Ryusuke Hikawa
[Anime and Special Eects Researcher, Specially-AppointedProfessor at Meiji University]

Born in Hyogo Prefecture in 1958, After graduating from the Tokyo Institute of Technology, he worked in manufacturinguntil 2001 when he became a writer. He has since served as a judge for Japan Media Arts Festival AnimationDivision, a judge for the Mainichi Film Awards, a programming advisor for the Tokyo International Film Festival, andmore. He is also a member of the club Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of Japan and the vice-chairman of NPOAnime Tokusatsu Archive Centre (ATAC). His main written works include 20-Nenme no Zambot 3 (Ohta Publishing),Nihon Tokusatsu ni Kansuru Chousahoukoku, Nihon Animation Guide Robot Anime Hen (Agency for Cultural Aairs),Hosoda Mamoru no Sekai – Kibou to Kiseki wo Umu Animation (Shodensha), The Art of Shin Godzilla (Khara).

Tomoyuki Miyagawa
[Nihon Eiga Broadcasting Corp. Executive Director]

Mr. Miyagawa was in charge of compilation and planning at Nihon Eiga Senmon Channel and Samurai dramaChannel since their founding in 1998. Starting in 2011, he worked as producer of 23 total works, including the OniheiGaiden series and the Shuhei Fujisawa New Drama Series. Mr. Miyagawa produced many movies as well, such asThe Last Ronin and Liar Game: The Final Stage in 2010, A Bride for Rip Van Winkle in 2016, Lear on the Shore in2018, and Ribbon in 2022, as well as the drama series Hey Handsome!! in the same year. Starting in 2023, he will serve as executive producer of Shikakenin Fujieda Baian and Onihei Hankacho planned for release in theaters.

Akimasa Yamashita
[Vice Governor of Kyoto Prefecture]

Mr. Yamashita was born in Kyoto City, 1952. He entered the Kyoto Prefectural Government in 1975, and served in several positions including Deputy Director General and Director General of the Department of Commerce Industry, Director General of the Department of Commerce, Labor and Tourism, and Director General for Special Planning. He has served as Vice-Governor of Kyoto Prefecture since 2013. Currently, he is working on the revision of the Kyoto Prefectural Comprehensive Plan as well as the construction of leading industrial creation zones to help expand local industries. Within these projects, he has been working on the expansion of the creation zones in the Uzumasa area by setting up the Uzumasa Media Park Project, with the aim of promoting projects that incorporate cutting-edge technologies, such as Web 3.0 and Metaverse, as well as developing a human resources nurturing system that provides a place for some content industry related individuals and students to learn from each other beyond their major fields of work.

Manabu Oishi
[Period Research Society / Chairman Tokyo Gakugei University Professor Emeritus / Japan Arts Council Manager]

Mr. Oishi was born in Tokyo in 1953. In 1976, he graduated from Tokyo Gakugei University, and in 1978 hecompleted his master’s at the same university. In 1982, he earned his doctorate from the University of TsukubaGraduate School. His written works include Kyoho Kaikaku no Chiikiseisaku (Yoshikawa Kobunkan, 1996), KyohoKaikau to Shakai Henyou (editing: Yoshikawa Kobunkan, 2003), Tadasuke Ooka (Yoshikawa Kobunkan, 2006),Yoshimune Tokugawa (Yamakawa Shuppansha, 2012), Kindai Nihon no Touchi to Kaikaku (Yoshikawa Kobunkan,2013), Jidaigeki no Mikata/Tanoshimikata – Jidai Koushou to Realism (Yoshikawa Kobunkan, 2013), and theGakugei University publication Edo no Kyouiku Ryoku.

Takafusa Hatori
[Research Society /Prefectural University of Kumamoto, Department of Japanese Language & Literature Associate Professor]

Born in Chiba prefecture in 1982, Mr. Hatori later earned his Ph.D. at Kyoto University in Human and EnvironmentalStudies. He served as Research Associate at Waseda University’s Tsubouchi Memorial Theatre Museum andassistant professor at Niigata University’s Faculty of Humanities before arriving at his current position. He authoredNihon Eiga no Taishuuteki Souzouryoku “Bakumatsu” to “Matatabi” no Soukanshi (Yuzankaku, 2016). He also editedYoraba kiruzo! Shinkokugeki to Kengeki no Sekai (Supervisor: Ryuichi Kodama, Waseda University TsubouchiMemorial Theatre Museum, 2014) and contributed to the special exhibition Fumetsu no Haiyuu: Ryo Ikebe no Sekai(Waseda University Tsubouchi Memorial Theatre Museum, 2012).

Kennosuke Motegi
[Research Society / Researcher on culture and representation / Tohoku University Graduate School Faculty of Arts and Letters Associate Professor]

Mr. Motegi was born in Omiya City (now Saitama City) in Saitama Prefecture in 1985. In 2016, he graduatedfrom the Graduate School and College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Tokyo. He then served as alecturer at Ashikaga University’s Division of Mechanical Engineering until arriving at his current post inOctober of 2019. He is the sole author of many works such as Hyoushou Toshiteno Kouzoku – Media ni MiruChiiki Shakai no Koushitsu Zou (Yoshikawa Kobunkan, 2017), Hyoushou Tennousei Ronkougi – Kouzoku, Chiiki,and Media (Hakutakusha, 2019), SNS Tennou-ron – Pop Culture = Spirituality to Gendai Nihon (KodanshaSensho Metier, 2022), and he has edited works such as “Kaii” to Nationalism（supervised by the Society for thestudy of The Weird and the Mysterious Tales, co-edited with Shoko Komatsu, Kenji Soeda, and HiroyukiMatsushita, Seikyusha, 2021), and Corona to Academia (co-edited with Eriko Oshima and Yuto Koizumi, Lion Press, 2022).

Keitaro Hanaoka
[Meiji University Graduate School Special Assistant Lecturer]

Born in the city of Chiba in 1983, Mr. Hanaoka went on to complete a doctoral program at Meiji University GraduateSchool of Arts and Letters with a major in history and a specialization in Japanese history. He currently serves as aspecial assistant lecturer at Meiji University Graduate School. He has authored works such as Ultraman no “Seigi”toha Nanika (Seikyusha, 2021), “Kaettekita Ultraman” Seisaku Katei kara Yomitoku 1970 Nendai no Henyou noKizashi, Bungaku Kenkyuu Ronshuu Dai 48-gou (Meiji University Graduate School of Arts and Letters, 2018), andco-authored works such as Sengoku Jidaigeki Media no Mikata/Tsukurikata: Sengoku Image to Jidai Koushou(Benseisha Publishing, 2022), and Kyou no Rekishi NIhonhen II (Shimizu Shoin, 2020).

Norihiro Yamaguchi
[Former Toei Kyoto Studio Park President]

Born in 1960 in Marugame City located in Kagawa Prefecture. Mr. Yamaguchi entered Toei Company in 1984 andwas in charge of planning special events held at amusement parks, department stores, and exhibitions for thecompany’s Kansai branch. He has also been responsible for the production of a variety of events, from charactermeet-and-greets to haunted houses. In 2002, he began work at Toei Studios Kyoto and Toei Kyoto Studio Parkwhere he worked as an event planning manager. Starting in 2012, Mr. Yamaguchi was transferred to Toei Kyoto Studio Park where he was responsible for the Studio Park’s events, advertising, attraction planning, food and drinksales, actor management, and management of the actor training school. He then served as CEO from July 2017 untilJuly 2021. After retiring as CEO, he became a Toei Corporate Strategy Division Fellow, studying the history of Toei Kyoto Studio Park as well as utilizing these resources to explore possibilities for regional promotion. Since June 2021, he has served as CEO of Keifuku Electric Railroad. Currently, Mr. Yamaguchi writes a blog commemorating the 70th anniversary of Toei Company’s founding titled “Toei Koushinkyoku.”

Nao Yoshigai
[Filmmaker / Choreographer / Dancer]

Ms. Yoshigai was born in 1987 and graduated from Japan Women’s College of Physical Education with a major in dance studies and later completed her graduate studies in film at Tokyo University of the Arts. She expresses her thoughts and memories through all sorts of media, with a focus on film production. Some of the more well-known films she has directed include Shari (International Film Festival Rotterdam 2022 official selection), Grand Bouquet (Cannes Film Festival Directors Fortnight 2019 formal invitation), and Hottamaru Biyori (Japan Media Arts Festival Entertainment Division Newcomer Prize winner).

Yasuhiko Minamino
[Cinematographer]

Mr. Minamino was born in 1968. He graduated from the Japan Institute of Photography and Film in 1989 and worked as a filming assistant under the tutelage of Shigeru Ishihara, Shoji Ehara, and others. In 2006, he began his career as a cameraman for Jitsuroku Shinsengumi. He joined in Director Akira Inoue’s works as cameraman in 2010, ultimately working on eight films together. He has also worked as cameraman for Hissatsu Shigotonin (2009), Onihei Hankacho, Ninja Drones? (2019) and Angry Rice Wives (2021) , and more.

Toshio Sugawara
[Sword Stunt Director]

Born in 1940, Niigata prefecture. In 1961 he enters Toei as an actor, and then makes his debut as a sword stunt director. Outside film, he has coordinated many styles of sword stunts including the showy style familiar to Toei’s period films including “Mito Komon”, and the thoughtful deceptive action original to the “Kage no Gundan” series. In 2013, he was awarded the associate’s special award at the 36th Japan Academy awards. Main works include “Kamata Koushinkyoku”, “Makai Tensei”, “Message from Space”, “Sure Death 4: Revenge”, “Kage no Gundan Hattori Hanzo”, “Sengoku Jieitai”, “RED SHADOW Akakage”, “Zatoichi THE LAST”, “Kakekomi Onna to Kakekomi Otoko”, “Gassoh”, “Kainan 1890”.

Hideaki Okuzumi
[Action Director]

Former Japan Action Club Round 16 participant. He starred as a stuntman in Toei’s Shogun’s Shadow (1989/directed by Yasuo Furuhata), making use of his horse-riding skills. Afterward, he retired from stuntman work at age 22 and studied under numerous sword fight scene choreographers and action directors. He has worked on a variety of projects from theatrical planning to musicals to street performances and is now a highly in-demand sword fight scene choreographer himself, working on over 20 anime musicals per year. He served as action director for the Toei film Brave: Gunjyo Senki (2021), and he has received great acclaim for his job as action director on the number one most popular drama series of the first half of 2022, Nanba MG5.

Akihiko Shiota
[Film Director]

Shiota was born in 1961 in Kyoto. In 1998, he made his theatrical debut with Moonlight Whispers and Don’t Look Back which were both officially selected for Locarno International Film Festival. His 2001 film Harmful Insect starring Aoi Miyazaki was screened at the Venice International Film Festival and later won the Special Jury Award and Best Actress at Festival des 3 Continents. Yomigaeri (2003) and Dororo (2007) became huge hits, both earning more than 3 billion yen at the box office. Recent works of his include Farewell Song (2019) and The World with Maki (2022). He is also the author of Eigajutsu: Sono Enshutsuwa Naze Hitono Kokorowo Tsukamunoka (East Press).

Takashi Miike
[Film Director]

Miike was born in 1960 in Yao, Osaka. He is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. After graduating Yokohama Vocational School of Broadcast and Film former Nihon Eiga Gakkou, he made his debut as a director with 1991 V-Cinema Eyecatch Junction. In 1995, he directed his first theatrical release Shinjuku Triad Society. Miike’s visual world is highly acclaimed globally with, for example, Hara-Kiri: Death of A Samurai (2011) and Shield of Straw (2013) competing for the Palm d’Or at Cannes International Film Festival and 13 Assassins nominated for the Golden Lion at the Venice International Film Festival.

Naoki Maeda
[Film Director]

Born in 1977 in Aichi prefecture, Maeda started his filmmaking career as a production manager for TV commercials at Yes Open. After moving to the UK to become a director, he made his commercial debut with short film Needlewood Antiques (2006). After four years in the UK, he now works in various fields as a Japanese-English bilingual director. His works have won awards and has been selected for competitions both domestically and globally, including the Grand Prix for the Yasujiro Ozu memorial Tateshinakogen Film Festival’s Short Film Contest. Prominent works of his include “NAKODO -A Newborn Matchmaker: Yui-” (2021), “21 Century OJISAN” (2021), “Location of British Film Masterpiece” (2014), “Fighting OKAN” (2011), and HYPO (2008).

Baijaku Nakamura
[Actor]

Born in 1955, this Tokyoite debuted as the first Manabu Nakamura at age nine. In 1980, he joined the Zenshinza Theatre Company, and the same year he took on his great-grandfather’s professional name, making him Baijaku Nakamura II. He retired from the theater company in 2007.Afterward, he starred as an actor in countless dramas and also worked in films, theatrical performances, and even as a narrator. He is the recipient of numerous awards, such as an ACA National Arts Festival Award, a Galaxy Award, and Best Actor at the Japanese Movie Critics Awards.He has played leading roles in five original period dramas on the Samurai drama channel’s, including the monumental first work Code of the Bandits (2010), A Winter’s Day (2015), and Don’t Kill(2022). He has released CDs as a professional musician and has also written music for the dramas he has starred in. You can also find him playing music live as a bassist.

Tasuku Emoto
[Actor]

Mr. Emoto was born in Tokyo. In 2003, he debuted in A Beautiful Summer in Kirishima as the film’s leading role. In 2018, he was awarded the Kinema Junpo Top 10 Lead Actors Award for his roles in And Your Bird Can Sing and two other works, and he was also awarded the Mainichi Film Award for Best Actor. His more well-known recent works include the films The Great War of Archimedes (2019), It Feels So Good (2019), Peaceful Death (2021), Sensei, Would You Sit Beside Me? (2021), The Midnight Maiden War (2022), Haken Anime! (2022), as well as To Heal Wounds Of Heart, Kuhaku wo Mitashinasai (both NHK), “Dr. White” (KTV) and “Hatsukoi no Akuma” (NTV). He has “Shin Kamen Rider” (scheduled to be released in March 2023) waiting for release.

Sakura Ando
[Actor]

Born in 1986 in Tokyo Prefecture, Ms. Ando delivered a stunning performance in the 2009 film Love Exposure. Since then, she has been praised for her amazing acting abilities, winning Kinema Junpo Top 10 Supporting Actresses Award in 2011 and a Top 10 Lead Actresses Award for the same film. in 2013. In 2014, she was awarded the Japan Academy Prize for Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role for her role in the film 100 Yen Love. In 2018, she played the heroine in the morning soap opera Manpuku (NHK), gaining her popularity from all across the country. The same year, she won Cannes Film Festival’s top prize Palme d’Or for her performance in the film Shoplifters, and her acting was highly praised internationally.

Takashi Koizumi
[Film Director]

Koizumi was born in Mito, Ibaraki, in 1944. He started his apprenticeship under director Akira Kurosawa in 1970 and worked as his assistant for 28 years. He made his debut as a director with After the Rain (2000) based on the last screenplay by Kurosawa which won him the CinemAwenire Award at the Venice Film Festival and eight Japanese Academy Awards including Best Film. Later, he directed Letters from the Mountains (2002), The Professor and His Beloved Equation (2006), Best Wishes for Tomorrow (2008), and A Samurai Chronicle (2014), winning various awards including the Japanese Academy Awards. He has also worked as a screenwriter for Samurai’s Promise (2018).