Director - Akiyuki Shinbo

[daymare]

His works (off wiki)
* Tsukuyomi -Moon Phase-
* Pani Poni Dash!
* Negima!?
* Negima! OVAs
* Hidamari Sketch
* Le Portrait de Petit Cossette
* Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha
* Sayonara Zetsubō Sensei
* The SoulTaker
* Triangle Heart
* Starship Girl Yamamoto Yohko (OVA)

Man I just finish Petite Cossette, and to me he really is the most amazing director (ok, so he's usually not the best storyteller, but he makes the most amazing scenes).

I first started with Soul Taker (awesome), Yohko (ok), Pani Poni (awesome), Nanoha (ok), Negima!? (awesome), Negima!? OVA (ughhh...), Zetsubou Sensei (pretty good), Tsukuyomi (awesome), Petite Costte (awesome)

I actually didn't know about him until I watched Negima!?, which I thought was so similar to Pani Poni Dash and Soul Taker in style. Turns out I was right :) But wow I just love the way he and Shaft work together. They choose such appropriate and unique music for [most] of their shows, be it the OP/ED or the BGM. The BGM is blended so well with their unique animation style. To me, the combination of all this isn't just "cool," but rather I get so drawn in when certain scenes kick in.

Yes the comedy shows aren't for everyone. I often feel overwhelmed by the references in Pani Poni and Negima, and some gags are kinda off, but that doesn't really matter because there is so much other stuff going on every second that could make me laugh. I just love their overabundance of creativity. They even change the OP/ED to suit each episode.

I never really followed a director/studio until I found out about this guy. Anybody have thoughts they want to share?

[Ty]

He definitely stands out due to his unique style. I don't really follow directors either but I've known his name for quite some time. My problem with Shinbo is that he is totally hit or miss for me. Either amazing or really just meh. I don't want to say mediocre because that's not quite it. It just ends up being so off beat that he totally loses me or ends up producing weird vibes. But boy are the amazing ones truly amazing.

On a related note I'm both surprised and incredibly embarrassed I did not know he is credited with Nanoha. I see familiar traits with all the other shows in that list, even ones like Hidamari that contrast greatly with shows like Pani Poni in feel and presentation, but Nanoha does not have a vibe to it that feels like Shinbo has touched it. At least I don't think so anyway, but it's been quite a long time since I've seen it. Maybe when that boxset shows up I'll notice this time around.

[Fencedude]

On a related note I'm both surprised and incredibly embarrassed I did not know he is credited with Nanoha. I see familiar traits with all the other shows in that list, even ones like Hidamari that contrast greatly with shows like Pani Poni in feel and presentation, but Nanoha does not have a vibe to it that feels like Shinbo has touched it. At least I don't think so anyway, but it's been quite a long time since I've seen it. Maybe when that boxset shows up I'll notice this time around.

Upon rewatching season 1 there are a few very, very obvious Shinbo aspects to it. There are some shots that are framed in a way that is obviously his style (or one of his proteges) especially in episodes 7+.

Also, I think a lot of things that later became series trademarks (such as the utter abuse of timestamps) were thrown in by him at a whim.

But yes, Nanoha Season 1 is definitely less noticibly his work than a lot of the others, but thats probably because it wasn't a "pet" project of his, he was doing it mainly for others.

(also, just to be clear, he didn't direct A's or StrikerS, or have any involvement with them at all as far as I can tell)

[Westlo]

Well I think Shinbo played a straight bat to Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha because there was no need to go all "Shinbo" over it. Some of his recent stuff could use a bit less of his Shinbo style...

[Fencedude]

Well I think Shinbo played a straight bat to Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha because there was no need to go all "Shinbo" over it. Some of his recent stuff could use a bit less of his Shinbo style...

Yeah, but there's definitely some "Shinbo" in there.

Note the Asura's really gratuitous moving pattern walls in its conference room, or one time when Nanoha and Yuuno were walking down a hallway and stopped for a chat right in front a very large painting of a nude woman, and framed in...here, it'll be easier just to show you (http://www.fencedude.com/Images2/lolShinbo.jpg).

[something]

I've seen:
* Tsukuyomi -Moon Phase-
* Pani Poni Dash!
* Hidamari Sketch / Special / x365
* Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha
* Zoku / Goku / Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei
* Triangle Heart ~Sweet Songs Forever~

As well as these shows he's credited as "Supervision" on:
* ef - a tale of memories
* ef - a tale of melodies

The last two are directed by Oonuma Shin. I don't know how significant Shinbo's influence was over these two shows, but he certainly influenced Oonuma the person quite a lot. At the very least they *look* like Shinbo-type shows.

Whatever one thinks about Shinbo Akiyuki, he's certainly got a noticeable style. His Nanoha is certainly unlike most of the rest, but as Fence noted there are shots that betray his style here and there. It's quite muted in comparison, though.

Needless to say I'm quite fond of a lot of his shows. Nanoha 1st is my favorite season of my third favorite franchise ever. Hidamari Sketch and ef were two of the best shows of 2007, and Hidamari Sketch x 365 is one of the best of 2008. Pani Poni and Zetsubou are great comedies when you're in that sort of mood (I need to watch that ep of Goku I have). Triangle Hearts is, well... yeah. I find it amusing since I'm a Nanoha fan but it's not exactly his masterpiece. :sd: Tsukuyomi was one of my top shows of its year and I loved it both times I watched it.

ef memories didn't have the staying power with me that Clannad did, but while they were both actively airing, they were neck and neck. Seeing them both every week was an experience I won't soon forget. There were some incredibly powerful moments in memories, both visually and in terms of the voice work (and Tenmon's music!). ef melodies is far, far rougher. I don't know if Shinbo has gone off the deep end and is influencing it unduly, or if Oonuma has taken more control this season and is trying far too hard (and not always successfully) to be Shinbo. Either way, melodies has been at its best when it's *not* trying to be artsy. Plot related issues aside, episode 8 was one of the best yet because it had the least head trippy animation. On the other hand, 9 was very weird-heavy and worked very well... it's a really uneven show.

Basically, it's a style of directing that has to be used with caution. I almost always love it, but taken too far it comes at the expense of the characters and/or the story. I also wonder if it's more prone than usual to getting off track and causing episodes to be aired clearly unfinished - this happened twice in Tsukuyomi and once in Hidamari Sketch.

But the bottom line is that he's one of the best talents Japan has today. He's one of very very few creative staff members I've cared enough to know by name, and I will always be following his work.

[DiGiKerot]

Whatever one thinks about Shinbo Akiyuki, he's certainly got a noticeable style.


On an amusingly related note, there's an old ero-anime director by the name of Jyuhachi Minamizawa who, from the visual stylings of the titles he's worked on, is quite clearly Shinbo working under a psuedoname. The fact that the titles in question were from the studio which also produced Triangle Hearts is something of a dead giveaway.

[Andrew Cunningham]

He has loads of talent and I dig that he takes so many stylistic risks. Shame he almost never picks material worth filming. Sayonara Zetsubo Sensei is the only thing that really appealed to me, but I do have high hopes for his next project, Bakemonogatari.

[Hayate Kurogane]

I've seen:
* Tsukuyomi -Moon Phase-
* Pani Poni Dash!
* Hidamari Sketch / Special / x365
* Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha
* Zoku / Goku / Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei
* Triangle Heart ~Sweet Songs Forever~

As well as these shows he's credited as "Supervision" on:
* ef - a tale of memories
* ef - a tale of melodies

The last two are directed by Oonuma Shin. I don't know how significant Shinbo's influence was over these two shows, but he certainly influenced Oonuma the person quite a lot. At the very least they *look* like Shinbo-type shows.

Same goes for Paniponi Dash!, and it appears that Oonuma has become Shinbo's on-the-ground director of choice for certain projects.

The top post's list is incomplete, as it's missing Tenamonya Voyagers, one of my favorite Shinbo works.

[something]

Same goes for Paniponi Dash!, and it appears that Oonuma has become Shinbo's on-the-ground director of choice for certain projects.
Assuming ANN is right, it has Series director: Oonuma Shin; Director: Shinbo Akiyuki. What's the difference between the two in this context? Is Shinbo's "Director" here the same as his "Supervision" role in ef? Though either way, yeah, looks like Oonuma was the main one with PPD.

[Hayate Kurogane]

Whatever one thinks about Shinbo Akiyuki, he's certainly got a noticeable style.


On an amusingly related note, there's an old ero-anime director by the name of Jyuhachi Minamizawa who, from the visual stylings of the titles he's worked on, is quite clearly Shinbo working under a psuedoname. The fact that the titles in question were from the studio which also produced Triangle Hearts is something of a dead giveaway.

Yeah, terrible pun aside, his hentai works are pretty fun (full of the extra camera motion, unique framing, and excessive stained glass, among other things), especially when mixed with moaning, thrusting, and dripping. :noodle:

For those interested, the titles in question were all released by CPM's anime 18 division, under the titles Blood Royale, Nurse Me!, Sibling Secret, and Temptation. Nurse Me! is a personal favorite, due largely to a couple of super-fun yuri scenes and the KOTOKO end theme.

[Hayate Kurogane]

Same goes for Paniponi Dash!, and it appears that Oonuma has become Shinbo's on-the-ground director of choice for certain projects.
Assuming ANN is right, it has Series director: Oonuma Shin; Director: Shinbo Akiyuki. What's the difference between the two in this context? Is Shinbo's "Director" here the same as his "Supervision" role in ef? Though either way, yeah, looks like Oonuma was the main one with PPD.

It has to do with variable translation possibilities for the title kanji. Shinbo outranks Oonuma, and obviously has major influence over the production as a whole, but Oonuma's doing major grunt work getting everything done, handling the episode-by-episode staff, etc.

[Splitter]

Seen
- Pani Poni Dash!
- Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha
- Negima!?
- Triangle Hearts ~Sweet Songs Forever~
- Le Portrait de Petit Cossette
- Hidamari Sketch / x365
- Zoku / Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei

Shinbo-san is a visionary. SHAFT is the bizarro studio it is today because of his influence and it shows in spades. I can't think of a thing wrong with his animation style. It's in a class all of its own and it works for him every single time.

That said, when he sets upon wild, crazy projects (SZS, PPD!), he burns out and badly at that. Full gusto from the starting gun and about 4-5 eps in, he's already gasping for breath. Works like Hidamari and Nanoha, where the narrative is more subdued, he works nothing short of miracles. Subtly quirky and always fitting in with the essence of the series, these are the shows I want to see him do much, much more of.

[DiGiKerot]

That said, when he sets upon wild, crazy projects (SZS, PPD!), he burns out and badly at that.

I think it's probably less a case of him burning out on an individual series, more a case of him overworking himself - how many times in the last few years has he not been involved in at least one show airing? I'd wager not often. Even now, he's doing supervision of Ef, directing the Negima! OADs, directing the Zetsubo OADs, directing the soon-to-start Maria-Holic and presumably in pre-planning for Bakemonogatari. I think his names already been attached to at least another couple more TV shows for next year as well.

Personally, though, I'd really like to see him tackle something darker and more action-orientated again - as much as I adore Nanoha and a lot of his comedy work, The Soultaker is probably still my favorite out of all his shows.

[Speedy Boris]

The sign of a good (or at the very least, memorable) animation director is one whose visual style you can pick out pretty quickly. Such is the case with Shinbo.

Was never a big fan of the endless amount of chalkboard gags in Negima!? and PPD, though. They distracted me from the dialog.