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Tatsuo Satō

Tatsuo Satō

Writer and director, also producer · Died April 24, 2026, aged 61 · Oiso, Kanagawa, Japan

Tatsuo Sato (佐藤 竜雄, July 7, 1964-April 24, 2026) was a Japanese anime director. He made his solo directorical debut in 1995 with the TV animation series "Soar High! Isami". After that, he directed the TV series "Martian Successor Nadesico"(1996) and its sequel feature film "Martian Successor Nadesico: The Motion Picture - Prince Of Darkness"(1998)

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
July 7, 1964
Died
April 24, 2026 (aged 61)
From
Oiso, Kanagawa, Japan
Works as
Writer and director, also producer
Titles
16 on MovieCove · 32 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Official site (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 39 days to Oct 28

What are Tatsuo Satō's films like?

Across their 12 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
37%
Self
31%
Survival
12%
Morality
9%
Power
6%
Society
5%
Friendship4 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity4 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival3 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose3 titles, browse their movies with this themeLoyalty2 titles, browse their movies with this themeComing of age3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds2 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
7
Thrilling
8
Joyful
5
Hopeful
4
Romantic
2
Other
4

How their films linger

Fun7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy3
  • Bittersweet5
  • Ambiguous4

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 Tatsuo Satō's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 13 of their 16 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Crunchyroll (9).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Tatsuo Satō'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

32 credits, 16 with a MovieCove page.

  • The Dinner Table Detective(2025)

    Show 2 episodes · Storyboard Artist

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all shows

  • TASUKETSU -Fate of the Majority-(2024)

    Show 24 episodes · Director · Series Composition · Series Director

    Midcredits score: 2nd percentile of all shows

  • Helck(2023)

    Show 24 episodes · Director · Series Director

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all shows

  • Mars Red(2021)

    Show 1 episode · Storyboard Artist

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all shows

  • BNA(2020)

    Show 1 episode · Storyboard Artist

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all shows

  • Atom: The Beginning (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    Show 2 episodes · Director · Storyboard · Storyboard Artist

  • Lord Marksman and Vanadis (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Show 13 episodes · Opening/Ending Animation · Series Composition

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

    Show 24 episodes · Series Composition · Writer

  • Bodacious Space Pirates: Abyss of Hyperspace(2014)

    Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Bodacious Space Pirates(2012)

    Show 26 episodes · Director · Storyboard Artist · Writer

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all shows

  • Lagrange: The Flower of Rin-ne(2012)

    Show Director

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all shows

  • Basquash! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Show 1 episode · Writer

  • Shigofumi: Letters from the Departed (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Show 13 episodes · Director

  • Tokyo Tribe 2(2006)

    Show 13 episodes · Director · Screenplay · Series Composition · Storyboard Artist · Writer

    Midcredits score: 4th percentile of all shows (provisional, few ratings)

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

    Show 1 episode · Writer

  • Paranoia Agent(2004)

    Show 1 episode · Storyboard Artist

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows

  • DearS(2004)

    Show Producer

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all shows

  • Ninja Scroll: The Series(2003)

    Show 13 episodes · Director · Creator · Series Director

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all shows

  • Stellvia(2003)

    Show 26 episodes · Director · Producer · Series Composition · Series Director · Storyboard Artist · Writer

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all shows

  • Azumanga Daioh (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Show 26 episodes · Producer

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

    Show 1 episode · Storyboard Artist

  • Shingu: Secret of the Stellar Wars (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Show 26 episodes · Director · Original Story · Screenplay · Storyboard Artist · Writer

  • Cat Soup (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Director · Scenario Writer · Screenplay

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

    Show 1 episode · Writer

  • Martian Successor Nadesico - The Motion Picture: Prince of Darkness(1998)

    Director · Screenplay · Storyboard Artist

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Gekiganger 3 - The Movie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Director · Original Story

  • Martian Successor Nadesico(1996)

    Show 26 episodes · Director · Series Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all shows

  • Soar High! Isami (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Show 50 episodes · Director

  • How to Enjoy Watching J.League 100 Times More (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Director

  • Licca the Movie: Licca-chan to Yamaneko Hoshi no Tabi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Animation Director · Scenario Writer · Storyboard

  • Uncle Remodelling Course (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Storyboard Artist

  • Chibi Maruko-chan(1990)

    Show Director

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all shows

Career shape

A full career of 29 titles from 1990 to 2025.

Highest rated

Ninja Scroll: The Series (2003)

Midcredits 47th

Most popular right now

Chibi Maruko-chan (1990)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Directing14 of 29: 3 only directing, 11 with another role · typical Midcredits score47thWriting16 of 29: 4 only writing, 12 with another role · typical Midcredits score30thProducing1 of 29: 1 only producing, 0 with another roleOther crew18 of 29: 7 only other crew, 11 with another role · typical Midcredits score36th

29 titles, 14 with more than one role — other crew and writing overlap on 9 of them.

By decade

1990s8 · crew2000s11 · crew2010s5 · 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 Tatsuo Satō work with?

People who share at least 2 of Tatsuo Satō's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Mikako Komatsu shares the most, 3.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers

Producers

Mixed roles