Masayuki (animator)

Masayuki Yamaguchi, more commonly known mononymously as Masayuki, is a Japanese animator and director. He is best known for working on the anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion and co-directing the first three Rebuild of Evangelion films.

Life and career

Masayuki Yamaguchi was born on January 3, 1961, in Nagano Prefecture, Japan. While in high school, he was inspired to enter the animation industry after seeing Hayao Miyazaki's 1978 anime series Future Boy Conan.
In 1982, Masayuki worked on "Key Animation" in several OVA and television anime, including: Acrobunch, Cream Lemon, Fist of the North Star, Cream Lemon Part 4: POP CHASER, Bavi Stock, Gunbuster, Doomed Megalopolis, and Neon Genesis Evangelion. He has also worked under the pseudonym Wase Emishi, on some media, including: Macross Plus, Macross Plus: Movie Edition, and Re: Cutie Honey.''''
Masayuki is a close friend of the famed Neon Genesis Evangelion creator Hideaki Anno. Together, they have collaborated on many OVAs, films, and television programs, such as Gunbuster, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Neon Genesis Evangelion: Death & Rebirth, The End of Evangelion, GAMERA1999, Cutie Honey, Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone, Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance, Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo, Shin Godzilla, Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time, and Shin Ultraman. Masayuki's friendship with Anno has become very close, with the former spending half a year editing Anno's wedding video, which apparently had more than 1000 cuts.

Filmography

Film

Macross Plus: Movie Edition - Animation director Neon Genesis Evangelion: Death & Rebirth - Director, animation director, design director, storyboard artist, and key animation The End of Evangelion - Storyboard artist, design director, key animation, and visual water artistGAMERA1999 - Director

Cutie Honey - Associate director and storyboard artistEvangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone - Director and key animationEvangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance - Director, storyboard artist, and key animationEvangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo - Director and storyboard artistShin Godzilla - Storyboard artist, D Unit director, D Unit cinematographer, and D Unit recording Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time - Draft storyboard artist, key animation, and screen assistant Shin Ultraman - Assistant director, storyboard artist and cinematographer

Television

Acrobunch - Key animationFist of the North Star - Key animation Neon Genesis Evangelion - Assistant director, storyboard artist, key animation, episode director, and design assistant

OVA

Cream Lemon - Key animation Cream Lemon Part 4: POP CHASER - Key animationBavi Stock - Key animation Gunbuster - Opening animation and key animation BAOH - Character designer and animation directorDoomed Megalopolis - Character designer, animation director, key animation, storyboard artist, and screenwriter Macross Plus - Animation director Re: Cutie Honey - Animation director