Kenji Roa (ロア健治, Roa Kenji; born January 25, 1979) is a Japanese voice actor and singer who is a vocalist in the…Kenji Roa (ロア健治, Roa Kenji; born January 25, 1979) is a Japanese voice actor and singer who is a vocalist in the Japanese rock band Virgil. He also voices Tobi in Blood Lad.
Toshikazu Kawaguchi (川口 俊和; born 3 April 1971) is a Japanese author, screenwriter, and director born in Osaka, Japan.…Toshikazu Kawaguchi (川口 俊和; born 3 April 1971) is a Japanese author, screenwriter, and director born in Osaka, Japan. He has received the Grand Prize of the Suginami Theatre Festival for his stage version of Before the Coffee Gets Cold as well as having been nominated for the Bookseller's Award for the novel version. The novel has been translated into 46 languages, selling over six million copies. He has produced, directed, and wrote for theatrical group Sonic Snail. His works explore themes of love, loss, grief, and kindness.
Ryuhei Kitamura (北村龍平, Kitamura Ryūhei; May 30, 1969) is a Japanese film director, producer, and screenwriter. Kitamura…Ryuhei Kitamura (北村龍平, Kitamura Ryūhei; May 30, 1969) is a Japanese film director, producer, and screenwriter. Kitamura relocated to Sydney, Australia at age 17 and attended a school for visual arts for two years. In 1997, Kitamura directed and produced the short film Down to Hell, which received a positive response from students, teachers, and an award which motivated Kitamura to seriously pursue a film career. He went on to independently finance and direct his feature film debut Versus (2000). The film proved to be successful within the film festival circuit and opened doors for Kitamura to direct more high-profile films such as Alive (2002), Sky High (2003), Godzilla: Final Wars (2004), The Midnight Meat Train (2008), No One Lives (2012), the live-action adaptation of Lupin the 3rd (2014), and several other Japanese and Hollywood productions.
Yukiko Mishima (Japanese: 三島有紀子) is a Japanese film director born (1969-04-22)April 22, 1969 in Kita-ku, Osaka. Her…Yukiko Mishima (Japanese: 三島有紀子) is a Japanese film director born (1969-04-22)April 22, 1969 in Kita-ku, Osaka. Her first feature film, Shisei: Nihohi tsuki no gotoku, based on the Jun'ichirō Tanizaki story "The Tatooer", was released in 2009. She received best director from the Hochi Film Award in 2017 for Dear Etranger, and Special Grand Prix of the Jury award at the Montreal World Film Festival. Shape of Red, an adaptation of Rio Shimamoto's 2014 novel Reddo, was released in 2020. She is a graduate of Kobe College.
Naoyuki Tomomatsu (友松 直之, Tomomatsu Naoyuki) (born 1967) is a Japanese film director and screenwriter who has worked in…Naoyuki Tomomatsu (友松 直之, Tomomatsu Naoyuki) (born 1967) is a Japanese film director and screenwriter who has worked in the pink film and horror genres.
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.
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.
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.
Akio Ishii (Japanese: 石井朗夫, Hepburn: Ishii Akio; born October 19, 1955), known professionally as LaSalle Ishii (ラサール石井…Akio Ishii (Japanese: 石井朗夫, Hepburn: Ishii Akio; born October 19, 1955), known professionally as LaSalle Ishii (ラサール石井, Rasāru Ishii), is a Japanese TV personality, actor, director, writer, columnist, and politician. He named himself after his high school Japanese La Salle Academy. His best-known anime role is Kankichi Ryotsu the lead character in Kochira Katsushika-ku Kameari Kōen-mae Hashutsujo which ran from 1999 to 2004 for 373 episodes. In 2025, he ran in the House of Councillors election in the proportional representation district as a member of the Social Democratic Party, winning a seat. On September 24 the same year, the managerial committee of SDP announced it approved his inauguration as its Vice-Chairman.
Sugako Hashida (橋田 壽賀子, Hashida Sugako; May 10, 1925 – April 4, 2021) was a Japanese scriptwriter. She is known…Sugako Hashida (橋田 壽賀子, Hashida Sugako; May 10, 1925 – April 4, 2021) was a Japanese scriptwriter. She is known particularly for writing the NHK Asadora Oshin, and was considered Japan's most successful TV drama scriptwriter. She established Hashida Cultural Foundation. Her real name was Sugako Iwasaki (岩﨑 壽賀子, Iwasaki Sugako).
Sanjugo Naoki (直木 三十五, Naoki Sanjūgo) was a pen name of a novelist in Taishō and Shōwa period Japan. His real name was…Sanjugo Naoki (直木 三十五, Naoki Sanjūgo) was a pen name of a novelist in Taishō and Shōwa period Japan. His real name was Sōichi Uemura (植村 宗一, Uemura Sōichi).
