Jūran Hisao (久生 十蘭, Hisao Jūran; 6 April 1902 – 6 October 1957) was the pen-name of a Japanese author of popular…Jūran Hisao (久生 十蘭, Hisao Jūran; 6 April 1902 – 6 October 1957) was the pen-name of a Japanese author of popular fiction in Shōwa period Japan. Hisao Jūran was a pioneer in the use of black humor in Japanese literature. His works reflect his extensive knowledge of a wide range of subjects, and displayed extraordinary skills, and range from mystery tales to humor, and both historical and contemporary settings. His real name was Masao Abe (阿部 正雄, Abe Masao).
Tomoyoshi Murayama (村山 知義, Murayama Tomoyoshi; 18 January 1901 – 22 March 1977) was a Japanese artist, play writer…Tomoyoshi Murayama (村山 知義, Murayama Tomoyoshi; 18 January 1901 – 22 March 1977) was a Japanese artist, play writer, novelist and drama producer active during the Shōwa period in Japan.
Sakae Kubo (久保 栄, Kubo Sakae; December 28, 1900 – March 15, 1958) was a Japanese playwright and director. Kubo studied…Sakae Kubo (久保 栄, Kubo Sakae; December 28, 1900 – March 15, 1958) was a Japanese playwright and director. Kubo studied and translated German literature at Tokyo Imperial University and then soon he became the disciple of another famous playwright and theatre director, Kaoru Osanai. From his mentor, Kubo had adopted Shingeki theater, a new type of drama that developed in Japan in the early 20th century under the influence of Western-style theater. To honor the death of his teacher, Kubo began to write one of his most famous works, which was The Land of Volcanic Ash: A Play in Two Parts, translated by David Goodman. This play was most recognized for its focus on socialism that was depicted in pre-war Japan. It is seen as realist drama, for it describes the struggles of a reform-minded intellectual in the Hokkaido countryside which took place during the Soviet famine of 1932–33.
Kenzō Masaoka (政岡 憲三, Masaoka Kenzō; October 5, 1898 – November 23, 1988) was a Japanese animator and voice actor.…Kenzō Masaoka (政岡 憲三, Masaoka Kenzō; October 5, 1898 – November 23, 1988) was a Japanese animator and voice actor. Masaoka was the first to use cel animation and recorded sound in anime. He worked at a number of companies as an animator and actor, and was one of the founders of what became Toei Animation. His work as a special effects artist earned him the title "Japanese Méliès." He also did work under the pseudonym Donbei Masaoka (正岡 どんべい, Masaoka Donbei). Famous animators who worked under him include Mitsuyo Seo and Yasuji Mori.
Marquess Yoshi Hijikata (土方 与志, Hijikata Yoshi; 16 April 1898 – 4 June 1959) was a prominent Japanese theatre director.…Marquess Yoshi Hijikata (土方 与志, Hijikata Yoshi; 16 April 1898 – 4 June 1959) was a prominent Japanese theatre director. His real name was Hisayoshi Hijikata (土方久敬, Hijikata Hisayoshi). He studied at the University of Tokyo. He had Marxist leanings, and in 1933 traveled to Russia. On his return to Japan in 1941 he was arrested, and remained in prison until 1945. In 1946 he joined the Japanese Communist Party. He was a grandson of the Meiji politician Hijikata Hisamoto.
Akira Nobuchi (野淵 昶, Nobuchi Akira, 22 June 1896 - 1 February 1968) was a Japanese stage director and film director. He…Akira Nobuchi (野淵 昶, Nobuchi Akira, 22 June 1896 - 1 February 1968) was a Japanese stage director and film director. He launched the Elan Vital Shōgekijō little theatre in 1918 while he was at Kyoto Imperial University. He stage-managed plays by Anton Chekhov, Arthur Schnitzler, Lord Dunsany, Lady Gregory, John Millington Synge and Sean O'Casey as well as those by Japanese playwrights including Saneatsu Mushanokōji, Ujaku Akita, Masao Kume and Jun'ichirō Tanizaki. Having left the Elan Vital Shōgekijō in 1933, he entered Shinkō Kinema the following year. He made a debut with talkie Nagasaki Ryūgakusei (1935), after which he made more than 30 films until 1955.
Bunroku Shishi (獅子文六, Shishi Bunroku; 1 July 1893 – 13 December 1969), real name Toyoo Iwata (岩田豊雄, Iwata Toyoo), was a…Bunroku Shishi (獅子文六, Shishi Bunroku; 1 July 1893 – 13 December 1969), real name Toyoo Iwata (岩田豊雄, Iwata Toyoo), was a Japanese novelist, playwright and director of the Bungakuza theatre company. Shishi was born in Yokohama. In 1922 he traveled to France to study modern French theater, and worked in the atelier of Jacques Copeau.
Kaoru Osanai (小山内 薫, Osanai Kaoru; July 26, 1881 – December 25, 1928), was a Japanese theater director, playwright, and…Kaoru Osanai (小山内 薫, Osanai Kaoru; July 26, 1881 – December 25, 1928), was a Japanese theater director, playwright, and actor central in the development of modern Japanese theater.
Hōgetsu Shimamura (島村 抱月, Shimamura Hōgetsu; February 28, 1871 - November 5, 1918)) was a Japanese critic, novelist and…Hōgetsu Shimamura (島村 抱月, Shimamura Hōgetsu; February 28, 1871 - November 5, 1918)) was a Japanese critic, novelist and leader of Shingeki. His real name is Takitaro (滝太郎). He was born in Shimane Prefecture. He graduated from Tōkyō Senmon Gakkō. In 1902 he studied abroad in the United Kingdom and Germany. In 1906, he founded the Bungei Kyōkai (文芸協会) with Tsubouchi Shoyo. He presided over Waseda Bungaku (早稲田文学) and was active in the naturalistic literary movement. In 1913, he established the Geijutsu-za theatre troupe with Sumako Matsui. His main works are Shinbijigaku (新美辞学), Kindai Bungei no Kenkyu (近代文芸之研究) and so on. Shimamura was also a key figure in Henrik Ibsen becoming a key influence in Japanese drama and the Shingeki movement; following a three and a half year stay in Europe and having attended many performances of Ibsen plays, Shimamura returned to Japan in 1905 and declared an "Age of Ibsen" to coincide with increased interest in Ibsen plays within Japan, including Shimamura's own translation of A Doll's House.
Shinichiro Kimura (木村 真一郎, Kimura Shin'ichirō; born October 4) is a Japanese anime storyboard artist and director from…Shinichiro Kimura (木村 真一郎, Kimura Shin'ichirō; born October 4) is a Japanese anime storyboard artist and director from Hiroshima Prefecture. His nickname is Kimushin (キムシン), a shortened version of his name.
Nachi Nozawa (野沢 那智, Nozawa Nachi; January 13, 1938 – October 30, 2010) was a Japanese actor, voice actor, narrator…Nachi Nozawa (野沢 那智, Nozawa Nachi; January 13, 1938 – October 30, 2010) was a Japanese actor, voice actor, narrator, and theatre director from Tokyo. He was affiliated with Office PAC at the time of his death. His real name was Yasutomo Nozawa (野沢 那智, Nozawa Yasutomo). Nozawa was the official dub-over artist of Al Pacino and Alain Delon, and also dubbed the roles of Giuliano Gemma, Robert Redford, Bruce Willis, Dustin Hoffman, Christopher Walken, David McCallum, Don Johnson, Willem Dafoe, and James Woods. In the animation field, He was known as his roles in Cobra (as Cobra), Dororo (as Hyakkimaru), Gokū no Daibōken (as Sanzo), Sakura Wars series (as Oni-Ou), and Hellsing (as Alexander Anderson). On October 30, 2010, Nozawa died at a Tokyo hospital of lung cancer. He was 72 years old at the time of his death. A year after his death, he was honored with a Special Merit Award in the 5th Seiyu Awards.
Hiroshi Koike (小池博史 Koike Hiroshi born on 25 January 1956, in Japan) is a Japanese director, playwright and…Hiroshi Koike (小池博史 Koike Hiroshi born on 25 January 1956, in Japan) is a Japanese director, playwright and choreographer. After his former performing arts company Pappa TARAHUMARA was dissolved in 2012, he formed the Hiroshi Koike Bridge Project (HKBP). In June, 2023, they added the word, Odyssey, to the organization's name to reflect the director's vision of creating art - Hiroshi Koike Bridge Project -Odyssey. He has conducted physical acting training workshops based on his original method titled “slow movement” all over the world. Up to date, Hiroshi Koike has directed 55 works with Pappa TARAHUMARA and 36 works with Hiroshi Koike Bridge Project -Odyssey.
Ayuko Tsukahara (Japanese: 塚原 あゆ子, Hepburn: Tsukahara Ayuko) is a director from Saitama Prefecture, Japan. She belongs…Ayuko Tsukahara (Japanese: 塚原 あゆ子, Hepburn: Tsukahara Ayuko) is a director from Saitama Prefecture, Japan. She belongs to TBS Sparkle and has directed many television series for TBS Television and films. Her notable works include the television series Unnatural, La Grande Maison Tokyo, and MIU404. She made her film directorial debut in 2018 with Cafe Funiculi Funicula.