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Hiroaki Sakurai

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Hiroaki Sakurai
桜井 弘明
Born (1958-12-15) December 15, 1958 (age 65)
Numazu, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan
NationalityJapanese
Occupation(s)Animation director, bassist
SpouseSayuri Ōba

Hiroaki Sakurai (桜井 弘明, Sakurai Hiroaki, born December 15, 1958) is a Japanese anime director and bassist who is known for his work in UFO Baby and the Di Gi Charat series.[1][2] He has served as the director for series such as Nanaka 6/17, Cromartie High School, Les Misérables: Shōjo Cosette, GA Geijutsuka Art Design Class, Maid Sama!, Nekogami Yaoyorozu, Jewelpet Happiness, The Disastrous Life of Saiki K., and The Demon Girl Next Door. He is married to Sayuri Ōba, an anime screenwriter.

Career

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Sakurai was in college for 5 and a half years and spent his time playing in bands and bassist auditions. One day, he suddenly became interested in animation, and after graduating from the department of literature and science at Nihon University, he worked at Yoyogi Animation Academy and joined Studio World, which was looking for assistant directors, at the age of 25. The first work he was involved in as an assistant director was Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross, and the first time his name appeared in the credits was in Yoroshiku Mechadock. When he was in charge of Mechadock, Masayuki Kojima and Ken Baba served as his seniors. In the spring of 1988, Studio World disbanded and Sakurai moved to Film Magic, which was founded by Baba. In the middle of Akazukin Chacha, Film Magic went bankrupt due to reasons mentioned below, and after that he went freelance.

Style

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According to Hatsuki Tsuji, Sakurai is described as someone who has good qualities, but who can be conceited. He often uses voice actors such as Mika Kanai and Kaori Nazuka in his directorial projects.

Inspired by the direction of Akitaro Daichi and Tatsuo Sato, who were part of Akazukin Chacha's rotation of directors, Sakurai was too elaborate in his direction and was unable to adhere to the limited number of sheets, resulting in constant deficits and driving Film Magic into bankruptcy. However, Takaaki Wada, who was in charge of key animation in certain episodes, claims that Sakurai, Wada and the other animators ignored the president's advice and got carried away, and that the bankruptcy was their own fault.[3]

Sakurai is known for his love of the ukulele and for carrying one with him at all times, even to the studios. In addition, the soundtrack for Cromartie High School features music by the progressive rock band Bi Kyo Ran, who are from the same town as him and of whom he was a fan for many years, and also worked with the band as a bassist, later becoming a full member. He also played bass in the ending song "Dynamite★I-N-G" for TV Tokyo's Di Gi Charat Nyo! and performed a solo part. He stated that he had nine left-handed basses at the time.

Filmography

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Anime

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Year Title Crew role Notes Source[4]
1990 Hidari no O'Clock!! (ja:左のオクロック!!) Director
1990–91 Tanken Goblin Shima (ja:たんけん ゴブリン島) Director, Storyboard
1996–98 Kodocha Assistant director [1]
1998 Sexy Commando Gaiden: Sugoi yo!! Masaru-san Assistant director
1999 Jubei-chan: The Ninja Girl Assistant director [1]
1999–present Di Gi Charat Series director, episode director and writer Also specials and OVAs [5][1][2]
2000–02 UFO Baby Director
2001–02 PaRappa the Rapper Director
2002 Baboo Factory
バブーファクトリー［第2期］		 Director
2003 Nanaka 6/17 Director
2003 Di Gi Charat Nyo! Director [6]
2003–04 Cromartie High School Director [7]
2004 Sweet Valerian Director
2005 Majokko Tsukune-chan Director OVA series
2006 Winter Garden Screenplay, Director
2007 Les Misérables: Shōjo Cosette Director
2007 Chopper Man Director Also specials and OVAs
2009 GA Geijutsuka Art Design Class Director Also OVA in 2010 [8]
2010 Maid Sama! Director Also OVAs [9]
2011 Nekogami Yaoyorozu Director Also OVA [10]
2013–14 Jewelpet Happiness Director
2016–19 The Disastrous Life of Saiki K. Director Also Special & ONA [11]
2019–22 The Demon Girl Next Door Director
2020–22 Mewkledreamy Director Also Mix! in 2021
2022 Reiwa no Di Gi Charat Director

Film

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Year Title Crew role Notes Source[4]
1999 Cyber Team in Akihabara: Summer Vacation of 2011 Director Solo directorial debut [1]
2012 Jewelpet the Movie: Sweets Dance Princess Director [12]
2016 Gekijōban Tantei Opera Milky Holmes ~Gyakushū no Milky Holmes~ Director [13]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "New Otakon Guests!". Anime News Network. July 15, 2000. Retrieved January 25, 2017.
  2. ^ a b "Digi Charat return to the airwaves". Anime News Network. November 20, 2000. Retrieved January 25, 2017.
  3. ^ "animator interview 和田高明". Anime Style.
  4. ^ a b "アニメ / メディア芸術データベース – 桜井弘明" [Anime / Media Arts Database (search results) – Hiroaki Sakurai]. Media Arts Database (in Japanese). Japan: Agency for Cultural Affairs. Retrieved January 25, 2017.
  5. ^ "Sentai Filmworks Adds Gatchaman, Di Gi Charat, Godannar Anime". Anime News Network. May 25, 2013. Retrieved January 25, 2017.
  6. ^ "More Mahoromatic and Digi Charat". Anime News Network. March 29, 2003. Retrieved January 25, 2017.
  7. ^ Beveridge, Chris (March 6, 2008). "Cromartie High School Complete Collection (Thinpak)". Mania.com. Archived from the original on September 27, 2012. Retrieved October 26, 2015.
  8. ^ "GA: Geijutsuka Art Design Class Anime Reportedly Leaked (Update 2)". Anime News Network. December 3, 2008. Retrieved January 25, 2017.
  9. ^ "Anime Network to Begin Streaming Maid-Sama on June 15". Anime News Network. June 8, 2010. Retrieved January 25, 2017.
  10. ^ "Nekogami Yaoyorozu Anime's 2nd Promo Video Streamed". Anime News Network. May 1, 2011. Retrieved January 25, 2017.
  11. ^ "Satoshi Hino, Natsuki Hanae Join Cast of Saiki Kusuo no Psi Nan Anime". Anime News Network. May 22, 2016. Retrieved January 25, 2017.
  12. ^ "Jewelpet Sweets Dance Princess Film's Trailer Posted". Anime News Network. July 6, 2012. Retrieved January 25, 2017.
  13. ^ "Milky Holmes Franchise Gets Anime Film in February 2016". Anime News Network. April 22, 2015. Retrieved April 23, 2015.
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