Yoshiaki Kawajiri

Yoshiaki Kawajiri (川尻 善昭, Kawajiri Yoshiaki; born November 18, 1950) is a Japanese writer, director, storyboard artist and animator. A co-founder of the anime studio Madhouse, he is best known as the director of Wicked City, Ninja Scroll, and Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust. Biography Kawajiri was born on November 18, 1950, and grew up in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. After he graduated f...

Yoshiaki Kawajiri (川尻 善昭, Kawajiri Yoshiaki; born November 18, 1950) is a Japanese writer, director, storyboard artist and animator. A co-founder of the anime studio Madhouse, he is best known as the director of Wicked City, Ninja Scroll, and Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust. Biography Kawajiri was born on November 18, 1950, and grew up in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. After he graduated from high school in 1968, he worked as an animator at Mushi Production Animation until it closed in 1972. He then joined Madhouse as one of the four co-founders, and in the 1970s was promoted to animation director. He finally debuted as a film director with 1984's Lensman: Secret of The Lens, directing jointly with the more experienced Kazuyuki Hirokawa (Kawajiri also did the character design along with Kazuo Tomizawa). Gaining an interest in darker animation, he next directed The Running Man. Afterwards, he was instructed to make a 35-minute short based on Hideyuki Kikuchi's novels, which was released as Wicked City. After completing it, however, his producers were so impressed that he was asked to make it a feature-length film. Kawajiri enjoyed the dark tone, and agreed to manage and complete the film within a year. That same year he began to work for the Original Video Animation market debuting with "The Phoenix". From 1987 he also wrote his own scripts. Wicked City received critical and commercial success when released in 1987, giving Kawajiri more creative freedom. He began scripting and designing his own film set in feudal Japan. The result, Ninja Scroll, about the Japanese folk hero Jubei Yagyu, was soon released. After the Western release in 1996, Kawajiri's status as a director received international recognition. He was asked in 2002 to direct a segment, titled Program, of The Animatrix, considered a showcase of the best directors of Japanese animation. Before The Animatrix, he also directed Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust, which was based on a novel by Hideyuki Kikuchi. Kawajiri directed Highlander: The Search for Vengeance. It was released on DVD on 5 June 2007. According to an interview with Ain't It Cool News with producer Galen Walker, Kawajiri disliked the fact that 7–8 minutes of added scenes with no opening exposition text sequence were removed when the film was released, but the director's cut will include the footage. Kawajiri has script approval for a sequel to Ninja Scroll, which was listed as being in pre-production. In February 2014, Hiroyuki Okada confirmed that Kawajiri had finished the script in May 2013, and that production would begin when funding is secured. Filmography Films Lensman: Secret of The Lens (1984) – director, storyboard, character design, key animation Wicked City (1987) – director, screenwriter (as Kisei Choo), character design, animation director Neo Tokyo (1987) (Segment: "The Running Man") – segment director, screenwriter, character design, animation director Demon City Shinjuku (1988) – director, character design A Wind Named Amnesia (1990) – screenwriter, supervision Ninja Scroll (1993) – director, screenwriter, original work, original character design Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust (2000) – director, screenwriter, storyboard The Animatrix (2003) – segment director (Segment: "Program"), screenwriter (Segments: "World Record" and "Program") Azumi 2: Death or Love (2005) – screenwriter Highlander: The Search for Vengeance (2007) – director, storyboard, key animation Batman: Gotham Knight (2008) (Segment: "Deadshot") – segment co-director (uncredited) OVAs The Phoenix OVA (1987) (Episode: "Space") – episode director Goku: Midnight Eye (1989) – director Cyber City Oedo 808 (1990–1991) – director, character design The Cockpit (1994) (Segment: "Slipstream") – episode director, screenwriter, character design, animation director Biohunter (1995) – screenwriter, supervision, key animation Birdy the Mighty (1996–1997) – director, screenwriter, storyboard, key animation TV series X (2001) – director, script, storyboard Ninja Scroll: The Series (2003) – original creator Other work Dororo (1969) – in-between animation Cleopatra (1970) – in-between animation Tomorrow's Joe (1970) – in-between animation, key animation New Moomin (1972) – key animation Science Ninja Team Gatchaman (1972) – key animation Dokonjō Gaeru (1972) – key animation Aim for the Ace! (1973) – ending Illustration, key animation Jungle Kurobe (1973) – key animation Samurai Giants (1973) – key animation Judo Sanka (1974) – key animation Hajime Ningen Gyatoruz (1974) – key animation The Fire G-Man (1975) – key animation Adventures of Ganba (1975) – key animation Demon Dragon of the Heavens Gaiking (1976) – key animation Manga Sekai Mukashi Banashi (1976) – episode director, character design, key animation, background art Manga Nihon Mukashi Banashi (1976) – episode director, character design (uncredited), key animation, background art Jetter Mars (1977) – key animation Future Boy Conan (1978) – key animation Animation Kikō Marco Polo no Bōken (1979) – storyboard, key animation Botchan (1980) – key animation The Fantastic Adventures of Unico (1981) – key animation, setting (assistance) The Sea Prince and the Fire Child (1981) – key animation The Door Into Summer (1981) – layout Wandering Cloud (1982) – storyboard, layout, key animation (uncredited) Unico in the Island of Magic (1983) – layout, key animation Barefoot Gen (1983) – key animation Harmagedon (1983) – key animation Georgie! (1983) – opening animation Stop!! Hibari-kun! (1983) – episode director The Dagger of Kamui (1985) – key animation Barefoot Gen 2 (1986) – key animation Toki no Tabibito -Time Stranger- (1986) – key animation Junk Boy (1987) – special CF Bride of Deimos (1988) – key animation Legend of the Forest (1988) – key animation Legend of the Galactic Heroes (1988) – guest character design Kimba the White Lion (1989) – character design Record of Lodoss War (1990) – key animation Zetsuai 1989 (1992) – storyboard Phantom Quest Corp. (1994) – opening animation Bronze: Cathexis (1994) – storyboard Azuki-chan (1995) – character design Memories (1995) (Segment: "Stink Bomb") – supervision, key animation X (1996) – key animation Todd McFarlane's Spawn (1997) – main title director Master Keaton (1998) – screenwriter, storyboard Pet Shop of Horrors (1999) – storyboard Cardcaptor Sakura Movie 2: The Sealed Card (2000) – storyboard, key animation Party 7 (2000) – key animation Metropolis (2001) – key animation, layout (assistance) Ogawa No Medaka (2002) – key animation Space Pirate Captain Herlock: The Endless Odyssey (2002) – storyboard Gokusen (2004) – storyboard Devil May Cry: The Animated Series (2007) – key animation Shigurui (2007) – storyboard Redline (2009) – 1st key animation Iron Man (2010) – storyboard Wolverine (2011) – storyboard The Tibetan Dog (2011) – key animation Kaiji: Against All Rules (2011) – storyboard X-Men (2011) – storyboard Blade (2011) – storyboard Chihayafuru (2011) – storyboard Black Jack: Dezaki's Final Chapter (2011) – key animation Btooom! (2012) – storyboard Chihayafuru 2 (2013) – storyboard Iron Man: Rise of Technovore (2013) – storyboard Ace of Diamond (2014) – storyboard Overlord (2015) – storyboard Rokka: Braves of the Six Flowers (2015) – storyboard One Punch Man (2015) – storyboard Garo: Crimson Moon (2015) – storyboard Alderamin on the Sky (2016) – storyboard All Out!! (2016) – storyboard Pluto: Pilot (2017) – storyboard ACCA: 13-Territory Inspection Dept. (2017) – storyboard Marvel Future Avengers (2017) – storyboard Rage of Bahamut: Virgin Soul (2017) – storyboard Overlord II (2018) – storyboard Mr. Tonegawa: Middle Management Blues (2018) – storyboard Attack on Titan Season 3 Part 1 (2018) – storyboard Boogiepop and Others (2019) – storyboard Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba (2019) – storyboard No Guns Life (2019) – storyboard Blade of the Immortal (2019) – storyboard Chihayafuru 3 (2020) – storyboard Deca-Dence (2020) – storyboard Jujutsu Kaisen (2020) – storyboard Beastars 2nd Season (2021) – storyboard Sonny Boy (2021) – storyboard Platinum End (2022) – storyboard Police in a Pod (2022) – storyboard Kin no Kuni Mizu no Kuni (2023) – storyboard Vinland Saga Season 2 (2023) – storyboard Trigun Stampede (2023) – storyboard The Gene of AI (2023) – storyboard Frieren: Beyond Journey's End (2023) – storyboard Orb: On the Movements of the Earth (2025) – storyboard Books Arctic Luko (北極のルーコ). Chobunsha, 1989. ISBN 978-4811370989 Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust Storyboard Collection (川尻善昭「バンパイアハンターD」絵コンテ集). Asahi Sonorama, 2001. ISBN 978-4257036333 References External links Yoshiaki Kawajiri at Anime News Network's encyclopedia Yoshiaki Kawajiri at IMDb Yoshiaki Kawajiri anime at Media Arts Database (in Japanese) Filmography:Yoshiaki Kawijiri at Sakuga@Wiki(Japanese) Interview With Yoshiaki Kawijiri at The Animatrix Official Website