akihiko Yamashita (山下 明彦, Yamashita Akihiko; born February 6, 1966, in Okayama Prefecture, Chūgoku, Japan) is a Studio…Akihiko Yamashita (山下 明彦, Yamashita Akihiko; born February 6, 1966, in Okayama Prefecture, Chūgoku, Japan) is a Studio Ghibli animator who is famous for Howl's Moving Castle and Giant Robo (OVA).
Maiko Kawakami (川上 麻衣子, Kawakami Maiko; born February 5, 1966) is a Japanese actress who has starred in numerous movies…Maiko Kawakami (川上 麻衣子, Kawakami Maiko; born February 5, 1966) is a Japanese actress who has starred in numerous movies and TV serials. She is a graduate of Keio University through distance education.
Yūko Tsuno (Japanese 津野 裕子; Kana, つの ゆうこ; born February 5, 1966) is a Japanese manga artist and doujinshi writer. Her…Yūko Tsuno (Japanese 津野 裕子; Kana, つの ゆうこ; born February 5, 1966) is a Japanese manga artist and doujinshi writer. Her comics, all very short, self-contained works ranging from five to twenty pages, are surreal and dramatic. Yūko Tsuno was born February 5, 1966, Takaoka, Toyama, Japan. Tsuno published her first work in 1986 in the May issue of the avant-garde manga magazine, Garo with the six-page short story Reizōko (冷蔵庫). This comic is about a person whose deceased sister is locked in a refrigerator. Shortly after her debut came out, she received offers from mainstream magazines but turned them down, sticking with underground comix. Tsuno creates manga with the attitude of drawing it for herself and not for an audience. By the time Garo was discontinued in 2002, Tsuno had published around 70 other short stories. Seirindō, Garo's publisher, published some of them in three anthologies: Delicious (デリシャス, Derishasu, 1988), Amemiya Seppyō (雨宮雪氷, 1994), and Rinpun Kusuri (鱗粉薬, 2000). In 2000, Tsuno's short story "Swing Shell" (スイングシェル, Suingu Sheru) was published in the English-language anthology Secret Comics Japan, which was intended to provide an overview of the alternative comics scene. After the end of Garo, there were no further releases for a few years. Finally, in 2008, a manga was created for the magazine AX. Tsuno resides in Fukuyama, Hiroshima, and works in a graphic design studio.
Kazuya Tsurumaki (鶴巻 和哉 Tsurumaki Kazuya) is a Japanese anime director. He was born on February 2, 1966, in the city of…Kazuya Tsurumaki (鶴巻 和哉 Tsurumaki Kazuya) is a Japanese anime director. He was born on February 2, 1966, in the city of Gosen, located in Niigata Prefecture. He is the protégé of Hideaki Anno, and a longtime animator at Gainax. Tsurumaki's first project at Gainax was as an animation director for the 1990 television series Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water; Tsurumaki was also director of the humorous "omake" (extra) sequences that went along with the TV series, and producer of "Nadia Cinema Edition". In 1995, Tsurumaki served as an assistant director under Hideaki Anno in Gainax's landmark series Neon Genesis Evangelion, in which role he handled production, art director and setting assistant for some episodes. In 1997, he directed episode 25', the first half of the cinematic conclusion to the Evangelion series, The End of Evangelion. In 2000, Tsurumaki officially made his debut as a full-fledged director with the six-part OVA series, FLCL. In 2004 he directed the hit sequel to Gunbuster called Aim for the Top 2! or Diebuster. He was a director for the new four feature Evangelion film series, Rebuild of Evangelion. He directed the 2017 anime special The Dragon Dentist. He attended Otakon in 2001 and Anime Expo in 2016. He is series director for the airing Gundam series Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX jointly produced by Bandai Namco Filmworks and Studio Khara, which produced the Rebuild of Evangelion film series.
Nobuyuki Hoshino (星野 伸之, Hoshino Nobuyuki; born January 31, 1966 in Asahikawa, Hokkaido, Japan) is a Japanese former…Nobuyuki Hoshino (星野 伸之, Hoshino Nobuyuki; born January 31, 1966 in Asahikawa, Hokkaido, Japan) is a Japanese former Nippon Professional Baseball pitcher.
Ken Ishiguro (石黒 賢, Ishiguro Ken; born 31 January 1966) is a Japanese film, television and voice actor. He has appeared…Ken Ishiguro (石黒 賢, Ishiguro Ken; born 31 January 1966) is a Japanese film, television and voice actor. He has appeared in more than 80 films since 1979. He is the son of Osamu Ishiguro, a former tennis player.
Yoko Tanabe (田辺 陽子, Tanabe Yōko; born 28 January 1966 in Tokyo) is a Japanese retired judoka. Tanabe won two Olympic…Yoko Tanabe (田辺 陽子, Tanabe Yōko; born 28 January 1966 in Tokyo) is a Japanese retired judoka. Tanabe won two Olympic silver medals in the half-heavyweight (–72 kg) division, in 1992 and 1996. She won the All-Japan judo championships six times (1987–1992). She also won a bronze medal in the –72 kg at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, where women's judo was held as a demonstration sport.
Seiji Mizushima (水島 精二, Mizushima Seiji; born on January 28, 1966) is a Japanese anime director who is known for such…Seiji Mizushima (水島 精二, Mizushima Seiji; born on January 28, 1966) is a Japanese anime director who is known for such series as Shaman King, Fullmetal Alchemist, Mobile Suit Gundam 00, Un-Go, Concrete Revolutio, and Beatless. His first directorial film project, Fullmetal Alchemist the Movie: Conqueror of Shamballa, won the 60th Mainichi Film Award for Best Animation Film. In 2015, he won the Individual Award at the 20th Animation Kobe Awards. His name is occasionally rendered in full katakana when he is in charge of episode directing or storyboarding. He is not related to Tsutomu Mizushima, who is also an anime director and shares his surname, but they often jokingly call each other "brother" on Twitter.
Atsuko Nakamura (中村 敦子, Nakamura Atsuko, née Inagaki), known professionally as Hiroko Mita (三田 寛子, Mita Hiroko) is a…Atsuko Nakamura (中村 敦子, Nakamura Atsuko, née Inagaki), known professionally as Hiroko Mita (三田 寛子, Mita Hiroko) is a Japanese actress and former idol singer. She is currently represented by Puntolinea.
Ken Sugimori (Japanese: 杉森 建, Hepburn: Sugimori Ken; born January 27, 1966) is a Japanese video game designer…Ken Sugimori (Japanese: 杉森 建, Hepburn: Sugimori Ken; born January 27, 1966) is a Japanese video game designer, illustrator, manga artist, director, and co-founder of Game Freak alongside Satoshi Tajiri. He is best known as the primary character designer and art director for the Pokémon franchise. Sugimori is also credited with the art direction for other titles, including Pulseman. Sugimori drew and finalized most of the original 151 Pokémon. He also co-directed Ruby and Sapphire, Diamond and Pearl and Black and White, as well as worked on various Pokémon films, trading cards, and other games like the Super Smash Bros. series.
Takashi Tokita (時田 貴司, Tokita Takashi) (born 24 January 1965) is a Japanese video game developer working for Square…Takashi Tokita (時田 貴司, Tokita Takashi) (born 24 January 1965) is a Japanese video game developer working for Square Enix. He has worked there since 1986 and has worked as the lead designer for Final Fantasy IV as well as the director of Live A Live, Parasite Eve and Chrono Trigger.
Masami Ōbari (Japanese: 大張 正己, Hepburn: Ōbari Masami; born January 24, 1966) is a Japanese anime director, animation…Masami Ōbari (Japanese: 大張 正己, Hepburn: Ōbari Masami; born January 24, 1966) is a Japanese anime director, animation director and mecha and character designer.
Julie Dreyfus (born 24 January 1966) is a French actress. In Japan, she made her television debut on a French-language…Julie Dreyfus (born 24 January 1966) is a French actress. In Japan, she made her television debut on a French-language lesson program on NHK's educational channel in the late 1980s. She has appeared on the TV show Ryōri no Tetsujin (Iron Chef) as a guest and judge. She appeared in the Quentin Tarantino films Kill Bill: Volume 1 and Inglourious Basterds, portraying Sofie Fatale and Francesca Mondino respectively. Aside from her native French, she is fluent in English, German, and Japanese.
Masaki Ogushi (大串正樹, Ogushi Masaki; born 20 January 1966) is a Japanese politician serving as state minister of…Masaki Ogushi (大串正樹, Ogushi Masaki; born 20 January 1966) is a Japanese politician serving as state minister of economy, trade and industry and state minister of the Cabinet Office since 2024. He has been a member of the House of Representatives since 2012.
Kazufumi Miyazawa (宮沢和史, Miyazawa Kazufumi; born January 18, 1966) is the founder of the Japanese bands The Boom and…Kazufumi Miyazawa (宮沢和史, Miyazawa Kazufumi; born January 18, 1966) is the founder of the Japanese bands The Boom and Ganga Zumba. The former was noted in the 1990s for a fusion of rock, pop, and local Okinawan folk music. Miyazawa is responsible for virtually all lyrics and music for The Boom, who are best known for their 1993 hit song "Shima Uta". In 2006, he founded the band Ganga Zumba which includes Marcos Suzano and incorporates Brazilian and other Latin American and Caribbean influences in its music.
Nobuyuki Kojima (小島 伸幸, Kojima Nobuyuki; born January 17, 1966) is a Japanese former professional footballer who played…Nobuyuki Kojima (小島 伸幸, Kojima Nobuyuki; born January 17, 1966) is a Japanese former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. He played for the Japan national team. He played for several clubs, including Bellmare Hiratsuka, Avispa Fukuoka and Thespa Kusatsu. He played for the Japan national team (4 matches) and was a participant at the 1998 World Cup.
George Morikawa (森川 常次 (stylized as ジョージ), Morikawa Jōji; born January 17, 1966) is a Japanese manga author known for…George Morikawa (森川 常次 (stylized as ジョージ), Morikawa Jōji; born January 17, 1966) is a Japanese manga author known for the long-running series Hajime no Ippo. Born in Tokyo, Morikawa was inspired to become a manga artist upon reading Tetsuya Chiba's Harris no Kaze in elementary school. He was previously an assistant to Shuichi Shigeno, while known mangaka Kentaro Miura and Kaori Saki were past assistants to him. Hajime no Ippo, as of December 2024, has released 142 tankōbon volumes. It has been adapted into several anime series, the first of which began airing in 2000 and was produced by Madhouse studio. The first series contains 76 episodes, while the second series, which started in 2009, contains 26. The third series, named Hajime no Ippo: Rising, was produced in 2013 and contains 25 episodes. Morikawa won the Kodansha Manga Award in 1991 for Hajime no Ippo. He is also the owner of JB Sports Gym in Tokyo.
Reiji Yamada (山田玲司, Yamada Reiji; born January 1, 1966 in Tokyo) is a Japanese manga artist. His first big hit was a…Reiji Yamada (山田玲司, Yamada Reiji; born January 1, 1966 in Tokyo) is a Japanese manga artist. His first big hit was a romantic comedy B Virgin, and he is also known for the manga adaptation of Zebraman. He is very concerned with societal problems, and has spent the last several years drawing Zetsubō ni Kiku Kusuri, a series of manga interviews with people he believes are setting a positive example.
Tadao Kitajima (北島 忠雄, Kitajima Tadao; born January 4, 1966) is a Japanese professional shogi player ranked 7-dan. He…Tadao Kitajima (北島 忠雄, Kitajima Tadao; born January 4, 1966) is a Japanese professional shogi player ranked 7-dan. He is a former director of the Japan Shogi Association.
Kitakachidoki Hayato (born 1 January 1966 as Hayato Kuga) is a former sumo wrestler from Obihiro, Hokkaidō, Japan. He…Kitakachidoki Hayato (born 1 January 1966 as Hayato Kuga) is a former sumo wrestler from Obihiro, Hokkaidō, Japan. He made his professional debut in 1981, and reached the top division in 1989. His highest rank was maegashira 3. After retirement he became an elder in the Japan Sumo Association. He took over as head coach at Isenoumi stable, when former head coach Fujinokawa reached mandatory retirement age in September 2011.
Asako Okai is a Japanese diplomat and UN official currently serving as the ambassador of Japan in Bahrain. She started…Asako Okai is a Japanese diplomat and UN official currently serving as the ambassador of Japan in Bahrain. She started her career at the UN as assistant administrator at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and director for the UNDP Crisis Bureau, and became United Nations Assistant Secretary-General in 2018. During her time at the USDP, she was in charge of the UNDP’s corporate crisis-related work.
Keiichiro Kobayashi (小林 慶一郎, Kobayashi Keiichirō) (born 1966) is a Japanese macroeconomist at the Keio University. His…Keiichiro Kobayashi (小林 慶一郎, Kobayashi Keiichirō) (born 1966) is a Japanese macroeconomist at the Keio University. His areas of expertise are endogenous growth theory, general equilibrium, business cycles, debt problems, debt control policy, and macropolitical economy. He received a Ph.D. in economics in 1998 from the University of Chicago. His dissertation The Division of Labor, the Extent of the Market, and Economic Growth was written under supervision of Robert Lucas, a prominent American economist and a Nobel Prize winner in Economics in 1995. Kobayashi was awarded the Nikkei Economics Book Award in 2001 and the Osaragi Jiro Critics Award in 2002, both for Trap of the Japanese Economy.
Hirofumi Kamigaki (カミガキヒロフミ, 1966) is a Japanese illustrator and designer based in Hiroshima, best known as the founder…Hirofumi Kamigaki (カミガキヒロフミ, 1966) is a Japanese illustrator and designer based in Hiroshima, best known as the founder and creative director of the illustration studio IC4DESIGN and as the creator of the puzzle-book series Pierre the Maze Detective. His work is characterized by densely detailed, colorful scenes that combine architectural complexity, narrative subplots, and playful visual discovery. After beginning his career as a designer in Hiroshima and becoming self-employed in 1998, Kamigaki formally established IC4DESIGN as a company in 2006. A major turning point came around the age of 40, when he shifted his focus from the traditional Tokyo-centered creative market to overseas clients, leveraging digital communication to pursue international work directly from Hiroshima. This strategy led to a breakthrough cover illustration for The New York Times Magazine in 2009, which received an Art Directors Club of New York (ADC) Silver Award and helped establish his reputation and signature ultra-dense visual style. Alongside commercial projects for international clients, Kamigaki has devoted increasing attention to long-form narrative works, most notably Pierre the Maze Detective, a maze-based picture-book series that has sold over one million copies worldwide and been translated into more than 30 languages. In addition to his illustration work, he has been active in education, broadcasting, and civic roles in Hiroshima Prefecture, and is known for advocating a creative philosophy centered on enjoyment, persistence, and global engagement from a regional base.
