Masayuki
DirectorMasayuki is a Japanese animator and director whose long collaboration with Hideaki Anno runs through the entire Neon Genesis Evangelion franchise, from animation direction on the original 1990s series to co-directing the Rebuild of Evangelion film tetralogy.
Neon Genesis Evangelion Role
Masayuki served as an animation director on the original Neon Genesis Evangelion television series, helping shape the show's distinctive character acting and visual tone during its 1990s run at Gainax. He later returned to the franchise as a co-director of the Rebuild of Evangelion film tetralogy, working alongside creator Hideaki Anno and fellow director Kazuya Tsurumaki to reimagine the story across the four films released between 2007 and 2021.
Career and Notable Roles
Much of Masayuki's career has run alongside Hideaki Anno, following him from Gainax into Studio Khara, the company Anno founded to continue developing the Evangelion franchise. His body of work centers on animation direction and directing within this small circle of collaborators rather than a wide spread of unrelated titles, making him one of the most consistent creative partners across Anno's projects.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Masayuki?
Masayuki is a Japanese animator and director born in 1961, associated with Studio Khara. His career has run through the entire Neon Genesis Evangelion franchise across multiple decades.
What role did Masayuki play in the original Neon Genesis Evangelion?
Masayuki served as an animation director on the original Neon Genesis Evangelion television series, helping shape the show's distinctive character acting and visual tone during its 1990s run at Gainax. It was one of his earliest major contributions to the franchise.
Did Masayuki work on the Rebuild of Evangelion films?
Yes, Masayuki returned to the franchise as a co-director of the Rebuild of Evangelion film tetralogy, working alongside creator Hideaki Anno and fellow director Kazuya Tsurumaki. The four films were released between 2007 and 2021.
What is Masayuki's connection to Hideaki Anno?
Much of Masayuki's career has run alongside Hideaki Anno, following him from Gainax into Studio Khara, the company Anno founded to continue developing the Evangelion franchise. He is considered one of the most consistent creative partners across Anno's projects.
Has Masayuki worked on projects outside the Evangelion franchise?
Masayuki's body of work centers on animation direction and directing within a small circle of collaborators around Hideaki Anno rather than a wide spread of unrelated titles. That makes his career closely tied to the Evangelion franchise specifically.
Sources & Information
This content is original writing by Daddy Jim Anime based on the Neon Genesis Evangelion anime series, manga, and official materials. Neon Genesis Evangelion was created by Hideaki Anno, published by Kadokawa, and animated by khara and Gainax. All rights to Neon Genesis Evangelion and its characters belong to their respective owners. Episode and chapter references are cited where applicable.
Rights holders
- Created byHideaki Anno
- Published byKadokawa
- Animated bykhara
- Animated byGainax
All rights belong to their respective owners.
Character and scene imagery on this site is original artwork by Daddy Jim Anime, not screenshots or licensed imagery. Official cover art is used on three types of pages for editorial commentary:
- Movie pages: theatrical posters and key visuals, credited to khara, Gainax and Kadokawa.
- Game pages: official box art, credited to the game's respective publishers.
- Manga chapter pages: volume covers, credited to Kadokawa and Hideaki Anno.
- Licensed imagery: Photographs of real people, including creators, voice actors and production staff, are used under licence from the rights holder or the applicable stock provider, or under the terms of a public licence permitting editorial use. Each such image is reproduced in its licensed form and remains the property of its owner.
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Official resources:
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