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Favorite directors and what is your favorite anime from them based off of direction quality?

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Oct 25, 2:41 AM
#1

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Jun 2022
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I think directors are very underapriecated considering they are heart and soul of the project not the studio.

Here are my favorite director's

Hideaki Anno - neon genesis evangelion

Megumi Ishitani - scutes on my mind, one piece (975,982,1015,fan letter)

Satoshi Kon - perfect blue

Chizuru Miyawaki - gintama 2015 series to the final movie

Hayao Miyazaki - lupin III

Yasunori Koyama- one piece

Shota Goshozono - jjk s2

Yuichiro Hayashi attack on titan final season







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Oct 25, 2:49 AM
#2

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Jul 2016
115
jacobPOL said:
I think directors are very underapriecated considering they are heart and soul of the project not the studio.


You probably right. I even don't know any single name XD
Oct 25, 2:54 AM
#3
BIKINI⚔️ARMOR

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May 2019
10792
Kinji Yoshimoto: Queen's Blade.

Naoyuki Kuzuya: Bikini Warriors.
Oct 25, 4:30 AM
#5

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Sep 2018
5358
Asaka Morio - Chihayafuru, Nana
Andou Masaomi - Kuzu no Honkai, Hakumei to Mikochi
Hiroaki Sakurai - Machikado Mazoku, Saiki K (+ episode director in many episodes of Kodomo no Omocha)
Hiroyuki Imaishi - many Trigger anime
Oct 25, 4:52 AM
#6

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Oct 2018
5814
The GOAT Akiyuki Shinbo with Bakemonogatari and Sangatsu no Lion
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Watch more movies, please.

Perhaps, this is hell.
Oct 25, 4:55 AM
#7

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Jan 2021
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Speaking in terms of exclusively directing prowess, not necessarily overall quality:

Hayao Miyazaki: Spirited Away
Isao Takahata: The Tale of the Princess Kaguya
Osamu Dezaki: Ashita no Joe 2
Akiyuki Shinbou: March Comes in Like a Lion
Morio Asaka: Gunslinger Girl
Naoko Yamada: K-On!
Hideaki Anno: Neon Genesis Evangelion, though his live action Shin Godzilla is also fantastic
Oct 25, 5:05 AM
#8

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Jun 2022
1030
Reply to johneaston
Speaking in terms of exclusively directing prowess, not necessarily overall quality:

Hayao Miyazaki: Spirited Away
Isao Takahata: The Tale of the Princess Kaguya
Osamu Dezaki: Ashita no Joe 2
Akiyuki Shinbou: March Comes in Like a Lion
Morio Asaka: Gunslinger Girl
Naoko Yamada: K-On!
Hideaki Anno: Neon Genesis Evangelion, though his live action Shin Godzilla is also fantastic
@johneaston Direction is very powerfull tool, in my opinion it's even more important than the sakuga animation quality alone (even though it's always welcome obviously) but when the direction is fully utilized such as lighting/colors/color palette, cinematography/photography etc which would not only perfectly capture the story through visuals very accurately perfectly, but also making every scene movie quality/breathtaking by default even when limited in animation e.g berserk 1997 is the perfect example of it, and then when there are high quality anime or high quality scenes this complements these high quality scenes or high quality anime even further.
jacobPOLOct 25, 5:18 AM
Greatest shitposter under the heavens.

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Oct 25, 5:27 AM
#9

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Jan 2021
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Reply to jacobPOL
@johneaston Direction is very powerfull tool, in my opinion it's even more important than the sakuga animation quality alone (even though it's always welcome obviously) but when the direction is fully utilized such as lighting/colors/color palette, cinematography/photography etc which would not only perfectly capture the story through visuals very accurately perfectly, but also making every scene movie quality/breathtaking by default even when limited in animation e.g berserk 1997 is the perfect example of it, and then when there are high quality anime or high quality scenes this complements these high quality scenes or high quality anime even further.
@jacobPOL Absolutely, I will take great direction over great animation almost all of the time, thought of course both is good too.
Oct 25, 5:59 AM
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Oct 2024
44
Keiichirou Saitou - Frieren

Yamada Naoko - Most kyoto animation works
Oct 25, 6:20 AM
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Feb 2025
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Kazuya Tsurumaki - FLCL: I am always impressed with this show's ability to emphasize the emotional weight of the story over logical comprehension. Tsurumaki's fast cuts and abrupt tonal changes forces the viewer to stay engaged in every moment of the show, not giving them a chance to contemplate the logic of the show or its world, and instead interpret it based on emotional reactions to the events. For a "don't think, feel" approach, I think it's excecuted extremely well.

Hiroyuki Imaishi - Promare: I appreciate Imaishi's dedication to responsible 3DCG animation, and Promare is a great thesis statement on how traditional animation and CG animation should coexist. Fiery, explosive movement is where CG can shine, and smooth, fluid animation is traditional animation's strength. Plus his dedication to warped perspective is one of my favorite things ever.

Plenty of other directors I've enjoyed as well, but I don't know that I have a favorite for them (Masaaki Yuasa) or haven't seen enough of their work (Michael Arias) to classify the work I know of theirs as a favorite. Kinda boring to have two Gainax lineage guys, but I really do appreciate these works.
Oct 25, 6:30 AM

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Feb 2021
7330
Watanabe Masaharu - Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World-

Fujii Shingo - Onimai: I'm Now Your Sister!

Araki Tetsurou - Death Note

Okamoto Manabu - Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation

Itou Tomohiko - ERASED

Nishigori Atsushi - Darling in the FranXX

Iino Shin`ya - Takopi`s Original Sin

Makoto Shinkai - 5 Centimeters per Second

Mamoru Hosoda - Summer Wars
Oct 25, 8:14 AM

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Feb 2016
15131
Yoshikazu Yasuhiko is my favorite. I love his work on Crusher Joe, Giant Gorg, and Kaze to Ki no Uta.
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Oct 25, 9:29 AM

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Jul 2021
10914
I literally don't know anything about directors.
Oct 25, 11:14 AM

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Feb 2025
114
The direction in Beastars

The storytelling is terrific constantly letting the audience make assumptions and question themselves. Rather than relying on sound during scenes, the show focused on visual storytelling. There were a lot of close ups and camera movements which helped capture the intensity and tensions of the scenes. There was also a lot of effort put into small details which helped set the mood for the show

Shinchi Matsumi also worked on HnK before which is very well directed as well
Oct 25, 11:46 AM

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Apr 2012
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Kunihiko Ikuhara - Revolutionary Girl Utena
Hideaki Anno - Evangelion
Naoko Yamada - Liz to Aoi Tori
Akitarou Daichi - Kodocha
Mamoru Oshii - Angel's Egg
Akiyuki Shinbou - 3-gatsu no Lion
Hayao Miyazaki - Tonari no Totoro
Tatsuya Ishihara - Hibike! Euphonium
Junji Nishimura - Simoun
Shin Oonuma - ef: A Tale of Memories
Hiroyuki Imaishi - Kill La Kill
Oct 25, 8:49 PM
Laughing Man

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Jun 2012
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Mamoru Oshii: Ghost in the shell.
Satoshi Kon: Perfect Blue.
Yooshiyuki Tomino: Gundam.
Mamoru Hosoda: Wolf Children.
Hiroyuki Imaishi: Gurren Lagann
Shinichiro Watanabe: Cowboy Bebop.

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Oct 25, 9:15 PM

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Apr 2011
150
Takahata Isao - Heisei Tanuki Gassen Pom Poko/Taiyou no Ouji Hols (sorry Takahata is too good to reduce to one movie)
Ishiguro Noboru - Macross
Dezaki Osamu - Takarajima
Miyazaki Hayao - Mirai Shounen Conan
Moriwaki Makoto - Milky Holmes
Kawamoto Kihachiro - Shisha no Sho
Oct 25, 9:24 PM

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Jul 2016
115
Reply to Frans001
jacobPOL said:
I think directors are very underapriecated considering they are heart and soul of the project not the studio.


You probably right. I even don't know any single name XD
@Frans001 ah now I remember one name

https://myanimelist.net/character/115095/Seiichi_Kinoshita

Director of exodus & jigly jigly heaven XD

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