Yoshiaki Kawajiri

Directing

Yoshiaki Kawajiri

Born

1950-11-18 (75)

Place of birth

Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan

Known for

Directing

Credits

34 titles

Yoshiaki Kawajiri is a Japanese director, animator and writer.

Known for

ANIME MANGA EXPLOSION poster
NR

The size of the Japanese animation market was 2,426 billion yen by 2020. More than half of that amount came from overseas sales. The manga market is also expanding, reaching 675.9 billion yen in 2021. Those unique visuals and stories from Japan have struck a chord with fans around the world and are growing into a huge industry. ANIME MANGA EXPLOSION will actively feature major works that are highly recognized by overseas fans and reveal the secrets of Japanese anime and manga creation through the series.

ANIME MANGA EXPLOSION

2023

The Animatrix poster
7.2

Straight from the creators of the groundbreaking Matrix trilogy, this collection of short animated films from the world's leading anime directors fuses computer graphics and Japanese anime to provide the background of the Matrix universe and the conflict between man and machines. The shorts include Final Flight of the Osiris, The Second Renaissance, Kid's Story, Program, World Record, Beyond, A Detective Story and Matriculated.

The Animatrix

2003

Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust poster
7.7

Legendary dhampir D competes with a motley family of bounty hunters to track down Charlotte Elbourne, a young woman seemingly abducted by undead nobleman Meier Link.

Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust

2001

Batman: Gotham Knight poster
6.7

Six interlocking stories reveal Bruce Wayne's earliest adventures as Batman and the steps he took to become the grim avenger of Gotham City.

Batman: Gotham Knight

2008

Ninja Scroll poster
7.8

Jubei is a masterless ninja who travels the land alone, lending his services to those with gold—or a worthy cause. His fearsome abilities have served him well, but a plot to overthrow the government threatens to end his wandering ways—and possibly his life.

Ninja Scroll

1993

Wicked City poster
6.7

A peace treaty between the Earth and the Black World, a parallel universe of demons, is coming to an end. Two cops, Taki, a human male, and Maki, a female demon, are assigned to protect a diplomat who will help secure another treaty. A radical group of demons from the Black World are out to assassinate the diplomat and prevent the treaty; only the bond that forms between the two cops can save the Earth from destruction.

Wicked City

1987

Film credits

Series credits

Behind the camera

The Animatrix poster
7.2

Straight from the creators of the groundbreaking Matrix trilogy, this collection of short animated films from the world's leading anime directors fuses computer graphics and Japanese anime to provide the background of the Matrix universe and the conflict between man and machines. The shorts include Final Flight of the Osiris, The Second Renaissance, Kid's Story, Program, World Record, Beyond, A Detective Story and Matriculated.

The Animatrix

2003

The Animatrix poster
7.2

Straight from the creators of the groundbreaking Matrix trilogy, this collection of short animated films from the world's leading anime directors fuses computer graphics and Japanese anime to provide the background of the Matrix universe and the conflict between man and machines. The shorts include Final Flight of the Osiris, The Second Renaissance, Kid's Story, Program, World Record, Beyond, A Detective Story and Matriculated.

The Animatrix

2003

Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust poster
7.7

Legendary dhampir D competes with a motley family of bounty hunters to track down Charlotte Elbourne, a young woman seemingly abducted by undead nobleman Meier Link.

Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust

2001

Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust poster
7.7

Legendary dhampir D competes with a motley family of bounty hunters to track down Charlotte Elbourne, a young woman seemingly abducted by undead nobleman Meier Link.

Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust

2001

Batman: Gotham Knight poster
6.7

Six interlocking stories reveal Bruce Wayne's earliest adventures as Batman and the steps he took to become the grim avenger of Gotham City.

Batman: Gotham Knight

2008

Ninja Scroll poster
7.8

Jubei is a masterless ninja who travels the land alone, lending his services to those with gold—or a worthy cause. His fearsome abilities have served him well, but a plot to overthrow the government threatens to end his wandering ways—and possibly his life.

Ninja Scroll

1993

Ninja Scroll poster
7.8

Jubei is a masterless ninja who travels the land alone, lending his services to those with gold—or a worthy cause. His fearsome abilities have served him well, but a plot to overthrow the government threatens to end his wandering ways—and possibly his life.

Ninja Scroll

1993

Wicked City poster
6.7

A peace treaty between the Earth and the Black World, a parallel universe of demons, is coming to an end. Two cops, Taki, a human male, and Maki, a female demon, are assigned to protect a diplomat who will help secure another treaty. A radical group of demons from the Black World are out to assassinate the diplomat and prevent the treaty; only the bond that forms between the two cops can save the Earth from destruction.

Wicked City

1987

Wicked City poster
6.7

A peace treaty between the Earth and the Black World, a parallel universe of demons, is coming to an end. Two cops, Taki, a human male, and Maki, a female demon, are assigned to protect a diplomat who will help secure another treaty. A radical group of demons from the Black World are out to assassinate the diplomat and prevent the treaty; only the bond that forms between the two cops can save the Earth from destruction.

Wicked City

1987

Demon City Shinjuku poster
6.0

Ten Years ago, Genichiro Izayoi died trying to stop the sorcerer Rebi Ra, and as a result Shinjuku became a playground for demons. And now, the day approaches when Rebi Ra will complete his decade-long ritual to plunge the rest of the world into chaos! As Genichiro's son, it falls to Kyoya to venture into the heart of Shinjuku and put an end to the sorcerer his father couldn't beat. Can Kyoya exceed his father's legacy, or will the demons of Shinjuku create Hell on Earth?

Demon City Shinjuku

1988

Azumi 2: Death or Love poster
6.7

Young assassins Azumi and Nagara continue their mission to prevent a civil war. In their hunt for Masayuki Sanada, who is protected by both an army and a dangerous clan, they meet Ginkaku, a person who shows a remarking resemblance with former friend Nachi.

Azumi 2: Death or Love

2005

A Wind Named Amnesia poster
5.9

A wind has swept the Earth taking all the memories from everyone. No one knows who they are, how to speak, or how to use the tools of modern civilization. Two years later, a young man who has been re-educated travels across America on a mysterious journey.

A Wind Named Amnesia

1990

Neo Tokyo poster
6.7

A trilogy of separate stories. In "Labyrinth labyrinthos", a girl and her cat enter a strange world. In "Running Man", a racer takes on the ultimate opponent. In "Construction Cancellation Order", a man must shut down worker robots.

Neo Tokyo

1989

Neo Tokyo poster
6.7

A trilogy of separate stories. In "Labyrinth labyrinthos", a girl and her cat enter a strange world. In "Running Man", a racer takes on the ultimate opponent. In "Construction Cancellation Order", a man must shut down worker robots.

Neo Tokyo

1989

Cyber City Oedo 808 poster
6.9

In the city of Oedo 2808a.d., three Cyber criminals are given two choices, to either rot in jail or to join a special force of the Cyber Police to get possibly one more chance at freedom ever again. For each criminal apprehended, and for each successful mission done, the state will agree to reduce their sentences. Lead by Hasegawa, the new recruits: Sengoku, Gogul, and Benton will bring some hard justice to Oedo and possibly taste freedom again.

Cyber City Oedo 808

1990

World Record poster
6.8

A record-breaking competitive runner begins to stretch the limits of the Matrix. Part of the Animatrix collection of animated shorts set in the Matrix universe.

World Record

2003

Goku: Midnight Eye poster
6.2

Tokyo, 2014: a city balancing on the razor's edge between financial prosperity and seismic destruction. It is a place where the lights are bright, the stakes are high, and where the threat of imminent destruction breeds crime like a disease. But for Gokuu Furinji, ex-cop and super-powered private detective, crime is money...

Goku: Midnight Eye

1989

Bio Hunter poster
5.8

A strange virus known as the Demon Virus, attacks the human genetic code, transforming people into monsters with demonic powers. One particular monster is terrorizing the streets of Tokyo. ripping open young women to devour their livers. A famed psychic holds the secret to the identity and purpose of this monster. Now it is up to two molecular biologists. self-proclaimed Bio Hunters Komada and Koshigaya, to reach the psychic and his beautiful daughter before its too late! The Demon Virus is out to conquer the world.

Bio Hunter

1995

Bio Hunter poster
5.8

A strange virus known as the Demon Virus, attacks the human genetic code, transforming people into monsters with demonic powers. One particular monster is terrorizing the streets of Tokyo. ripping open young women to devour their livers. A famed psychic holds the secret to the identity and purpose of this monster. Now it is up to two molecular biologists. self-proclaimed Bio Hunters Komada and Koshigaya, to reach the psychic and his beautiful daughter before its too late! The Demon Virus is out to conquer the world.

Bio Hunter

1995

Highlander: The Search for Vengeance poster
7.2

Colin MacLeod hunts for the man responsible for the death of his love. He chases the immortal Marcus Octavius across centuries as his quest threatens to take over his life and heart. In his quest, he meets a woman who reminds him of his slain beauty. But it's his final battle with Marcus that will decide not only his fate, but also the fate of everyone in the world.

Highlander: The Search for Vengeance

2007

Lensman poster
6.0

In this animated adaptation of E. E. Doc Smith's groundbreaking science fiction serial "Grey Lensman" from the 1930s-1950s, Kimball Kinnison, a young man from the agricultural planet Mquie and his Valerian companion, Buscirk find a dying man with a legendary crystal lens embedded in his hand. As the man was dying, he mysteriously passed on the Lens to Kim. With more companions to come by, Kim must find out the purpose of the Lens before the Boskone dynasty does.

Lensman

1984

Goku II: Midnight Eye poster
6.7

Goku, the lone wolf private detective is back, contracted by Yoshiko, a mysterious, beautiful and very afraid woman, to find and save her brother, Ryu. Will Goku be able to protect Yoshiko from her step father's soldiers long enough to find her brother? Meanwhile Ryu, the unfortunate subject of a military experiment gone bad, leaves a trail of bodies behind him and has no intention of being found or saved by anyone. Will Goku have to kill the man he is supposed to save? Will even his omniscient cybernetic eye and sceptre be enough to help him defeat this indestructible killing machine?

Goku II: Midnight Eye

1989

Phoenix: Space Chapter poster
5.5

This is the third part of "The Phoenix" series of the Kadokawa Haruki Office Co., Ltd. version. It is an animation version of the original story by Tezuka Osamu that depicts the cruelty of love through the fate of spacemen destined to drift through the universe after losing their mother ship..

Phoenix: Space Chapter

1987

Program poster
6.8

Cis and Duo discuss leaving the real world during a samurai sword fight. Part of the Animatrix collection of animated shorts set in the Matrix universe.

Program

2003

Program poster
6.8

Cis and Duo discuss leaving the real world during a samurai sword fight. Part of the Animatrix collection of animated shorts set in the Matrix universe.

Program

2003

X: An Omen poster
6.9

The story is focused on the future as seen by Kuzuki Kakyou, the dreamgazer of Dragons of Earth, as he remembers the life and death of a remarkable young woman whom he met in his dreams. He also recounts his dreams of a tragic future in which the fate of the earth will be decided.

X: An Omen

2001

X: An Omen poster
6.9

The story is focused on the future as seen by Kuzuki Kakyou, the dreamgazer of Dragons of Earth, as he remembers the life and death of a remarkable young woman whom he met in his dreams. He also recounts his dreams of a tragic future in which the fate of the earth will be decided.

X: An Omen

2001

The Running Man poster
NR

Zack Hugh has dominated the Death Circus racing circuit for 10 years. Journalist Bob Stone discovers Zack possesses telekinetic abilities, which he uses to destroy the other racers. After winning his latest race by killing the competitors, Zack hallucinates being overtaken by a spectral racer and destroys himself when he attempts to use his powers on the hallucination

The Running Man

1987

The Running Man poster
NR

Zack Hugh has dominated the Death Circus racing circuit for 10 years. Journalist Bob Stone discovers Zack possesses telekinetic abilities, which he uses to destroy the other racers. After winning his latest race by killing the competitors, Zack hallucinates being overtaken by a spectral racer and destroys himself when he attempts to use his powers on the hallucination

The Running Man

1987

Ninja Scroll Burst poster
4.0

Plot Unknown - Sequel to the 1993 Anime film, Ninja Scroll.

Ninja Scroll Burst

2012