Masayuki Kojima
Encyclopedia
is a Japan
ese animator, director, and member of the renowned animation studio Madhouse
. He was born on March 11, 1961 in Yamanashi
, Yamanashi Prefecture
, Japan
, and is a twenty year plus veteran of the anime
industry.
. During this time, he was involved in television products as an episode director. In the 1990s, Kojima joined Madhouse as a permanent member, where he has remained since. During his years at Madhouse, he has been involved in dozens of productions as an animator, as well as helming several TV series, two movies, a theatrical short, and a TV special.
's manga, Master Keaton
and Monster
, both of which received critical acclaim. His most recent project is Piano no Mori
, his first full-length theatrical film, which was released in Japan on July 21, 2007.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese animator, director, and member of the renowned animation studio Madhouse
Madhouse (company)
is a Japanese animation studio, founded in 1972 by ex–Mushi Pro animators including Masao Maruyama, Osamu Dezaki, Rintaro, and Yoshiaki Kawajiri. It has created and helped to produce many well known shows, starting with TV anime series Ace o Nerae! in 1973, and including western favourites Ninja...
. He was born on March 11, 1961 in Yamanashi
Yamanashi, Yamanashi
is a city located in Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan. In spite of the name, it is not the capital of the prefecture, which is Kofu.On June 1, 2011, the city had an estimated population of 37,927 with 14,453 households...
, Yamanashi Prefecture
Yamanashi Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of the island of Honshū. The capital is the city of Kōfu.-Pre-history to the 14th century:People have been living in the Yamanashi area for about 30,000 years...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, and is a twenty year plus veteran of the anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
industry.
Personal history
Kojima first got his start in the animation business in the 1980s, where he worked primarily project-to-project for a number of different companies, including Knack Productions and Tatsunoko ProductionTatsunoko Production
, often shortened to , is a Japanese animation company. Founded in October 1962 by acclaimed anime pioneer Tatsuo Yoshida along with his brothers Kenji and Toyoharu...
. During this time, he was involved in television products as an episode director. In the 1990s, Kojima joined Madhouse as a permanent member, where he has remained since. During his years at Madhouse, he has been involved in dozens of productions as an animator, as well as helming several TV series, two movies, a theatrical short, and a TV special.
Directorial style
Since coming to work for Madhouse, Kojima has been primarily a drama director, and one who specializes in lengthy series. He has adapted two of Naoki UrasawaNaoki Urasawa
is a Japanese manga artist.-Early life:He graduated from Meisei University with a degree in economics. In 2008, Urasawa had a guest teaching post at Nagoya Zokei University, where he taught classes on manga.-Manga career:...
's manga, Master Keaton
Master Keaton
is a Japanese manga series created by Hokusei Katsushika and Naoki Urasawa. It was serialized in Big Comic Original between 1988 and 1994 and ran for 18 volumes . An anime adaptation of the series aired between 1998 and 1999 in Japan on Nippon Television...
and Monster
Monster (manga)
is a seinen manga written and illustrated by Naoki Urasawa, published by Shogakukan in Big Comic Original between 1994 and 2001, and reprinted in 18 tankōbon volumes. It was adapted by Madhouse as a 74-episode anime TV series, which aired on NTV from April 7, 2004 to September 28, 2005...
, both of which received critical acclaim. His most recent project is Piano no Mori
Piano no Mori
is an ongoing manga by Makoto Isshiki, about Shuhei Amamiya, who transfers to Moriwaki Elementary filled with hope and ambition about his new life...
, his first full-length theatrical film, which was released in Japan on July 21, 2007.
Works
- Cybot RobotchiRobby the Rascal, known in the United States as Robby the Rascal, is a 39-episode anime television series created by Ken Ishikawa and produced by Go Nagai's Dynamic Productions and the Knack animation studio. The series aired on TV Tokyo in Japan from October 1982 to June 1983...
series (1982–1983) - Episode Director - Okawari-Boy Starzan S series (1984) - Episode Director, Storyboard Artist
- Aru Kararu no Isan OVA (1993) - Storyboard Artist
- Azuki-chanAzuki-chanis an anime series about a young schoolgirl named Azusa Noyama, nicknamed Azuki-chan because when she was younger she was accidentally called Azuki.-Plot summary:...
series (1995–1998) - Series Director, Animation Director, Storyboard Artist - Cardcaptor SakuraCardcaptor Sakura, abbreviated as CCS and also known as Cardcaptors, is a Japanese shōjo manga series written and illustrated by the manga artist group Clamp. The manga was originally serialized monthly in Nakayoshi from the May 1996 until the June 2000 issue, and later published in 12 tankōbon volumes by Kodansha...
series (1998–2000) - Storyboard Artist (episode 2) - DNA Sights 999.9 movie (1998) - Director, Storyboard Artist
- Master KeatonMaster Keatonis a Japanese manga series created by Hokusei Katsushika and Naoki Urasawa. It was serialized in Big Comic Original between 1988 and 1994 and ran for 18 volumes . An anime adaptation of the series aired between 1998 and 1999 in Japan on Nippon Television...
series (1998–1999) - Series Director, Episode Director (many episodes), Storyboard Artist (many episodes) - Reign: The Conqueror series (1999) - Storyboard Artist
- Leave it to Kero! Theatrical VersionCardcaptor Sakura, abbreviated as CCS and also known as Cardcaptors, is a Japanese shōjo manga series written and illustrated by the manga artist group Clamp. The manga was originally serialized monthly in Nakayoshi from the May 1996 until the June 2000 issue, and later published in 12 tankōbon volumes by Kodansha...
short (2000) - Director - Sakura WarsSakura Warsis a Japanese media franchise created by Ouji Hiroi, and is developed and owned by Sega and licensed by Red Entertainment and Sega. The franchise centers on a series of dramatic fantasy and science-fantasy tactical role-playing adventure video games, which consist of tactical wargame and dating sim...
series (2000) - Animation Director - Shingu: Secret of the Stellar WarsShingu: Secret of the Stellar Warsis an anime series directed by Tatsuo Sato and mainly animated by Madhouse. Shingu aired from May 8, 2001 through December 4, 2001 on NHK. It ran for 26 episodes and was released on DVD on five volumes by The Right Stuf International in the United States....
series (2001) - Storyboard Artist - Hanada Shōnen-shi series (2002) - Series Director
- Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi series (2002) - Series Director, Episode Director (episode 2), Storyboard Artist (episodes 2, 10)
- Space Pirate Captain Herlock The Endless OdysseyCaptain Harlockis a fictional character created by manga artist Leiji Matsumoto.Harlock is the archetypical romantic hero, a space pirate with an individualist philosophy of life. He is as noble as he is taciturn, rebellious, stoically fighting against totalitarian regimes, whether they be earthborn or alien...
OVA series (2002) - Storyboard Artist (episodes 7 - 8) - Trava OVA series (2003) - In-Between Animator
- GungraveGungraveis a PlayStation 2 third-person shooter video game developed by Red Entertainment and published by Sega. The game debuted on July 17, 2002 in Japan, September 16, 2002 in North America and November 29, 2002 in the United Kingdom...
series (2003–2004) - Key Animator - Gunslinger GirlGunslinger GirlGunslinger Girl is an ongoing manga by Yu Aida. It first premiered in the November 2002 issue of the monthly shōnen magazine Dengeki Daioh. The chapters are also being published in tankōbon volumes by ASCII Media Works. 13 volumes have been released in Japan as of April 2011...
series (2003–2004) - Storyboard Artist - The Gokusen series (2004) - Storyboard Artist
- MonsterMonster (manga)is a seinen manga written and illustrated by Naoki Urasawa, published by Shogakukan in Big Comic Original between 1994 and 2001, and reprinted in 18 tankōbon volumes. It was adapted by Madhouse as a 74-episode anime TV series, which aired on NTV from April 7, 2004 to September 28, 2005...
series (2004–2005) - Director - Trinity BloodTrinity Bloodis a series of Japanese light novels written by Sunao Yoshida with illustrations by Thores Shibamoto and originally serialized in The Sneaker. Set 900 years after an apocalyptic war between humans and vampires, the series focuses on the on-going cold war between the Vatican, the human government,...
series (2005) - Storyboard Artist - A Spirit of the SunA Spirit of the Sunis a seinen manga written and illustrated by Kaiji Kawaguchi about a resourceful boy, Genichiro Ryu, as he survives a series of natural disasters and collapse of the economy in Japan set in the beginning of the 21st century. It was serialized in Shogakukan's Big Comic. In February 2009, Shogakukan...
TV special (2006) - Director, Storyboard Artist - Piano no MoriPiano no Moriis an ongoing manga by Makoto Isshiki, about Shuhei Amamiya, who transfers to Moriwaki Elementary filled with hope and ambition about his new life...
movie (2007) - Director - The Tibetan DogThe Tibetan Dogis a 2011 Chinese/Japanese animated film directed by Masayuki Kojima, co-produced by Madhouse and China Film Group Corporation. It premiered at 51st Annecy Film Festival in June 2011....
movie (2011) - Director