Hiroyuki Okiura (沖浦啓之, Okiura Hiroyuki; born October 13, 1966) is a Japanese anime director and animator working for…Hiroyuki Okiura (沖浦啓之, Okiura Hiroyuki; born October 13, 1966) is a Japanese anime director and animator working for Production I.G.
Kenji Kamiyama (神山 健治, Kamiyama Kenji; born on March 20, 1966) is a Japanese director and writer, best known for Ghost…Kenji Kamiyama (神山 健治, Kamiyama Kenji; born on March 20, 1966) is a Japanese director and writer, best known for Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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.
Shinya Ohira (Japanese: 大平晋也, Hepburn: Ōhira Shin'ya; born December 12, 1966) is a Japanese animator, director and…Shinya Ohira (Japanese: 大平晋也, Hepburn: Ōhira Shin'ya; born December 12, 1966) is a Japanese animator, director and character designer. He is known for his animation style with constantly shifting linework, described as being both realistic and surreal. He is part of the animator circle Studio Break, along with animators like Atsushi Yano and Shinji Hashimoto. He has worked on several Studio Ghibli films, with Hayao Miyazaki even storyboarding certain scenes with Ohira in mind for the animation.
Hidenori Matsubara (松原 秀典, Matsubara Hidenori; born in November 15, 1965) is a Japanese anime character designer and…Hidenori Matsubara (松原 秀典, Matsubara Hidenori; born in November 15, 1965) is a Japanese anime character designer and director.
Hiroaki Gōda (合田 浩章) (born March 24, 1965), is an anime director, screenwriter, animator, and character designer. His…Hiroaki Gōda (合田 浩章) (born March 24, 1965), is an anime director, screenwriter, animator, and character designer. His most notable contributions as a screenwriter and director include the numerous Oh My Goddess! anime adaptations.
Masaaki Yuasa (湯浅 政明, Yuasa Masaaki; born March 16, 1965) is a Japanese director, screenwriter, and animator affiliated…Masaaki Yuasa (湯浅 政明, Yuasa Masaaki; born March 16, 1965) is a Japanese director, screenwriter, and animator affiliated with ame pippin. He is the former president of Science Saru, a Japanese animation studio which he co-founded with producer Eunyoung Choi in 2013. Yuasa previously served as president of Science Saru, but stepped down from this role in 2020. Recognized for his idiosyncratic art style and directorial voice, Yuasa began his career as an animator on the landmark television series Chibi Maruko-chan (1990–1992) and Crayon Shin-chan (1992–present), before moving into directing with the feature film Mind Game (2004) and developing a cult appeal following. Yuasa spent much of the 2000s and early 2010s working in television directing, helming a trio of series, Kemonozume (2006), Kaiba (2008), and The Tatami Galaxy (2010), before releasing the crowdfunded short film Kick-Heart (2013). During the production of Kick-Heart, Choi proposed the establishment of Science Saru, and the resultant works created at the studio, combined with increased international distribution, led to mainstream breakout successes in the 2010s and saw Yuasa rise to prominence as one of Japan's foremost independent creators. At Science Saru, Yuasa focused on directing both television and feature film productions, starting with an episode of the American animated series Adventure Time (2014), and continuing with Ping Pong the Animation (2014), The Night Is Short, Walk On Girl (2017), Lu Over the Wall (2017), Devilman Crybaby (2018), Ride Your Wave (2019), Super Shiro (2019), Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken! (2020), Japan Sinks: 2020 (2020), and Inu-Oh (2021). Yuasa's productions have won international critical acclaim, receiving awards from Annecy, the Japan Academy Film Prize, the Mainichi Film Awards, and the Japan Media Arts Festival. In recognition of his collective career accomplishments, he has been recognized by the Japanese government and received the Medal of Honor with Purple Ribbon, as well as the Agency for Cultural Affairs' Cabinet Minister Award for Media Fine Arts. Yuasa's latest project is the musical drama feature film Inu-Oh, which premiered at the Venice International Film Festival in September 2021 and was released worldwide in August 2022. It was his first film nominated for a Golden Globe.
Koji Masunari (Japanese: 舛成孝二, Hepburn: Masunari Kōji; born January 1, 1965) is a Japanese anime director. After…Koji Masunari (Japanese: 舛成孝二, Hepburn: Masunari Kōji; born January 1, 1965) is a Japanese anime director. After debuting in 1985, he has directed many series, including the anime adaptation of Kamichu!, which won an excellence award at the Japan Media Arts Festival in 2005, the anime adaptation of Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic, and the anime adaptation of Blue Period.
Akira Yasuda (安田 朗, Yasuda Akira) (born July 21, 1964) is a Japanese animator, character designer, game designer and…Akira Yasuda (安田 朗, Yasuda Akira) (born July 21, 1964) is a Japanese animator, character designer, game designer and mecha designer, who works under the pseudonym Akiman. Yasuda is a former employee of the video game company Capcom (joining in 1985) and has worked on many Capcom games, taking on various design roles for works such as the Final Fight series and Street Fighter II: The World Warrior (including their updates). He has also been involved in anime production, most notably Turn A Gundam, Overman King Gainer and Code Geass. He also went to the United States to work on Red Dead Revolver for Angel Studios. When the studio was bought by Rockstar Games, he returned to Japan, where he officially left Capcom in 2003 and started working as a freelance artist.
Tatsuo Sato (佐藤 竜雄, Satō Tatsuo; July 7, 1964 – April 24, 2026) was a Japanese anime director most famous for Martian…Tatsuo Sato (佐藤 竜雄, Satō Tatsuo; July 7, 1964 – April 24, 2026) was a Japanese anime director most famous for Martian Successor Nadesico. On May 7, 2026, it was announced that Sato died of liver failure on April 24.
Hiroyuki Morita (森田 宏幸, Morita Hiroyuki; born June 26, 1964) is a Japanese animator and director. He is best known for…Hiroyuki Morita (森田 宏幸, Morita Hiroyuki; born June 26, 1964) is a Japanese animator and director. He is best known for working as director on the Studio Ghibli film The Cat Returns.
Takashi Yamazaki (山崎 貴, Yamazaki Takashi; born June 12, 1964) is a Japanese filmmaker and visual effects supervisor.…Takashi Yamazaki (山崎 貴, Yamazaki Takashi; born June 12, 1964) is a Japanese filmmaker and visual effects supervisor. Known for his blockbusters featuring advanced visual effects, he is considered a leading figure in the Japanese film industry. Yamazaki is the recipient of multiple accolades, including an Academy Award, eight Japanese Academy Awards, five Nikkan Sports Film Awards, two Hochi Film Awards, and an Asian Film Award. His films have collectively grossed over $560 million worldwide. Yamazaki found employment at visual effects and animation studio Shirogumi in 1986, and has remained there throughout his career. His first directorial features were the science fiction films Juvenile (2000) and Returner (2002), for which he became known as the "Japanese James Cameron". He later gained further notice in Japan by directing film adaptations of popular anime, novels, and manga, including Always: Sunset on Third Street (2005), Space Battleship Yamato (2010), The Eternal Zero (2013), and Stand by Me Doraemon (2014). The latter two films ranked as the highest-grossing Japanese live-action and animated releases, respectively, at the 2014 box office, and together earned a total of nine awards at the 38th Japan Academy Film Prize. Yamazaki's career continued with other film adaptations such as Parasyte: Part 1 (also 2014) and Part 2 (2015), Fueled: The Man They Called Pirate (2016), The Great War of Archimedes, Dragon Quest: Your Story, Lupin III: The First (all 2019), and Stand by Me Doraemon 2 (2020). His 2023 kaiju epic, Godzilla Minus One, became the most successful Japanese Godzilla film of all time and one of his highest-grossing films. Yamazaki and the visual effects team also became the first Japanese crew ever to receive the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects. In 2024, Yamazaki was included in Gold House's annual list of 100 Most Impactful Asians. He has since made the Minus One sequel Godzilla Minus Zero (2026), and is developing his first Hollywood productions: Grandgear (2028) and Nue.
Kōji Yamamura (山村 浩二, Yamamura Kōji; born June 4, 1964) is a Japanese independent animator who, after leaving a career…Kōji Yamamura (山村 浩二, Yamamura Kōji; born June 4, 1964) is a Japanese independent animator who, after leaving a career as a background artist at an animation studio, directs, writes, edits, animates, creates the model sheets and background art for and sometimes produces his own short films and has worked on many commissions such as music videos, television advertisements, title sequences and station idents, both on his own and under or with other directors. He is also a regular illustrator of children's literature and textbooks. His animation spans a variety of media, his earliest independent works mixing clay painting and stop motion with cels, but has latterly come to concentrate on traditional animation. Two of his most famous and acclaimed films are the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film-nominated and Cristal d'Annecy–winning Mt. Head and the Ottawa Grand Prize and Ōfuji Noburō Award–winning A Country Doctor. His 2011 short film Muybridge's Strings was one of five animated shorts nominated for the Genie Award for Best Animated Short Film at the 32nd Genie Awards in 2012.
Takahiro Kimura (木村 貴宏, Kimura Takahiro; May 19, 1964 – March 5, 2023) was a Japanese animator, illustrator and…Takahiro Kimura (木村 貴宏, Kimura Takahiro; May 19, 1964 – March 5, 2023) was a Japanese animator, illustrator and character designer. He died of amyloidosis on March 5, 2023.
Osamu Kobayashi (小林 治, Kobayashi Osamu) (January 10, 1964 – April 17, 2021) was a Japanese animator, illustrator…Osamu Kobayashi (小林 治, Kobayashi Osamu) (January 10, 1964 – April 17, 2021) was a Japanese animator, illustrator, mechanical designer, and animation director primarily known for BECK: Mongolian Chop Squad and Paradise Kiss; his guest appearance as director of episode 4 of Gurren Lagann, and, most recently, episode 15 of Dororo. After graduating from high school, he worked as a designer and manga artist, but following his participation in Grandia he was mainly active in the field of animation. He originally directed avant-garde shorts and music videos for Studio 4°C and has more recently done two TV series for Madhouse Studios. Kobayashi was diagnosed with kidney cancer in 2019, and died on April 17, 2021, at 57 years old, from a colon infection caused by the disease. His name is occasionally rendered in full katakana to differentiate from Osamu Kobayashi, an unrelated anime episode director.
Hiroyuki Kitakubo (北久保 弘之, Kitakubo Hiroyuki; born November 15, 1963) is a Japanese director, animator, and…Hiroyuki Kitakubo (北久保 弘之, Kitakubo Hiroyuki; born November 15, 1963) is a Japanese director, animator, and screenwriter. Kitakubo began work in the anime industry as a teenager, having worked on the 1979 Mobile Suit Gundam television series. He debuted as a director with the Cream Lemon episode "Pop Chaser" in 1985, then worked on films including Black Magic M-66 with Masamune Shirow and Akira with Katsuhiro Otomo. Kitakubo went on to direct the "A Tale of Two Robots" segment from Robot Carnival, the original video animation (OVA) series Golden Boy, and the films Roujin Z and Blood: The Last Vampire. In 2001, Kitakubo won the "Individual Award" at The 6th Animation Kobe for the latter film. Blood: The Last Vampire also won grand prize at the 2000 Japan Media Arts Festival and first prize the 2001 World Animation Celebration.
Satoshi Kon (今 敏, Kon Satoshi; October 12, 1963 – August 24, 2010) was a Japanese film director, animator, screenwriter…Satoshi Kon (今 敏, Kon Satoshi; October 12, 1963 – August 24, 2010) was a Japanese film director, animator, screenwriter and manga artist from Sapporo, Hokkaido, and a member of the Japanese Animation Creators Association (JAniCA). He was a graduate of the Graphic Design department of the Musashino Art University. He is best known for his acclaimed anime films Perfect Blue (1997), Millennium Actress (2001), Tokyo Godfathers (2003), and Paprika (2006), and the TV series Paranoia Agent (2004). In 2010, Kon died of pancreatic cancer at age 46.
Takeshi Mori (もりたけし, Mori Takeshi; born October 10, 1963 in Tokyo, Japan.) is a Japanese anime director, storyboard…Takeshi Mori (もりたけし, Mori Takeshi; born October 10, 1963 in Tokyo, Japan.) is a Japanese anime director, storyboard artist, and scriptwriter. After graduating from Waseda University, Mori began working in the anime industry. He began working in 1986 at Ajia-do Animation Works as an in-between animation artist before moving on to key animation work. From there, he worked as a storyboard artist and producer for the NTV/Studio Pierrot TV series The Burning Wild Man. After being impressed by the OVA series Gunbuster, he began working for Gainax. After working as a storyboard artist on Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water, Mori directed the series Tasuke, the Samurai Cop. More recent series he has directed include Vandread, Ruin Explorers Fam & Ihrlie, Meltylancer, and Stratos 4. Throughout his career, he has used the pen names Shin Nemoto (根本 清, Nemoto Shin), Inumakura (いぬまくら), and Urano Kantoku (浦野 寛徳) (the last meaning "behind the scenes director"). He is the son of former Chunichi Dragons #4 batter Tōru Mori (森 徹, Mori Tōru).
Hiroshi Ōsaka (逢坂 浩司, Ōsaka Hiroshi; 20 June 1963 – 24 September 2007) was a Japanese animator, character designer and…Hiroshi Ōsaka (逢坂 浩司, Ōsaka Hiroshi; 20 June 1963 – 24 September 2007) was a Japanese animator, character designer and illustrator, born in Neyagawa, Osaka Prefecture. He was a graduate of the Kyoto Saga University of Arts. He was the co-founder of Bones.
Hiroshi Kōjina (神志那 弘志, Kōjina Hiroshi; born June 4, 1963) is a Japanese animator, character designer, and anime…Hiroshi Kōjina (神志那 弘志, Kōjina Hiroshi; born June 4, 1963) is a Japanese animator, character designer, and anime director. His directorial works include Grenadier, Majin Tantei Nōgami Neuro, Kiba, Rainbow - Nisha Rokubō no Shichinin and the 2011 anime adaptation of Hunter × Hunter. He is a member of the Japanese Animation Creators Association. He joined Studio Live in 1982, and following the death of Toyoo Ashida, became the head of the company in 2011.
Katsuya Kondō (近藤 勝也, Kondō Katsuya; born June 2, 1963 in Ehime Prefecture, Japan) is a Japanese manga artist…Katsuya Kondō (近藤 勝也, Kondō Katsuya; born June 2, 1963 in Ehime Prefecture, Japan) is a Japanese manga artist, character designer, animator and animation director. He is best known for his character design work on the Studio Ghibli films Kiki's Delivery Service and Ocean Waves, as well as the PlayStation game Jade Cocoon. His character designs are considered the epitome of the Studio Ghibli style. After graduating from high school, he began working for Osamu Dezaki and Akio Sugino at their Studio Annapuru. Under the direction of Shinji Ōtsuka, Kondō worked as a key animator of the TV anime series Cat's Eye. He then worked as a free agent on such shows as The Mighty Orbots, Rainbow Brite and Disney's Adventures of the Gummi Bears. His first work with Studio Ghibli was as a key animator on Castle in the Sky. After working on the Gainax film The Wings of Honneamise and the OVAs Devilman and Meikyū Bukken File 538, Kondō began to be known for the high quality of his work. Kondō collaborated with Ken'ichi Sakemi on a manga retelling of the Joan of Arc story, as well as doing the character designs for the Jade Cocoon video game series. He also collaborated with Sakemi by creating the character designs for the 1990 NTV TV movie Like the Clouds, Like the Wind (based on Sakemi's novel Kōkyū Monogatari), which tells the story of a young country girl who is chosen to become one of the Emperor's concubines. He also worked with Tomomi Mochizuki on the NHK Minna no Uta music video titled Kaze no Tōri Michi, produced by Ajia-do Animation Works for Sayuri Horishita. In 2007, he was announced as the supervising animator of the Studio Ghibli film Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea. He also wrote the lyrics for the film's theme song.
Mahiro Maeda (前田 真宏 Maeda Mahiro; born March 14, 1963) is a Japanese anime director, character designer, and animator.…Mahiro Maeda (前田 真宏 Maeda Mahiro; born March 14, 1963) is a Japanese anime director, character designer, and animator. Helen McCarthy in 500 Essential Anime Movies called him "one of the most imaginative visualists in anime". He also worked on Concept Art and Design for Mad Max: Fury Road (2015), which won six Academy Awards. He has been one of the top contributors at the anime studio GONZO for many years, having directed Blue Submarine No. 6, Final Fantasy: Unlimited and Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo. His design work ranges from 2 of the "Angels" in Neon Genesis Evangelion to production and mechanical design for such series as Magic User's Club (魔法使いTai!, Mahō Tsukai Tai!), The Vision of Escaflowne and Last Exile. He was also one of the designers for Gate Keepers 21. His earlier years were spent mostly at the famed Studio Ghibli, where he helped animate classics such as Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, Castle in the Sky, and Porco Rosso. Maeda is one of the select Japanese directors to actively collaborate with the international film media on various projects. He provided key animation for the animation sequence in Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill Vol. 1. His directorial work has also been featured in such exclusive package films as The Animatrix (segment: "The Second Renaissance Parts I and II"), Genius Party Beyond (segment: "Gala"), and Ani*Kuri15 (segment: "Princess Onmitsu"). He has also visited the American Anime Expo convention in 2000 and 2003.
Michitaka Kikuchi (菊池 通隆, Kikuchi Michitaka; born March 9, 1963), best known by the pen name Kia Asamiya (麻宮 騎亜…Michitaka Kikuchi (菊池 通隆, Kikuchi Michitaka; born March 9, 1963), best known by the pen name Kia Asamiya (麻宮 騎亜, Asamiya Kia), is a Japanese manga artist whose work spans multiple genres and appeals to diverse audiences.
Takao Kato (Japanese: 加戸誉夫, Hepburn: Katō Takao) is a Japanese anime director and screenwriter. Kato started working in…Takao Kato (Japanese: 加戸誉夫, Hepburn: Katō Takao) is a Japanese anime director and screenwriter. Kato started working in the anime industry in 1987 and directed his first full series in 1996. Since then, some of the series he has directed include MegaMan NT Warrior, Buso Renkin, To Love Ru, and Pandora Hearts.
Nobuteru Yūki (結城 信輝, Yūki Nobuteru; born December 24, 1962, in Tokyo) is a Japanese manga artist, illustrator…Nobuteru Yūki (結城 信輝, Yūki Nobuteru; born December 24, 1962, in Tokyo) is a Japanese manga artist, illustrator, animator and doujinshi artist. He has designed characters for manga, anime and video games, and has frequently collaborated with director Kazuki Akane, including on his most famous work, The Vision of Escaflowne. After working at Artland and D.A.S.T. (Ichirō Itano's animation studio, which he ran after becoming independent from Artland), he is currently working as a freelancer.
Kazuki Akane (赤根 和樹, Akane Kazuki; born March 24, 1962, in Osaka, Osaka Prefecture) is a Japanese animation director.…Kazuki Akane (赤根 和樹, Akane Kazuki; born March 24, 1962, in Osaka, Osaka Prefecture) is a Japanese animation director. Until the early 2000s, he was a staff member of the anime studio Sunrise, where he collaborated with Shoji Kawamori to direct his most famous work, The Vision of Escaflowne. Since that time, he worked extensively with Satelight (and occasionally again with Kawamori, who is the studio's executive director) before going freelance once more to direct the Birdy the Mighty TV series, among other projects.
Kitarō Kōsaka (高坂 希太郎, Kōsaka Kitarō; born February 28, 1962 in Kanagawa Prefecture) is a Japanese animator and film…Kitarō Kōsaka (高坂 希太郎, Kōsaka Kitarō; born February 28, 1962 in Kanagawa Prefecture) is a Japanese animator and film director.
Yoshiyuki Sadamoto (貞本 義行, Sadamoto Yoshiyuki; born January 29, 1962, in Tokuyama (now Shunan), Yamaguchi Prefecture…Yoshiyuki Sadamoto (貞本 義行, Sadamoto Yoshiyuki; born January 29, 1962, in Tokuyama (now Shunan), Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan) is a Japanese character designer, manga artist, and one of the founding members of the Gainax anime studio.
Tensai Okamura (岡村 天斎, Okamura Tensai), born Yutaka Okamura (岡村 豊, Okamura Yutaka) on December 13, 1961, in Fukushima…Tensai Okamura (岡村 天斎, Okamura Tensai), born Yutaka Okamura (岡村 豊, Okamura Yutaka) on December 13, 1961, in Fukushima Prefecture, is a Japanese anime director and animator. Okamura grew up in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture. He is a graduate of Waseda University's department of science and engineering. In 1991, he changed his first name to Tensai.
Shinji Takamatsu (高松 信司, Takamatsu Shinji; born December 3, 1961) is a Japanese storyboard artist, screenwriter, and…Shinji Takamatsu (高松 信司, Takamatsu Shinji; born December 3, 1961) is a Japanese storyboard artist, screenwriter, and director.
Hiroyuki Kitazume (北爪 宏幸, Kitazume Hiroyuki; born July 24, 1961 in Tokyo) is a Japanese animator, manga artist and…Hiroyuki Kitazume (北爪 宏幸, Kitazume Hiroyuki; born July 24, 1961 in Tokyo) is a Japanese animator, manga artist and illustrator. He is often noted for his work with anime studio Sunrise. Helen McCarthy in 500 Essential Anime Movies commented that he "shot to fame" in 1985 as an animation director on the Zeta Gundam TV series.
Shin Misawa (三沢 伸, Misawa Shin) is a Japanese anime director and storyboard artist. He is on general staff at Studio…Shin Misawa (三沢 伸, Misawa Shin) is a Japanese anime director and storyboard artist. He is on general staff at Studio Comet, and handles production and directing jobs.
Umanosuke Iida (飯田 馬之介, Iida Umanosuke; April 30, 1961 – November 26, 2010) (also known as Tsutomu Iida) was a Japanese…Umanosuke Iida (飯田 馬之介, Iida Umanosuke; April 30, 1961 – November 26, 2010) (also known as Tsutomu Iida) was a Japanese anime creator, director and screenwriter. Iida died due to lung cancer. Iida was born in Urakawa, Hokkaido and graduated from Hokkaido Urakawa High School. He was a member of the Japan Animation Creators Association (JAniCA). He died of lung cancer at a hospital in Kiyose, Tokyo on November 26, 2010, at the age of 49. At the farewell ceremony, Hayao Miyazaki read a eulogy. He passed during production of the anime Towa no Quon, which he had been set to direct. After his death, production was taken over by Takeshi Mori, who was credited as co-director.
Masayuki Kojima (小島 正幸, Kojima Masayuki; born March 11, 1961) is a Japanese animator, storyboard artist, and director…Masayuki Kojima (小島 正幸, Kojima Masayuki; born March 11, 1961) is a Japanese animator, storyboard artist, and director, best known for directing the acclaimed anime series Monster and Made in Abyss.
Mutsumi Inomata (いのまたむつみ, born 猪股 睦弥, Inomata Mutsumi; December 23, 1960 – March 10, 2024) was a Japanese illustrator…Mutsumi Inomata (いのまたむつみ, born 猪股 睦弥, Inomata Mutsumi; December 23, 1960 – March 10, 2024) was a Japanese illustrator and animator.
Mitsuo Fukuda (福田 己津央, Fukuda Mitsuo) (born October 28, 1960) is a Japanese animation director and scriptwriter from…Mitsuo Fukuda (福田 己津央, Fukuda Mitsuo) (born October 28, 1960) is a Japanese animation director and scriptwriter from Tochigi Prefecture. He was married to anime screenwriter Chiaki Morosawa until her death in 2016.
Masamitsu Hidaka (日高 政光, Hidaka Masamitsu; 19 October 1960 – 9 March 2022) was a Japanese anime director and storyboard…Masamitsu Hidaka (日高 政光, Hidaka Masamitsu; 19 October 1960 – 9 March 2022) was a Japanese anime director and storyboard artist of television anime. He notably served as the supervising director of the Pokémon television anime series from 1997 to 2006.
Shinji Aramaki (荒牧 伸志, Aramaki Shinji; born 2 October 1960) is a Japanese anime director and mechanical designer from…Shinji Aramaki (荒牧 伸志, Aramaki Shinji; born 2 October 1960) is a Japanese anime director and mechanical designer from Fukuoka Prefecture. He graduated from Fukuoka Prefectural Fukuoka High School and Okayama University. He was a member of Artmic and is currently the Chief Creative Officer (CCO) at Sola Digital Arts. He is a leading figure in 3DCG animation in Japan.
Tetsuya Endō (遠藤 徹哉 or えんどうてつや, Endō Tetsuya; born September 7, 1960) is a Japanese anime director, storyboard artist…Tetsuya Endō (遠藤 徹哉 or えんどうてつや, Endō Tetsuya; born September 7, 1960) is a Japanese anime director, storyboard artist, and sound director. He worked as the assistant director (演出助手, enshutsu joshu) of My Neighbor Totoro in 1988, and directed Floral Magician Mary Bell in 1992–93.
Sunao Katabuchi (片渕 須直, Katabuchi Sunao; born 1960) is a Japanese animation director, screenwriter, and storyboard…Sunao Katabuchi (片渕 須直, Katabuchi Sunao; born 1960) is a Japanese animation director, screenwriter, and storyboard artist. He is director of Contrail Co. Ltd. He has been a part-time lecturer at Nihon University College of Art since 2006, and a Project Professor at the college of Art of at the same university since 2018. He has also served as a part-time lecturer at the Graduate School of Tokyo University of the Arts since 2013. He is married to a fellow director of anime Chie Uratani.
Hideaki Anno (Japanese: 庵野 秀明, Hepburn: Anno Hideaki; born May 22, 1960) is a Japanese animator, filmmaker, and actor.…Hideaki Anno (Japanese: 庵野 秀明, Hepburn: Anno Hideaki; born May 22, 1960) is a Japanese animator, filmmaker, and actor. His most celebrated creation, the Evangelion franchise, has had a significant influence on the anime television industry and Japanese popular culture. Anno's style is defined by his postmodernist approach and the extensive portrayal of characters' thoughts and emotions. Anno began his career while attending Osaka University of Arts as an animator for the anime series The Super Dimension Fortress Macross (1982–1983), and produced the Daicon III and IV Opening Animations. He did not gain recognition until the release of his work on Hayao Miyazaki's 1984 film Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. Anno went on to become one of the co-founders of Gainax in December 1984. He worked as an animation director for their first feature-length film, Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honnêamise (1987), and ultimately became Gainax's premiere anime director, leading the majority of the studio's projects, including Gunbuster (1988) and Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water (1990–1991). Anno's next project was the anime television series Neon Genesis Evangelion (1995–1996). Timing constraints at Gainax also forced Anno to replace the planned ending of Evangelion with two episodes set in the main characters' minds. In 1997, Gainax launched a project to re-adapt Evangelion's scrapped ending into a feature-length film. Budgeting issues left the film unfinished, and the completed 27 minutes of animation were included as the second act of Evangelion: Death and Rebirth. Eventually, the project culminated in The End of Evangelion, a two-act film that served as a finale to Neon Genesis Evangelion. Anno wrote and directed the Rebuild of Evangelion film series from 2007 to 2021, written to be more accessible to non-fans than the original anime series and films were. Anno's other directorial works include Daicon Film's Return of Ultraman (1983), Gunbuster (1988), Kare Kano (1998), Love & Pop (1998), Shiki-Jitsu (2000), Cutie Honey (2004), Re: Cutie Honey (2004), and Shin Godzilla (2016), with the latter film marking the beginning of the Shin trilogy of tokusatsu franchise reboots, followed by Shin Ultraman (2022) and Shin Kamen Rider (2023). Several of Anno's anime have won the Animage Anime Grand Prix award, including Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water in 1990, Neon Genesis Evangelion in 1995 and 1996, and The End of Evangelion in 1997.
Junichi Sato (佐藤 順一, Satō Jun'ichi; born March 11, 1960) is a Japanese anime director. After working for Toei Dōga…Junichi Sato (佐藤 順一, Satō Jun'ichi; born March 11, 1960) is a Japanese anime director. After working for Toei Dōga (currently Toei Animation) and then TYO Animations (formerly Hal Film Maker), he joined Twin Engine in 2017. Sato has been active since the 1980s and is a hit maker who, as series director of children's TV animation during his time at Toei Dōga, brought out the first series of long-running popular titles such as Sailor Moon and Ojamajo Doremi. After leaving Toei, he has continued to demonstrate his skills by working on popular series such as Sgt. Frog and Pretty Cure. He won the Mainichi Film Award for Best Animation Film in 1996 and 2020 for his films.
Shōji Kawamori (河森 正治, Kawamori Shōji; born February 20, 1960) is a Japanese animation creator and producer…Shōji Kawamori (河森 正治, Kawamori Shōji; born February 20, 1960) is a Japanese animation creator and producer, screenwriter, visual artist, and mecha designer. He is best known for creating the Macross mecha animated franchise and the Diaclone toyline, which were in turn the basis for the Robotech and Transformers franchises, respectively. He is also known for creating The Vision of Escaflowne anime series. He pioneered several innovative concepts in his works, such as transforming mecha (including the VF-1 Valkyrie in Macross and Optimus Prime in Transformers) and virtual idols (including Lynn Minmay and Sharon Apple in the Macross franchise). His work has had a significant impact on popular culture, both in Japan and internationally.
Tsukasa Dokite (土器手 司), is a Japanese animator and character designer. He is particularly known for his work on 1980s…Tsukasa Dokite (土器手 司), is a Japanese animator and character designer. He is particularly known for his work on 1980s anime, including Dirty Pair, Urusei Yatsura, Giant Gorg and Project A-ko.