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Noriyuki Abe

Noriyuki Abe

Director · Born July 19, 1961 (65) · Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan

Japanese director best known for directing the popular anime tv and film series Bleach.

Biography from TMDB.

Born
July 19, 1961 (65)
From
Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan
Works as
Director
Titles
29 on MovieCove · 51 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 156 days to Oct 27Down 79% in 30 days

What are Noriyuki Abe's films like?

Across their 16 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Bonds.

Themes

share of theme weight
Self
36%
Bonds
35%
Morality
12%
Survival
7%
Ideas
5%
Society
4%
Power
2%
Purpose7 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity5 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds5 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship4 titles, browse their movies with this themeLoyalty3 titles, browse their movies with this themeTruth2 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice2 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 9 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Heightened: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their heightened movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 0 · Stylized 1 · Heightened 8

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

A split, not a type: Gentle 0 · Charged 4 · Intense 5

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 2 · Shifting 7 · Whiplash 0

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 5 · Some laughs 4 · Funny 0

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 0 · Even-paced 7 · Relentless 2

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 1 · Engaged 6 · Full focus 2

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 6 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 1

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
8
Thrilling
7
Contemplative
6
Melancholic
5
Hopeful
4
Other
11

How their films linger

Bittersweet8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 2 with a twist

  • Happy3
  • Bittersweet9
  • Ambiguous3
  • Other1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Noriyuki Abe's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 24 of their 29 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Crunchyroll (16).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Noriyuki Abe's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

51 credits, 29 with a MovieCove page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.

  • From Far Away (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    Show 24 episodes · Director · Series Director · Storyboard Artist

  • Shiboyugi: Playing Death Games to Put Food on the Table(2026)

    Show 1 episode · Storyboard Artist

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all shows

  • TsumaSho: If My Wife Becomes an Elementary School Student.(2024)

    Show 12 episodes · Director · Series Director

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all shows

  • My New Boss Is Goofy(2023)

    Show 12 episodes · Director · Series Director · Storyboard Artist

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all shows

  • The Seven Deadly Sins: Grudge of Edinburgh Part 2(2023)

    Other · Storyboard Artist

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Ôoku: The Inner Chambers(2023)

    Show 10 episodes · Director · Series Director · Sound Director · Storyboard Artist

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all shows

  • The Seven Deadly Sins: Grudge of Edinburgh Part 1(2022)

    Director · Other

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Gorgeous Butterfly: Young Nobunaga(2019)

    Show 12 episodes · Director · Series Director

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all shows (provisional, few ratings)

  • Yu Yu Hakusho - Two Shots / All or Nothing (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    Director · Storyboard Artist

  • The Seven Deadly Sins: Prisoners of the Sky(2018)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Boruto: Naruto Next Generations(2017)

    Show 9 episodes · Director · Series Director · Storyboard Artist

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all shows

  • Black Butler: Book of the Atlantic(2017)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Divine Gate(2016)

    Show 2 episodes · Director · Storyboard Artist

    Midcredits score: 2nd percentile of all shows

  • The Heroic Legend of Arslan(2015)

    Show 33 episodes · Series Director

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all shows

  • Black Butler: Book of Murder(2014)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Moonrakers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Director

  • Knights of Sidonia(2014)

    Show 1 episode · Storyboard Artist

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all shows

  • A Lull in the Sea(2013)

    Show 1 episode · Director · Storyboard Artist

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all shows

  • Gatchaman Crowds(2013)

    Show 1 episode · Storyboard Artist

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all shows

  • Bleach the Movie: Hell Verse(2010)

    Director · Second Unit Director · Storyboard Artist

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Bleach: Fade to Black, I Call Your Name(2008)

    Director · Storyboard Artist

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Black Butler(2008)

    Show 10 episodes · Series Director

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all shows

  • Bleach the Movie: The DiamondDust Rebellion(2007)

    Director · Storyboard Artist

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • Naruto: Shippuden(2007)

    Show 1 episode · Director · Storyboard Artist

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows

  • Bleach: Memories of Nobody(2006)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Bleach(2004)

    Show 366 episodes · Director · Series Director · Storyboard Artist

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • Detective School Q (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Show 4 episodes · Director · Storyboard Artist

  • Tokyo Mew Mew (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Show 52 episodes · Director · Series Director · Storyboard Artist

  • Kaze no Yojimbo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Show 1 episode · Storyboard Artist

  • Hikaru No Go(2001)

    Show Director

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows

  • Ghost Stories (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Show 19 episodes · Director · Series Director · Sound Director · Storyboard Artist

  • Great Teacher Onizuka(1999)

    Show 43 episodes · Director · Series Director · Storyboard Artist

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • Tenamonya Voyagers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Show 1 episode · Director · Storyboard Artist

  • Microman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Show 52 episodes · Director · Series Director · Sound Director · Storyboard Artist

  • Hunter x Hunter Pilot(1998)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Neo Ranga (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Show 2 episodes · Storyboard Artist

  • TRIGUN (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Show 1 episode · Storyboard Artist

  • Flame of Recca(1997)

    Show 42 episodes · Director · Producer · Storyboard Artist

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows

  • Midori no Makibaō (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Show 6 episodes · Director · Storyboard Artist

  • Ninku the Movie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Director

  • Ninku (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Show 55 episodes · Director · Series Director · Storyboard Artist

  • Ninku: Tomb of Knives (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Director · Storyboard Artist

  • Yu Yu Hakusho: Eizou Hakusho (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Director

  • Yu Yu Hakusho: Fight for the Netherworld(1994)

    Storyboard Artist

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Yu Yu Hakusho: The Movie - The Golden Seal (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Director

  • Yu Yu Hakusho: Ghost Files(1992)

    Show 112 episodes · Director · Series Director · Storyboard Artist

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows

  • Miracle Psychicer Seizan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Show 5 episodes · Assistant Director · Writer

  • Musashi, the Samurai Lord (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • Heisei Tensai Bakabon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • Hi-Speed Jecy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Show 1 episode · Director · Storyboard Artist

  • Norakuro-kun (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Show 1 episode · Director · Storyboard Artist

Career shape

A full career of 50 titles from 1987 to 2026.

Biggest box office

Bleach the Movie: Hell Verse (2010)

$8.7M worldwide

Highest rated

Black Butler: Book of Murder (2014)

Midcredits 97th

Most popular right now

Hikaru No Go (2001)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Directing36 of 50: 11 only directing, 25 with another role · typical Midcredits score85thWriting1 of 50: 0 only writing, 1 with another roleProducing1 of 50: 0 only producing, 1 with another roleOther crew39 of 50: 13 only other crew, 26 with another role · typical Midcredits score70th

50 titles, 26 with more than one role — other crew and directing overlap on 25 of them.

By decade

1980s2 · crew1990s18 · crew2000s10 · crew2010s13 · crew2020s7 · crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

How do Noriyuki Abe's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 85th percentile, the median of all 11; across their 9 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 85th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

85thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 9

Approval · how many liked their films

85thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 9

Reach · how many have seen their films

86thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 9

Midcredits score across 29 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up16
  • 50th to 74th7
  • 25th to 49th4
  • Below 25th2

Shape of the crowd

13 of their 29 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved7
  • Universally Panned1
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser13
  • Mixed7

Most divisive · director

Boruto: Naruto Next Generations (2017)

88th percentile spread · 27% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · director

Black Butler: Book of Murder (2014)

Midcredits 97th · 87% liked

Reviewers score the atmosphere 65/100 and the pacing 57/100 in their films, across 6 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a director.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Noriyuki Abe's work okay for kids?

Across a limited sample of up to 4 MovieCove titles with content scores.

Their medianMedian of all films
Sex & Nudity4 titlesmedian 53 · moderateMedian of all films: 32

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted.

Who does Noriyuki Abe work with?

People who share at least 2 of Noriyuki Abe's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Ken Hagino shares the most, 6.

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers