Keishi Ōtomo (Japanese: 大友啓史, Hepburn: Ōtomo Keishi; born May 6, 1966) is a Japanese film director and screenwriter. He…
Keishi Ōtomo (Japanese: 大友啓史, Hepburn: Ōtomo Keishi; born May 6, 1966) is a Japanese film director and screenwriter. He is known for psychological thrillers and historical dramas, as well as adapting a variety of manga and novels to film, including The Vulture (2009), Ryōmaden (2010), and the Rurouni Kenshin film series. Ōtomo’s awards include the Audience Award at the 18th Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal (2014), the Popularity Award at the 38th Japanese Academy Awards (2014), and Best Director at the 31st Japanese Critics Award (2022).
Famous Japanese People: Film Director
Film Director: 429 people
Kentarō Ōtani (大谷健太郎, Ōtani Kentarō; born 1965 in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan) is a Japanese film director.
Shinji Imaoka (今岡信治 or いまおかしんじ, いまおかしんぢ, Imaoka Shinji) a.k.a. 羅門ナカ is a Japanese film director, screenwriter, and…
Shinji Imaoka (今岡信治 or いまおかしんじ, いまおかしんぢ, Imaoka Shinji) a.k.a. 羅門ナカ is a Japanese film director, screenwriter, and actor. He is one of a group of pink film directors of the 2000s known collectively as the "Seven Lucky Gods of Pink" (ピンク七福神, shichifukujin), which besides Imaoka, also includes Toshiya Ueno, Mitsuru Meike, Yūji Tajiri, Yoshitaka Kamata, Toshirō Enomoto and Rei Sakamoto.
Shinji Higuchi (Japanese: 樋口 真嗣, Hepburn: Higuchi Shinji; born September 22, 1965) is a Japanese filmmaker. Known for…
Shinji Higuchi (Japanese: 樋口 真嗣, Hepburn: Higuchi Shinji; born September 22, 1965) is a Japanese filmmaker. Known for his tokusatsu blockbusters, Higuchi is considered one of Japan's leading filmmakers of the 21st century. Higuchi became known for his work on Gamera: Guardian of the Universe, for which he won the Special Technology Award at the 19th Japan Academy Film Prize. In 2005, he made his feature directorial debut on Lorelei: The Witch of the Pacific Ocean. His second feature film, Sinking of Japan (2006), was second place at the Bunshun Kiichigo Awards. His 2015 live-action two-part film adaptation of Hajime Isayama's manga series, Attack on Titan, won the Excellence in Theatrical Live Action Film award at the 2016 VFX-JAPAN Awards. In 2017, Higuchi and Hideaki Anno won the Director of the Year award at the 40th Japan Academy Film Prize for their work on the 2016 kaiju film Shin Godzilla. His 2022 film, Shin Ultraman, was a major success in Japan, and has received generally positive reviews from critics internationally.
Yumi Yoshiyuki (吉行由実 or 吉行由美, Yoshiyuki Yumi) is a Japanese film director, actress, and screenwriter best known for her…
Yumi Yoshiyuki (吉行由実 or 吉行由美, Yoshiyuki Yumi) is a Japanese film director, actress, and screenwriter best known for her work in the pink film genre.
Katsuyuki Motohiro (本広克行, Motohiro Katsuyuki; born July 13, 1965) is a Japanese film director.
Company Matsuo (カンパニー松尾, Kanpanii Matsuo) is a Japanese adult video (AV) director, producer and entrepreneur. He is…
Company Matsuo (カンパニー松尾, Kanpanii Matsuo) is a Japanese adult video (AV) director, producer and entrepreneur. He is credited with popularizing the Japanese porn genre of "hamedori", where the director/actor performs sexually with the actress and also films the actual action. He has been called "a master of shooting pornography with amateurs".
Hiroshi Ando (安藤尋, Andō Hiroshi) (born 13 June 1965 in Tokyo, Japan) is a Japanese film director and screenwriter. His…
Hiroshi Ando (安藤尋, Andō Hiroshi) (born 13 June 1965 in Tokyo, Japan) is a Japanese film director and screenwriter. His film Blue (2002) was entered into the 24th Moscow International Film Festival.
Shimako Iwai (岩井 志麻子, Iwai Shimako; born 5 December 1964) is a Japanese writer, tarento, and pornographic director.…
Shimako Iwai (岩井 志麻子, Iwai Shimako; born 5 December 1964) is a Japanese writer, tarento, and pornographic director. From June 2009 she is represented with Horipro. She serves as a regular commentator in the Tokyo MX series 5-Ji ni Muchū!
Teruyoshi Uchimura (内村 光良, Uchimura Teruyoshi), half of the Japanese comedy duo Ucchan Nanchan, is one of the most…
Teruyoshi Uchimura (内村 光良, Uchimura Teruyoshi), half of the Japanese comedy duo Ucchan Nanchan, is one of the most famous and influential comedians in the owarai community. His nickname is Ucchan ("Wutchan"), and his partner, Kiyotaka Nanbara, is known as Nanchan. He was born on July 22, 1964, in Hitoyoshi, Kumamoto. Though he has worked for years as a comedian, he has also shown talent as an actor and dramatic performer. He is well known as the leader of the owarai band NO PLAN.
Shinji Aoyama (青山 真治, Aoyama Shinji; 13 July 1964 – 21 March 2022) was a Japanese film director, screenwriter…
Shinji Aoyama (青山 真治, Aoyama Shinji; 13 July 1964 – 21 March 2022) was a Japanese film director, screenwriter, composer, film critic, and novelist. He graduated from Rikkyo University. He won two awards at the 2000 Cannes Film Festival for his film Eureka.
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.
Atsushi Muroga (室賀厚, Muroga Atsushi; born 18 May 1964) is a Japanese film director and screenwriter. He is known for…
Atsushi Muroga (室賀厚, Muroga Atsushi; born 18 May 1964) is a Japanese film director and screenwriter. He is known for his action and yakuza films, including Score (1995), Junk (2000), and the Gun Crazy series (2002–03), as well as for directing Wangan Midnight: The Movie (2009), a film adaptation of the manga series of the same name.
Fumihiko Sori (曽利 文彦) is a Japanese film director and film producer. He received a nomination for the 'Best Director'…
Fumihiko Sori (曽利 文彦) is a Japanese film director and film producer. He received a nomination for the 'Best Director' prize at the Japanese Academy Awards for his directing debut, Ping Pong.
Sakichi Sato (佐藤 佐吉, Satō Sakichi; born May 12, 1964) is a Japanese actor, director, and screenwriter.
Goro Tameike (溜池ゴロー, Tameike Gorō) is a Japanese adult video (AV) director who has directed more than 450 videos. He…
Goro Tameike (溜池ゴロー, Tameike Gorō) is a Japanese adult video (AV) director who has directed more than 450 videos. He was one of the first exponents of the "mature woman" (熟女, jukujō) genre in AV.
Hiroyuki Oki (Japanese: 大木裕之; 1964 – October 14, 2025) was a Japanese film director.
Yuichi Hibi (born 1964, Nagoya City, Japan) is a Japanese fine art photographer currently living and working out of New…
Yuichi Hibi (born 1964, Nagoya City, Japan) is a Japanese fine art photographer currently living and working out of New York City.
Mihara Mitsuhiro (三原光尋; born 1964 in Kyoto, Japan) is a Japanese film director.
Shimako Satō (佐藤嗣麻子, Satō Shimako) (born in 1964) is a Japanese film director and screenwriter. She is best known for…
Shimako Satō (佐藤嗣麻子, Satō Shimako) (born in 1964) is a Japanese film director and screenwriter. She is best known for directing Eko Eko Azarak: Wizard of Darkness (1995) and K-20: Legend of the Mask (2008). Her husband is famed filmmaker Takashi Yamazaki.
Katsuhide Motoki (本木 克英, Motoki Katsuhide; born 6 December 1963) is a Japanese film director and producer.
Toshiya Ueno (上野俊哉, Ueno Toshiya) (2 October 1963 – 15 April 2013) was a Japanese film director, actor, screenwriter…
Toshiya Ueno (上野俊哉, Ueno Toshiya) (2 October 1963 – 15 April 2013) was a Japanese film director, actor, screenwriter, and producer. He is one of the pink film directors known collectively as the "Seven Lucky Gods of Pink" (ピンク七福神, pinku shichifukujin), a group which comprises Ueno, Mitsuru Meike, Yūji Tajiri, Shinji Imaoka, Yoshitaka Kamata, Toshirō Enomoto and Rei Sakamoto.
Masatoshi Akihara (秋原 正俊, Akihara Masatoshi) is a Japanese film director.
Hitoshi Matsumoto (松本 人志, Matsumoto Hitoshi; born September 8, 1963) is a Japanese comedian and filmmaker. He was born…
Hitoshi Matsumoto (松本 人志, Matsumoto Hitoshi; born September 8, 1963) is a Japanese comedian and filmmaker. He was born in Amagasaki, Hyōgo Prefecture. He is one half of the comedy duo Downtown, alongside Masatoshi Hamada, and is one of the most popular comedians in Japan. Matsumoto has directed several movies beginning in 2007 with Big Man Japan, in several of which he also starred as the main character. He currently hosts Documental on Amazon Prime. His Amazon Prime Video series Documental which he created and hosted has been adapted internationally as LOL: Last One Laughing, with versions distributed in more than 25 countries and regions. In late 2023, the Japanese weekly magazine Shūkan Bunshun published allegations concerning Matsumoto’s conduct at private gatherings, including claims of non-consensual sexual activity. In early 2024, Matsumoto suspended his public entertainment activities while pursuing a defamation lawsuit against the magazine’s publisher. He later withdrew the lawsuit in 2024. In November 2025, he resumed his entertaiment activities through DOWNTOWN+,a paid streaming service launched that month.
Itsuji Itao (板尾 創路, Itao Itsuji; born July 18, 1963) is a Japanese comedian and actor. He is a member of the comedy duo…
Itsuji Itao (板尾 創路, Itao Itsuji; born July 18, 1963) is a Japanese comedian and actor. He is a member of the comedy duo 130R and former cast member of one of Downtown's previous shows. He usually appears in their batsu games.
Katsuya Matsumura (松村克弥, Matsumura Katsuya) is a Japanese film director and screenwriter known for his violent…
Katsuya Matsumura (松村克弥, Matsumura Katsuya) is a Japanese film director and screenwriter known for his violent thriller-horror film series All Night Long.
Reona Hirota (広田レオナ, Hirota Reona) is a Japanese actress. She won the Award for Best Supporting Actress at the 13th…
Reona Hirota (広田レオナ, Hirota Reona) is a Japanese actress. She won the Award for Best Supporting Actress at the 13th Yokohama Film Festival for Ōte and Yumeji. In 1994, she married the actor Mitsuru Fukikoshi. They divorced in 2005 after having one child.
Shunji Iwai (Japanese: 岩井 俊二, Hepburn: Iwai Shunji; born 24 January 1963) is a Japanese filmmaker, video artist…
Shunji Iwai (Japanese: 岩井 俊二, Hepburn: Iwai Shunji; born 24 January 1963) is a Japanese filmmaker, video artist, editor, and composer.
Haruo Inoue (井上春生 Inoue Haruo, born January 3, 1963, in Nara, Japan) is a Japanese film director artist.
Makoto Shinozaki (篠崎 誠, Shinozaki Makoto) (born 1963 in Tokyo) is a Japanese film director.
Segi Naoki (瀬木直貴; born 1963 in Mie Prefecture) is a Japanese film director.
Suzuki Matsuo (松尾 スズキ, Matsuo Suzuki; born 15 December 1962) is a Japanese theatre director, actor, novelist, and…
Suzuki Matsuo (松尾 スズキ, Matsuo Suzuki; born 15 December 1962) is a Japanese theatre director, actor, novelist, and screenwriter.
Hironobu Sakaguchi (坂口 博信, Sakaguchi Hironobu; born November 25, 1962) is a Japanese game designer, director, producer…
Hironobu Sakaguchi (坂口 博信, Sakaguchi Hironobu; born November 25, 1962) is a Japanese game designer, director, producer, and writer. Originally working for Square (later Square Enix) from 1983 to 2003, he departed the company and founded independent studio Mistwalker in 2004. He is known as the creator of the Final Fantasy franchise, in addition to other titles during his time at Square. At Mistwalker, he is known for creating the Blue Dragon and Terra Battle series among several standalone titles like Lost Odyssey, as well as later moving away from home consoles and creating titles for mobile platforms. Originally intending to become a musician, he briefly studied electronics and programming, joining Square as a part-time employee, then later a full-time employee when Square became an independent company in 1986. He led the development of several titles before helping to create the original Final Fantasy, which proved highly successful and cemented his status within the company. Following the financial failure of Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within, his debut as a film director, Sakaguchi withdrew from Square's management and eventually resigned in 2003. He continued his game career through Mistwalker, first co-developing projects through external partners and then smaller in-studio mobile projects. Born in Hitachi, Ibaraki Prefecture, Sakaguchi now lives in Hawaii where one of Mistwalker's offices is based. He has also influenced the creation of several other Square Enix projects, such as Kingdom Hearts. Sakaguchi has received several industry awards.
Yoshito Terakado (寺門 義人, Terakado Yoshito; born 25 November 1962, in Kawanishi, Hyōgo, Japan), better known as Jimon…
Yoshito Terakado (寺門 義人, Terakado Yoshito; born 25 November 1962, in Kawanishi, Hyōgo, Japan), better known as Jimon Terakado (寺門 ジモン, Terakado Jimon), is a Japanese comedian who is represented by the talent agency Ohta Production. He is part of the comedy trio Dachou Club. He is known for his love of food, in particular beef, and appears often on gourmet programs on television.
Gō Rijū (利重 剛, Rijū Gō) is a Japanese film director and actor.
Hirokazu Kore-eda (是枝 裕和, Koreeda Hirokazu; born 6 June 1962) is a Japanese filmmaker. He rose to prominence with his…
Hirokazu Kore-eda (是枝 裕和, Koreeda Hirokazu; born 6 June 1962) is a Japanese filmmaker. He rose to prominence with his drama films Nobody Knows (2004), Still Walking (2008) and Like Father, Like Son (2013), for the latter he won the Jury Prize at the 66th Cannes Film Festival. His drama film Shoplifters (2018) won the Palme d'Or at the 71st Cannes Film Festival, and was also nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film representing Japan. He has since directed Broker (2022) and Monster (2023), to critical acclaim.
Takao Nakano (中野貴雄, Nakano Takao; born May 15, 1962) is a Japanese film director, screenwriter and actor who has worked…
Takao Nakano (中野貴雄, Nakano Takao; born May 15, 1962) is a Japanese film director, screenwriter and actor who has worked in pink film, adult videos (AV), and in mainstream comedy, horror and fantasy films. Film critic Jasper Sharp describes him as one of the few figures in the Japanese erotic film scene who have made a name for themselves overseas.
Takayuki Suzui (鈴井 貴之, Suzui Takayuki; born 6 May 1962) is a tarento who mainly works in Hokkaido, film director and…
Takayuki Suzui (鈴井 貴之, Suzui Takayuki; born 6 May 1962) is a tarento who mainly works in Hokkaido, film director and broadcast writer. He is the chairman of Board of Directors of Creative Office Cue Co., Ltd., and the Board of Cure Products Co., Ltd., and Manhole Film Limited. He is nicknamed Mister (ミスター, Misutā). His ex-wife is Creative Office Cue President Ayumi Ito.
Hiroyuki Yamaga (山賀 博之, Yamaga Hiroyuki) is a Japanese anime director and producer, and a founding member of the…
Hiroyuki Yamaga (山賀 博之, Yamaga Hiroyuki) is a Japanese anime director and producer, and a founding member of the animation studio Gainax. He is best known for directing the film Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honnêamise (1987) at age 24, directing Mahoromatic (2001), Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi (2002), and an episode of Gurren Lagann (2007). Yamaga also wrote the screenplay for Gundam 0080 (1989). He is portrayed by actor Tsuyoshi Muro in the 2014 TV Drama Aoi Honō based on the autobiographical manga by his fellow Osaka University of Arts alumnus Kazuhiko Shimamoto. Yamaga himself cameos in Episode 7 of the series, playing the owner of a restaurant where his fictional counterpart faints.
Tetsuo Shinohara (篠原 哲雄, Shinohara Tetsuo; born 9 February 1962 in Tokyo, Japan) is a Japanese film director. His film…
Tetsuo Shinohara (篠原 哲雄, Shinohara Tetsuo; born 9 February 1962 in Tokyo, Japan) is a Japanese film director. His film First Love was the 3rd Best Film at the 22nd Yokohama Film Festival.
Takashi Murakami (村上 隆, Murakami Takashi; born February 1, 1962) is a Japanese contemporary artist. He works in fine…
Takashi Murakami (村上 隆, Murakami Takashi; born February 1, 1962) is a Japanese contemporary artist. He works in fine arts (such as painting and sculpture) as well as commercial media (such as fashion, merchandise, and animation) and is known for blurring the line between high and low arts. His work draws from the aesthetic characteristics of the Japanese artistic tradition and the nature of postwar Japanese culture. He has designed covers for several hip hop albums, namely Kanye West's Graduation (2007), Future's eponymous fifth studio album (2017), West and Kid Cudi's Kids See Ghosts (2018), and Juice Wrld's posthumous The Party Never Ends (2024). Murakami is the founder and President of the art trading company Kaikai Kiki Co., Ltd. through which he manages several artists. He was the founder and organizer of the biannual art fair Geisai.
Megumi Sasaki (佐々木 芽生 Sasaki Megumi, born 1962) is a Japanese filmmaker and writer. Her films include Herb and Dorothy…
Megumi Sasaki (佐々木 芽生 Sasaki Megumi, born 1962) is a Japanese filmmaker and writer. Her films include Herb and Dorothy, Herb & Dorothy 50x50, and A Whale of a Tale.
Eriko Kitagawa (北川 悦吏子) (born December 24, 1961) is a Japanese screenwriter and film director. She is best known for…
Eriko Kitagawa (北川 悦吏子) (born December 24, 1961) is a Japanese screenwriter and film director. She is best known for writing Japanese television dramas, notably Long Vacation (1996), Beautiful Life (2000), Sora Kara Furu Ichioku no Hoshi (2002), and Orange Days (2004). In 2009, Kitagawa made her directorial debut in the coming-of-age film Halfway, which she also wrote and co-edited. She then wrote and directed the 2012 film I Have to Buy New Shoes, a contemporary romantic comedy set in Paris. Both films were produced by her friend Shunji Iwai, and Kitagawa appeared in his 2011 documentary Friends after 3.11, which explores the aftermath of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.
Sion Sono (園 子温, Sono Shion; born December 18, 1961) is a Japanese filmmaker, writer, and poet. He is best known for…
Sion Sono (園 子温, Sono Shion; born December 18, 1961) is a Japanese filmmaker, writer, and poet. He is best known for the films Love Exposure (2008), Strange Circus (2005) and Suicide Club (2001). He has been called "the most subversive filmmaker working in Japanese cinema today," and a "stakhanovite filmmaker" with an "idiosyncratic" career.
Akihiko Shiota (塩田 明彦, Shiota Akihiko) (born 11 September 1961, Maizuru, Kyoto) is a Japanese film director and…
Akihiko Shiota (塩田 明彦, Shiota Akihiko) (born 11 September 1961, Maizuru, Kyoto) is a Japanese film director and screenwriter.
Makoto Tezuka (手塚 眞, Tezuka Makoto; born 11 August 1961), officially romanized as Macoto Tezka, is a Japanese film and…
Makoto Tezuka (手塚 眞, Tezuka Makoto; born 11 August 1961), officially romanized as Macoto Tezka, is a Japanese film and anime director, born in Tokyo. He fashions himself as a visualist and is involved in the creation of moving images beyond film and animation. He partially owns Tezuka Productions and helped in releasing the posthumous works of his father, Osamu Tezuka. Tezuka runs his own company, Neontetra. He is a representative of board of directors for Tezuka Osamu Cultural Foundation, a producer and director of Memorial Hall for Tezuka Osamu, a city ambassador to the city of Takarazuka in Hyogo prefecture, a member of the examination board for the Proficiency in Intellectual Property Management, and a board member of Japan Image Council. Tezuka teaches filmmaking at Tokyo University of Technology and the Image Forum in Tokyo. He is married to manga artist Reiko Okano. Tezuka is a descendant of Hattori Hanzō, a ninja and samurai who served Tokugawa Ieyasu during the Sengoku period in Japan. He supervised Naoki Urasawa and Takashi Nagasaki's Pluto manga series, as it adapts a story arc of his father's own Astro Boy.
Satoshi Miki (三木 聡, Miki Satoshi; born 9 August 1961) is a Japanese film director and screenwriter. He has directed and…
Satoshi Miki (三木 聡, Miki Satoshi; born 9 August 1961) is a Japanese film director and screenwriter. He has directed and written many films from 1981 to present day.
Yasuhiro Imagawa (今川 泰宏, Imagawa Yasuhiro; born July 24, 1961) is a Japanese anime director and screenwriter.
Hideo Nakata (中田 秀夫, Nakata Hideo; born July 19, 1961) is a Japanese filmmaker, most famous for his 1998 film Ring.
Kōki Mitani (三谷 幸喜, Mitani Kōki; born July 8, 1961) is a Japanese playwright, screenwriter, actor and film director. He…
Kōki Mitani (三谷 幸喜, Mitani Kōki; born July 8, 1961) is a Japanese playwright, screenwriter, actor and film director. He was named after Taihō Kōki, the youngest sumo wrestler to become yokozuna. He studied dramatics at Nihon University. He has been described by The Japan Times as "far and away the nation's best-known dramatist". In an attempt to add his own character to his movies, his directorial approach follows a "one scene = one shot" system, whereby he pans the camera around as opposed to cutting. He claims this comes from his experience in theatre, where there are no cuts. Mitani does not use a computer.