Yutaka Yamamoto

Yutaka Yamamoto (山本 寛, Yamamoto Yutaka, born September 1, 1974) is a Japanese anime director from Osaka Prefecture. He is the founder of the Ordet animation studio, and is formerly of Kyoto Animation.

Personal history

Originally a member of Kyoto Animation, Yamamoto rose to prominence within the company after serving as assistant director on Munto 2: Beyond the Walls of Time. In 2006, he was selected to be the series production director of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, after which he became well-known among anime fans for the ending dance theme he choreographed. He was to make his full directorial debut with Lucky Star, but was replaced after four episodes due to "performance issues." In a later radio interview, Yamamoto confirmed he was fired by Kyoto Animation and unsuccessfully attempted to win back his job. Subsequent to the firing, he founded his own studio, Ordet. In 2008, he directed Kannagi: Crazy Shrine Maidens with Ordet and A-1 Pictures.

In 2009, he directed a 90-second short film for inclusion in the fourth volume of the Tonari no 801-chan manga. The short was produced by A-1 Pictures and featured character designs by Satoshi Kadowaki, also formerly of Kyoto Animation. Production of the short came after the announcement that Kyoto Animation would be producing a Tonari no 801-chan television series. However, less than two weeks later, the series was canceled without explanation by its broadcaster, TBS. Yamamoto wrote that the short was a chance to "avenge myself" on his blog. His next project was Black Rock Shooter, an OVA released in July 2010. Yamamoto was the supervising director for the project, Ordet's first solo production as the main animation studio, while Shinobu Yoshioka, another former Kyoto Animation member, directed it. Yamamoto attended the American anime convention Otakon in 2009. In early 2011, Yamamoto directed the anime Fractale with production by A-1 Pictures and Ordet. His most recent work, Wake Up, Girls!, began airing on Japanese television on January 10, 2014 as a television movie; this was followed by a 13-episode TV series that began airing the next day.

Works

• Generator Gawl (1998) : Assistant Episode Director (ep 11)
• Jungle wa Itsumo Hale Nochi Guu Final (2001) : Episode Director (ep 7, 8), Storyboard (ep 7, 8)
• Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu (2003) : Episode Director (ep 2, 9), Storyboard (ep 2)
• Full Metal Panic! The Second Raid (2005) : Episode Director (ep 2, 6, 11), Storyboard (ep 2, 6, 11), Script (ep 6),
• Munto 2: Beyond the Walls of Time (2005) : Assistant Director
• Air (2005) : Episode Director (ep 2, 5, 8), Storyboard (ep 2, 5, 8)
• Kanon (2006) : Storyboard (ep 5, 11), Episode Director (ep 5, 11)
• The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (2006) : Series Production Director, Script (ep 1, 3, 5, 12), Storyboard (ep 1, 9, 12. ED), Episode Director (ep 1, 12, ED)
• Lucky Star (2007) : Director (ep 1 - 4), Episode Director (ep 1), Storyboard (ep 1, 2, 18), Script (ep 4, 10, 23)
• Shakugan no Shana Second (2007) : Storyboard (OP 2)
• Sketchbook ~full color'S~ (2007) : Episode Director (ep 11)
• Kannagi(2008) : Director, Episode Director (ep 14), Storyboard (ep 14, OP)
• Persona -trinity soul- (2008) : Storyboard (ep 6)
• Black Rock Shooter (2010) : Supervising Director
• Watashi no Yasashiku nai Senpai(2010) : Director
• Fractale (2011) : Director
• Miyakawake no kuufuku(2013) : Director
• SenyÅ« (2013) : Director
• Wake Up, Girls! (2014) : Director

References

External links

• Yutaka Yamamoto at Anime News Network's encyclopedia