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Hiroaki Sakurai

Director · Born December 15, 1958 (67) · Numazu, Shizuoka, Japan

Hiroaki Sakurai (桜井 弘明) is a Japanese anime director.

Biography from TMDB.

Born
December 15, 1958 (67)
From
Numazu, Shizuoka, Japan
Works as
Director
Titles
13 on MovieCove · 37 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 64 days to Oct 27Down 37% in 30 days

What are Hiroaki Sakurai's films like?

Across a limited sample of 3 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
64%
Self
36%
Friendship2 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity3 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

Moods and endings

endings shown from 5 titles

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Joyful
3
Romantic
2
Warm
2
Thrilling
1
Tense
1

How their films linger

Fun2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

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 Hiroaki Sakurai's films?

As of October 24, 2026, all 13 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Crunchyroll (7).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Hiroaki Sakurai'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

37 credits, 13 with a MovieCove page.

  • The Dark History of the Reincarnated Villainess(2025)

    Show 12 episodes · Series Director

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all shows

  • Honey Lemon Soda(2025)

    Show 1 episode · Storyboard Artist

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all shows

  • The Dangers in My Heart(2023)

    Show 1 episode · Storyboard Artist

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows

  • Reiwa no Di Gi Charat (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Show 16 episodes · Series Director

  • Mewkledreamy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    Show 2 episodes · Director · Storyboard Artist

  • The Disastrous Life of Saiki K.: Reawakened(2019)

    Show 6 episodes · Series Director

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows

  • The Demon Girl Next Door(2019)

    Show 24 episodes · Director · Series Director · Storyboard Artist

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all shows

  • Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san(2018)

    Show 2 episodes · Storyboard Artist

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all shows

  • Little Witch Academia(2017)

    Show 1 episode · Storyboard Artist

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all shows

  • The Disastrous Life of Saiki K.(2016)

    Show 48 episodes · Series Director · Storyboard Artist

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • Detective Opera Milky Holmes the Movie: Milky Holmes' Counterattack (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Director

  • Jewelpet the Movie: Sweets Dance Princess (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Director · Second Unit Director · Storyboard Artist

  • The Everyday Tales of a Cat God (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Show 12 episodes · Series Director

  • Maid Sama!(2010)

    Show 26 episodes · Director · Series Director · Storyboard Artist

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all shows

  • ちーすい丸 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    Show 40 episodes · Director

  • GA: Geijutsuka Art Design Class (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Show 12 episodes · Director · Series Director

  • Petit Eva: Evangelion@School (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Show 24 episodes · Director · Script Editor

  • Les Misérables: Little Girl Cosette (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Show 52 episodes · Series Director

  • Di Gi Charat: Winter Garden (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Show 2 episodes · Series Director

  • Mushi-Shi(2005)

    Show 2 episodes · Storyboard · Storyboard Artist

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows

  • Magical Girl Tsukune-chan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Show 6 episodes · Director · Screenplay

  • Sweet Valerian (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Show 9 episodes · Director

  • Cromartie High School(2003)

    Show 25 episodes · Director · Storyboard Artist

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows

  • Di Gi Charat Nyo! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Show 104 episodes · Director · Writer

  • Nanaka 6/17 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Show 12 episodes · Director · Series Director

  • Di Gi Charat: A Trip To The Planet (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Director · Screenplay · Storyboard Artist

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

    Show 30 episodes · Director · Storyboard Artist

  • Di Gi Charat Christmas Special (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Director

  • Daa! Daa! Daa! UFO Baby (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Show 78 episodes · Series Director · Storyboard Artist

  • Di Gi Charat (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Show 16 episodes · Director

  • Cyber Team in Akihabara: The Movie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Director

  • Sexy Commando Side Story: That's Amazing!! Mr. Masaru (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Show 48 episodes · Assistant Director

  • Revolutionary Girl Utena (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • Martian Successor Nadesico(1996)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all shows

  • Kodocha(1996)

    Show 102 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all shows

  • Nurse Angel Ririka SOS (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Show 7 episodes · Director

  • Azuki-chan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Show 1 episode · Director · Storyboard Artist

Career shape

A full career of 37 titles from 1995 to 2025.

Highest rated

Maid Sama! (2010)

Midcredits 89th

Most popular right now

The Demon Girl Next Door (2019)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Directing22 of 37: 10 only directing, 12 with another roleWriting5 of 37: 0 only writing, 5 with another roleOther crew24 of 37: 14 only other crew, 10 with another role · typical Midcredits score85th

37 titles, 13 with more than one role — other crew and directing overlap on 9 of them.

By decade

1990s8 · crew2000s14 · crew2010s10 · 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.

Who does Hiroaki Sakurai work with?

People who share at least 2 of Hiroaki Sakurai's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Nanako Shimazaki shares the most, 2.

Directors

Actors