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Hiroyuki Imaishi

Hiroyuki Imaishi

Director and writer · Born October 4, 1971 (55)

Hiroyuki Imaishi (今石 洋之, born October 4, 1971) is a Japanese key animator and anime/anime influenced animation director and one of the co-founders of Trigger. His style is marked by fast and frantic animation combined with elaborate storyboarding and punchy direction. Prior to founding Trigger, he was an animator and director at Gainax. His series director debut was Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann (2007). The anime received an Excellence Prize at the 2007 Japan Media Arts Festival, and Imaishi himself received an individual award at the twelfth Animation Kobe Festival. In 2008, the anime received both "best television production" and "best character design" from the Tokyo International Anime Fair. Later he went on to work as director in the 2010 anime series, Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt. His main influence of being an animator and director are Yoshinori Kanada and his works, in which all his anime titles such as Dead Leaves, Gurren Lagann and Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt pay special tributes to him and his art. In 2011, Imaishi branched off Gainax to form a new studio, Trigger, alongside Masahiko Ohtsuka and others. His first directorial work at the studio is Kill la Kill. Source: Wikipedia

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
October 4, 1971 (55)
Works as
Director and writer
Titles
30 on MovieCove · 58 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 155 days to Oct 26Up 6% in 30 days

What are Hiroyuki Imaishi's films like?

Across their 8 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Bonds.

Themes

share of theme weight
Self
43%
Bonds
30%
Power
14%
Survival
7%
Society
6%
Coming of age4 titles, browse their movies with this themeFreedom3 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship2 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 4 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 0 · Heightened 4

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

Gentle 0 · Charged 0 · Intense 4

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

Steady 0 · Shifting 3 · Whiplash 1

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 0 · Some laughs 3 · Funny 1

Relentless: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their relentless movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 0 · Even-paced 0 · Relentless 4

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

Casual 0 · Engaged 3 · Full focus 1

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 1 · Affecting 1 · Heavy 2

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

Resolved 4 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Thrilling
7
Absurd
3
Triumphant
3
Manic
2
Hopeful
2
Other
7

How their films linger

Fun4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 2 with a twist

  • Happy3
  • Bittersweet4
  • Ambiguous1

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 Hiroyuki Imaishi's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 20 of their 30 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Crunchyroll (9).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Hiroyuki Imaishi'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

58 credits, 30 with a MovieCove page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.

  • New PANTY & STOCKING with GARTERBELT (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    Show 30 episodes · Series Composition · Series Director · Storyboard · Storyboard Artist

  • Cyberpunk: Edgerunners(2022)

    Show 10 episodes · Opening/Ending Animation · Series Director · Storyboard Artist

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • Star Wars: Visions(2021)

    Show 1 episode · Director · Storyboard Artist

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all shows

  • Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time(2021)

    Key Animation

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • BNA(2020)

    Show 3 episodes · Action Director · Key Animation · Storyboard Artist

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all shows

  • Promare(2019)

    Director · Art Designer · Art Direction · Key Animation · Storyboard Artist

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Promare / Side: Galo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    Director · Art Direction · Key Animation

  • Promare / Side: Lio (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    Art Direction

  • Darling in the Franxx(2018)

    Show 24 episodes · Action Director

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all shows

  • Little Witch Academia(2017)

    Show 1 episode · Key Animation · Storyboard Artist

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all shows

  • Space Patrol Luluco(2016)

    Show 13 episodes · Director · Key Animation · Original Concept · Original Story · Series Composition · Series Director · Storyboard Artist · Writer

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all shows

  • Little Witch Academia: The Enchanted Parade (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Key Animation

  • Ninja Slayer(2015)

    Show 26 episodes · Character Designer

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all shows

  • Sex & Violence with Machspeed (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Director · Key Animation

  • Japan Animator Expo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Show 1 episode · Director · Key Animation · Storyboard Artist

  • The Making of Kill la Kill: 500 Days of Total Coverage (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    as (Self)

  • Kill La Kill(2013)

    Show 24 episodes · Director · Key Animation · Series Director · Storyboard Artist

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all shows

  • Inferno Cop (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Show 13 episodes · Series Director

  • Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo(2012)

    Key Animation

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Lupin the Third: The Woman Called Fujiko Mine(2012)

    Show 1 episode · Key Animation

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows

  • THE iDOLM@STER (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Show 1 episode · Storyboard Artist

  • Star Driver(2010)

    Show 1 episode · Key Animation

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all shows

  • Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt(2010)

    Show 28 episodes · Director · Key Animation · Original Story · Scenario Writer · Storyboard Artist · Writer

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all shows

  • Shoka (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    Key Animation

  • Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva(2009)

    Storyboard Artist

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Redline(2009)

    Key Animation

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Gurren Lagann the Movie: The Lights in the Sky are Stars(2009)

    Director · Animation Director · Key Animation · Storyboard Artist

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Gurren Lagann the Movie: Childhood's End(2008)

    Director · Animation Director · Key Animation · Storyboard Artist

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Rosario + Vampire (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Show 1 episode · Key Animation

  • Gurren Lagann(2007)

    Show 27 episodes · Director · Animation Director · Key Animation · Series Director · Storyboard Artist

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows

  • Gunbuster vs Diebuster: Aim for the Top! The GATTAI!! Movie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Key Animation

  • Gaiking: Legend of Daiku-Maryu (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Show 2 episodes · Key Animation

  • Oval x Over (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Director · Animation Director · Storyboard Artist

  • One Piece: Baron Omatsuri and the Secret Island(2005)

    Key Animation

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Re: Cutie Honey (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Show 3 episodes · Director · Key Animation · Opening Title Sequence

  • This Ugly Yet Beautiful World (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Show 1 episode · Key Animation

  • Dead Leaves(2004)

    Director · Animation Director · Character Designer · Key Animation · Storyboard Artist

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Fullmetal Alchemist (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Show 1 episode · Key Animation

  • Lupin the Third: Operation Return the Tresure(2003)

    Key Animation

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Animation Store Manager (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Director · Art Direction · Character Designer · Screenplay

  • Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Show 2 episodes · Director · Animation Director · Storyboard Artist

  • Trava: Fist Planet (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Show 1 episode · Key Animation

  • Mahoromatic (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Show 1 episode · Key Animation

  • Lupin III: Alcatraz Connection(2001)

    Key Animation

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • PaRappa the Rapper (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Show 15 episodes · Director

  • FLCL(2000)

    Show 4 episodes · Animation Director · Art Designer · Key Animation · Storyboard Artist

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • Medabots(1999)

    Show 2 episodes · Director · Animation Director · Key Animation · Storyboard

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all shows

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

    Show 1 episode · Key Animation

  • Popolocrois Monogatari (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Show 1 episode · Key Animation

  • His and Her Circumstances (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Show 6 episodes · Animation Director · Key Animation · Storyboard Artist · Writer

  • Lupin the 3rd: Crisis in Tokyo(1998)

    Key Animation

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Virus Buster Serge (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Show 3 episodes · Key Animation

  • Lupin III: Island of Assassins(1997)

    Key Animation

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion(1997)

    Key Animation

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Neon Genesis Evangelion: Death & Rebirth(1997)

    Key Animation

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Neon Genesis Evangelion(1995)

    Show 1 episode · Key Animation

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • Gunbuster (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Show 1 episode · Key Animation

  • Untitled Hiroyuki Imaishi/Kazuki Nakashima Project (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director

Career shape

A full career of 58 titles, 57 of them dated from 1988 to 2025.

Biggest box office

Promare (2019)

$9.9M worldwide

Highest rated

Gurren Lagann the Movie: The Lights in the Sky are Stars (2009)

Midcredits 98th

Most popular right now

Gurren Lagann (2007)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting1 of 58: 1 only acting, 0 with another roleDirecting19 of 58: 2 only directing, 17 with another role · typical Midcredits score86thWriting6 of 58: 0 only writing, 6 with another roleOther crew55 of 58: 36 only other crew, 19 with another role · typical Midcredits score84th

58 titles, 19 with more than one role — other crew and directing overlap on 17 of them.

By decade

1980s1 · crew1990s10 · crew2000s22 · crew2010s19 · 1 acting · 18 crew2020s5 · 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 Hiroyuki Imaishi's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 86th percentile, the median of all 15; across a limited sample of 4 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 91st percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

91stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 4

Approval · how many liked their films

87thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 4

Reach · how many have seen their films

86thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 4

Midcredits score across 30 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up22
  • 50th to 74th4
  • 25th to 49th2
  • Below 25th2

Shape of the crowd

15 of their 30 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved9
  • Crowd Pleaser15
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed5

Most divisive · director, writer

Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt (2010)

72nd percentile spread · 19% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · director

Gurren Lagann the Movie: The Lights in the Sky are Stars (2009)

Midcredits 98th · 86% liked

Reviewers score the atmosphere 81/100 and the pacing 65/100 in their films, across 3 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 Hiroyuki Imaishi's work okay for kids?

Across up to 5 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity runs heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Sex & Nudity5 titles35–72 · median 57 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Hiroyuki Imaishi work with?

People who share at least 2 of Hiroyuki Imaishi's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Masahiko Ôtsuka shares the most, 5.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers