Atsushi Kaneko (カネコアツシ, Kaneko Atsushi) (born 26 December 1966) is a Japanese manga artist from Sakata, Yamagata…Atsushi Kaneko (カネコアツシ, Kaneko Atsushi) (born 26 December 1966) is a Japanese manga artist from Sakata, Yamagata Prefecture. Two of his works, Bambi and Her Pink Gun and Soil, have been published in French. Bambi and Her Pink Gun has been published in English, with Search and Destroy published in English in May 2024. Soil has been adapted into a television drama series.
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.
Akio Haga (Japanese: 羽下 晃生, Hepburn: Haga Akio) is a Japanese Formula One engineer. He is currently the chief engineer…Akio Haga (Japanese: 羽下 晃生, Hepburn: Haga Akio) is a Japanese Formula One engineer. He is currently the chief engineer at Aston Martin Performance Technologies.
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).
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.
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.
Kimitoshi Yamane (山根 公利, Yamane Kimitoshi; born 1966) is a Japanese mecha designer. He was born in Kawamoto, Shimane…Kimitoshi Yamane (山根 公利, Yamane Kimitoshi; born 1966) is a Japanese mecha designer. He was born in Kawamoto, Shimane Prefecture, and lives in Hamada, Shimane Prefecture. His representative works include Cowboy Bebop, Infinite Ryvius, The Vision of Escaflowne and the Gundam series. Yamane's designs are characterised by a sense of industrial product, designed with motifs from real vehicles and weapons, or from war and science fiction films. While Yamane has a deep knowledge of tanks and ships, he has little interest in robot in human form. In the Gundam series, he sometimes designs the main robot Gundam, but his work is basically focused on naval vessels, aircraft and vehicles. His hobbies include fishing, working on cars, and riding motorcycles. He owns several old cars and would like to try his hand at designing real cars if he gets the chance.
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.
Ikuto Yamashita (山下 いくと, Yamashita Ikuto; born August 23, 1965) is a Japanese manga artist and designer from Gifu…Ikuto Yamashita (山下 いくと, Yamashita Ikuto; born August 23, 1965) is a Japanese manga artist and designer from Gifu Prefecture. He is currently based in and continuing to live in Gifu Prefecture.
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.
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.
Tae Ashida (芦田 多恵; born July 3, 1964) is a well-known fashion designer who has designed many uniforms in high-profile…Tae Ashida (芦田 多恵; born July 3, 1964) is a well-known fashion designer who has designed many uniforms in high-profile businesses and venues across Japan. She is the daughter of Japanese fashion designer Jun Ashida who at one point of his career was the dressmaker of Empress Michiko.
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.
Naoto Ohshima (大島 直人, Ōshima Naoto) (born February 26, 1964) is a Japanese video game designer and artist, best known…Naoto Ohshima (大島 直人, Ōshima Naoto) (born February 26, 1964) is a Japanese video game designer and artist, best known for designing Sonic the Hedgehog and Dr. Eggman from Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog franchise. Although Yuji Naka made a tech demo around which Sonic's gameplay was based, the character in his prototype was a ball that lacked any specific features and was based on Ohshima's game proposal. Sonic Team considered numerous potential animal mascots before deciding on Ohshima's design, with an armadillo or hedgehog being the top choices because their spikes worked well with the concept of rolling into enemies. After leaving Sonic Team, Ohshima formed an independent game company called Artoon in 1999. There he went on to work on such games as Pinobee (2001), Blinx: The Time Sweeper (2002), and Blinx 2: Masters of Time & Space (2004). In 2010, Artoon was absorbed into AQ Interactive, and Ohshima and other key members of Artoon left to form Arzest. Early in his career, he was credited under the nickname "Big Island" in a number of games, which is a literal translation of his family name.
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.
Toshiro Tsuchida (土田 俊郎, Tsuchida Toshirō) (born 1964) is a Japanese game director and game producer. He currently…Toshiro Tsuchida (土田 俊郎, Tsuchida Toshirō) (born 1964) is a Japanese game director and game producer. He currently works for Japanese Social Game company GREE. He formerly worked for Square Enix Co., Ltd. (formerly Square Co., Ltd.). He is most notably credited for creating the Front Mission and Arc the Lad media franchises.
Ryo Mizuno (水野 良, Mizuno Ryō; born July 13, 1963) is a Japanese author and game designer. Mizuno created Record of…Ryo Mizuno (水野 良, Mizuno Ryō; born July 13, 1963) is a Japanese author and game designer. Mizuno created Record of Lodoss War, Sword World RPG, Legend of Crystania, Rune Soldier, Starship Operators, Record of Grancrest War, and was the general supervisor of Galaxy Angel.
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.
Natsuhiko Kyogoku (京極 夏彦, Kyōgoku Natsuhiko; born March 26, 1963) is a Japanese mystery writer, who is a member of…Natsuhiko Kyogoku (京極 夏彦, Kyōgoku Natsuhiko; born March 26, 1963) is a Japanese mystery writer, who is a member of Ōsawa Office. He is a member of the Mystery Writers of Japan and the Honkaku Mystery Writers Club of Japan. Three of his novels have been turned into feature films; Mōryō no Hako, which won the 1996 Mystery Writers of Japan Award, was also made into an anime television series, as was Kosetsu Hyaku Monogatari, and his book Loups=Garous was adapted into an anime feature film. Vertical have published his debut novel as The Summer of the Ubume.
Manabu Suzuki (Shinjitai: 鈴木 学, Suzuki Manabu; born Tokyo, Japan, March 20, 1963) is a former racing driver…Manabu Suzuki (Shinjitai: 鈴木 学, Suzuki Manabu; born Tokyo, Japan, March 20, 1963) is a former racing driver, journalist, sport announcer and radio and TV presenter for the automotive industry. He is a Japanese citizen and is nicknamed Mana-P (マナP in katakana). Suzuki competed in the Formula Toyota and Saurus Cup until the mid nineties. When he left circuit racing behind, he became well known for working with Option as a writer and presenter for the magazine's offshoot video magazine, Video Option and Drift Tengoku. Suzuki was best known as one of the three original key judges (the other being Keiichi Tsuchiya and Manabu Orido, which Orido left at the end of the 2004 season to compete for 2005, while Tsuchiya left D1 with Daijro Inada due to irresponsible management) in the D1 Grand Prix series. He adds many comic expressions during commentary to keep the crowds entertained during the races. He also hosts various issues of the Option DVD where he is discussing cars. He often exclaims "giri giri", which means "little little" in Japanese. This phrase is used to express an instance where the "drift" is extremely close or a driver is almost in a position where he/she is going to crash. Suzuki is also involved in car designs, appearing on a segment in Drift Tengoku on DIY graphics and even working on the paint scheme and decals for Orido's 2005 RS*R Toyota Supra JZA80 and Yasuyuki Kazama's 2006 DG-5 Nissan Silvia S15.
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.
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.
Hiroki Kikuta (菊田 裕樹, Kikuta Hiroki; born August 29, 1962, as Yūki Kikuta) is a Japanese composer and game designer.…Hiroki Kikuta (菊田 裕樹, Kikuta Hiroki; born August 29, 1962, as Yūki Kikuta) is a Japanese composer and game designer. His major works are Secret of Mana, Trials of Mana, Soukaigi, and Koudelka, for which he also acted as producer and concept designer. He has composed music for seven other games, and worked as a concept designer in addition to composer for the unreleased MMORPG Chou Bukyo Taisen. He became interested in music at an early age, but earned a degree in Religious Studies, Philosophy, and Cultural Anthropology from Kansai University. He spent the next few years working first as a manga illustrator, then as a composer for anime series, before coming to work for Square in 1991. After composing the soundtracks for his first three best-known works, he formed his own video game production company, Sacnoth, for which he was the president and CEO. After producing and composing Koudelka in 1999, he left to become a freelance composer. Since his departure he has formed his own record label, Norstrilia, through which he produces albums of his own compositions and collaborations with other artists, as well as his previous scores. His music has been performed in concerts such as the Symphonic Fantasies concerts in Cologne, Germany in September 2009, and selections of his works have been published as piano arrangements in sheet music books.
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.
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.
Junya Watanabe (born 1961) is a Japanese fashion designer. He was mentored by Comme des Garçons designer Rei Kawakubo.…Junya Watanabe (born 1961) is a Japanese fashion designer. He was mentored by Comme des Garçons designer Rei Kawakubo. He continues to work for Comme des Garçons; his atelier is located on the second floor of its Tokyo headquarters, and he produces four shows a year in Paris.
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.
Fukio Mitsuji (三辻 富貴朗, Mitsuji Fukio; 1960–2008), also known as "MTJ", was a Japanese game designer and artist. Mitsuji…Fukio Mitsuji (三辻 富貴朗, Mitsuji Fukio; 1960–2008), also known as "MTJ", was a Japanese game designer and artist. Mitsuji is best known for his work at Taito, where he created popular arcade platform game Bubble Bobble and its follow-up Rainbow Islands. He later ran a game design school, and worked freelance creating games such as Magical Puzzle Popils for Game Gear. According to reports from Japanese Bubble Bobble forums, Mitsuji died on December 11, 2008, at the age of 48. The cause was attributed to cardiopulmonary arrest caused by kidney problems.
Osamu Sato (佐藤 理, Satō Osamu; born April 14, 1960) is a Japanese digital artist, video game developer, photographer…Osamu Sato (佐藤 理, Satō Osamu; born April 14, 1960) is a Japanese digital artist, video game developer, photographer, and composer. His first work was the ambient music album, Objectless (1983). His first work in the video game industry was Eastern Mind: The Lost Souls of Tong Nou, which first released in Japan for Classic Mac OS in 1994, and in North America for Microsoft Windows the following year. In 1998, Sato created and produced the PlayStation game LSD: Dream Emulator, for which he also contributed design work and composed the soundtrack. The game later became his most recognizable work outside of Japan.
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.
Mamoru Nagano (永野 護, Nagano Mamoru; born January 21, 1960) is a Japanese manga artist, animator, and mecha and…Mamoru Nagano (永野 護, Nagano Mamoru; born January 21, 1960) is a Japanese manga artist, animator, and mecha and character designer. Born in Maizuru, Kyoto Prefecture, he is noted for his work with anime studio Sunrise. He is married to voice actress Maria Kawamura.
Akira Kobayashi (小林 章, born 1960) is a Japanese font designer living in Germany. As type director for Monotype, he…Akira Kobayashi (小林 章, born 1960) is a Japanese font designer living in Germany. As type director for Monotype, he oversees typeface design and reprints of classic typefaces such as Optima. He has also served as a judge in several international typeface contests. He previously worked at Shaken (写研), and later designed the European characters for Hiragino Mincho and AXIS Font. He is a leading figure in designing Western typefaces in Japan, and has co-developed fonts with Hermann Zapf and Adrian Frutiger. Kobayashi grew up in Japan and has written a Japanese-language book about Western fonts, titled "西文字体" ("Western font"). His work has been profiled in Communication Arts magazine. Print Magazine featured him in an interview, as did Sony Design.
Haruhiko Mikimoto (美樹本 晴彦, Mikimoto Haruhiko; born Haruhiko Satō (佐藤晴彦, Satō Haruhiko), August 28, 1959, in Tokyo…Haruhiko Mikimoto (美樹本 晴彦, Mikimoto Haruhiko; born Haruhiko Satō (佐藤晴彦, Satō Haruhiko), August 28, 1959, in Tokyo, Japan) is a Japanese anime character designer, illustrator and manga artist. Mostly active during the 1980s, during that decade he rose to prominence and is considered one of the top character designers of his time. He graduated from Keio University, and attended the university in the same years as Macross creator Shōji Kawamori and screenwriter Hiroshi Ōnogi. He joined the animation studio Artland while attending school, and was character designer in several anime series, including The Super Dimension Fortress Macross, Macross 7, Gunbuster and Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress.
Keita Amemiya (雨宮 慶太, Amemiya Keita; born 24 August 1959) is a Japanese film and television director, screenwriter and…Keita Amemiya (雨宮 慶太, Amemiya Keita; born 24 August 1959) is a Japanese film and television director, screenwriter and character designer from Urayasu, Chiba. He directed the films Mirai Ninja (1988), Zeiram (1991), Kamen Rider ZO (1993), and Kamen Rider J (1994), and created the tokusatsu franchise Garo in 2005.
Atsuji Yamamoto (山本 貴嗣, Yamamoto Atsuji; born January 1, 1959) is a Japanese manga artist and character designer, best…Atsuji Yamamoto (山本 貴嗣, Yamamoto Atsuji; born January 1, 1959) is a Japanese manga artist and character designer, best known for manga Ultimate Teacher, Elf-17 and Saber Cats, along with video game series Metal Max.
Ken Kiyoyuki Okuyama (奥山 清行, Okuyama Kiyoyuki; born 1959) is a Japanese industrial designer. He is the owner of the Ken…Ken Kiyoyuki Okuyama (奥山 清行, Okuyama Kiyoyuki; born 1959) is a Japanese industrial designer. He is the owner of the Ken Okuyama Design company. Okuyama formerly worked for Pininfarina, designing and supervising projects such as the Enzo Ferrari and Ferrari P4/5.
Kenya Hara (原 研哉, Hara Ken'ya; born 1958) is a Japanese graphic designer, curator and writer from Okayama prefecture…Kenya Hara (原 研哉, Hara Ken'ya; born 1958) is a Japanese graphic designer, curator and writer from Okayama prefecture, Japan. He is a graduate of the Musashino Art University. Hara joined Nippon Design Center after graduating from master's program at Musashino Art University in 1983. He is employed by the Musashino Art University as a professor and taught Communication Design and Design Theory in Science on the Design Faculty since April 2003. Hara is one of the leading designers in Japan and his books Designing Design and White are recognized as important in the fields of design theory and aesthetics. Hara has been the art director of Muji since 2001 and designed the opening and closing ceremony programs of the 1998 Winter Olympics. In 2008, Hara partnered with fashion label Kenzo for the launch of its men's fragrance Kenzo Power. He designed the official posters for EXPO 2005 Aichi, created the signage system for the Umeda Hospital, the visual identification for the Nagasaki Prefectural Art Museum, worked on a new design for the Matsuya department store in Ginza, and participated in other design projects. In 2021, Hara partnered with Xiaomi, designing a new logo for the company, which was unveiled on 31 March 2021. Hara and his company converted the previous square logo into a combination of a square and a circle. He earned $300,000 from the project.
Naoto Fukasawa (深澤 直人; born 1956) is a Japanese designer, author, and educator, working in the fields of product and…Naoto Fukasawa (深澤 直人; born 1956) is a Japanese designer, author, and educator, working in the fields of product and furniture design. He is known for his product design work with the Japanese retail company Muji, as well as collaborations with companies such as Herman Miller, Alessi, B&B Italia, Emeco, Magis, Realme, and HAY. Fukasawa has been described by Bloomberg News as one of the world's most influential designers.
Yuko Yamaguchi (山口 裕子, Yamaguchi Yūko; born October 24, 1955) is a Japanese character designer and illustrator. She is…Yuko Yamaguchi (山口 裕子, Yamaguchi Yūko; born October 24, 1955) is a Japanese character designer and illustrator. She is well known as the third character designer of Hello Kitty.
Akira Toriyama (Japanese: 鳥山明, Hepburn: Toriyama Akira; April 5, 1955 – March 1, 2024) was a Japanese manga artist and…Akira Toriyama (Japanese: 鳥山明, Hepburn: Toriyama Akira; April 5, 1955 – March 1, 2024) was a Japanese manga artist and character designer. He is regarded as one of the greatest and most influential authors in the history of manga and created numerous highly influential and popular series, with his most famous and successful project being the Dragon Ball franchise. Toriyama first achieved mainstream recognition for creating the manga series Dr. Slump, which was serialized in Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump magazine. He earned the 1981 Shogakukan Manga Award for best shōnen series. Dr. Slump went on to sell over 35 million copies in Japan. It was adapted into an anime, with a second series created in 1997, 13 years after the manga ended. Toriyama wrote and illustrated the Dragon Ball manga from 1984 to 1995. It became one of the best-selling manga series of all time, with 260 million copies sold worldwide, and is considered a key work in increasing manga circulation to its peak in the mid-1980s and mid-1990s. Overseas, Dragon Ball's anime adaptations have been credited with boosting anime's international popularity. Beside his manga works, Toriyama acted as a character designer for numerous video games such as Square Enix's Dragon Quest series and Chrono Trigger, in addition to Blue Dragon. In 2019, Toriyama was decorated a Chevalier of the French Ordre des Arts et des Lettres for his contributions to the arts. In October 2024, Toriyama was posthumously inducted into the Harvey Awards Hall of Fame.
Akemi Takada (高田明美, Takada Akemi; born March 31, 1955) is a Japanese manga artist and anime character designer born in…Akemi Takada (高田明美, Takada Akemi; born March 31, 1955) is a Japanese manga artist and anime character designer born in Tokyo, Japan. Her character-design work is one of the more recognizable styles of the 1980s, when she worked on series like Creamy Mami and Kimagure Orange Road. She is also noted for her long collaboration with director Mamoru Oshii. She graduated from Tama Art University, after which she worked for Tatsunoko Pro. She is currently a freelance manga artist with her own studio, though she is also a member of the creative group Headgear. She also has her own designer jewelry store called Diakosmos. Takada began working for Tatsunoko productions after visiting the production office as a fan during the broadcast of Gatchaman.
Taku Satoh (佐藤卓, Satō Taku; born 1955) is a Japanese graphic designer born in Tokyo. He graduated in 1979 from Tokyo…Taku Satoh (佐藤卓, Satō Taku; born 1955) is a Japanese graphic designer born in Tokyo. He graduated in 1979 from Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music (currently Tokyo University of the Arts) in the Department of Design. He completed his master's degree in 1981. In 1984 he founded Taku Satoh Design Office after working at Dentsu Inc. His work in graphic design includes "Pleats Please Issey Miyake" and the logos of the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa and the National Museum of Nature and Science, Tokyo. Along with Issey Miyake, Naoto Fukasawa and Noriko Kawakami, he is director of 21 21 Design Sight in Tokyo, where he curated their second exhibition, "Water," in 2007, and "Design Ah!" in 2013. In 2014, he directed the exhibition "Kome: The Art Of Rice" with anthropologist Shinichi Takemura. In 2016, Satoh directed the exhibition "Design Anatomy, a method for seeing the world through familiar objects" at 21 21 Design Sight.
Joji Nagashima (born 1955; 永島譲二) is a Japanese automobile designer for BMW. He is best known for the exterior designs…Joji Nagashima (born 1955; 永島譲二) is a Japanese automobile designer for BMW. He is best known for the exterior designs of the E90 versions of the BMW 3 Series, the E39 version of the BMW 5 Series, and the Z3 Roadster. As of November 2007, he held 22 patents in car design.
Kengo Kuma (隈 研吾, Kuma Kengo; born August 8, 1954) is a Japanese architect and emeritus professor in the Department of…Kengo Kuma (隈 研吾, Kuma Kengo; born August 8, 1954) is a Japanese architect and emeritus professor in the Department of Architecture at the University of Tokyo. Frequently compared to contemporaries Shigeru Ban and Kazuyo Sejima, Kuma designed the Japan National Stadium in Tokyo, built for the 2020 Summer Olympics.
Kazuko Kurosawa (黒澤 和子, Kurosawa Kazuko; born April 29, 1954) is a Japanese costume designer. She is the daughter of…Kazuko Kurosawa (黒澤 和子, Kurosawa Kazuko; born April 29, 1954) is a Japanese costume designer. She is the daughter of filmmaker Akira Kurosawa and actress Yōko Yaguchi.
