Seiichi Hiruta

Seiichi Hiruta was a co-producer on Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball GT, overseeing major aspects of production for these flagship series. He also produced several Dragon Ball Z films including Broly: The Legendary Super Saiyan and Broly: Second Coming, plus Dragon Ball: Plan to Eradicate the Saiyans. As a planner on additional films including Fusion Reborn, Wrath of the Dragon, and The Path to Power, Hiruta was instrumental in shaping the Dragon Ball film franchise during its most creatively active period.

Hiruta's contributions extended beyond Dragon Ball to include planning roles on Dr. Slump films and Gegege no Kitarō productions. Notably, the villain Hirudegarn from Wrath of the Dragon was named after Hiruta, combining his name with the Japanese onomatopoeia for a dropped jaw (gaan) after he expressed dissatisfaction with the original character design, demonstrating his hands-on creative influence on the franchise.