Kazuhiro Furuhashi

Japanese anime director and supervisor (born 1960)

Kazuhiro Furuhashi
古橋一浩
Kazuhiro Furuhashi at Anime Expo 2013
Born	(1960-06-09) June 9, 1960 (age 63) Hamamatsu, Japan
Nationality	Japanese
Occupation	Anime director

Kazuhiro Furuhashi (Japanese: 古橋一浩, Hepburn: Furuhashi Kazuhiro, born June 9, 1960) is a Japanese anime director and supervisor. He is amongst anime's most foremost directors, having directed and helmed the Rurouni Kenshin series (including the original television series, and its subsequent original video animation iterations), Zipang, GetBackers, Hunter × Hunter, Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn, Dororo, and most recently, Spy × Family.^[1]

Early career and biography

He began his career as an animator with the anime adaptation of Rumiko Takahashi's Urusei Yatsura and subsequently into episode direction and as a director with Studio Deen's anime adaptation of another Rumiko Takahashi work, Ranma ½. Furuhashi is particularly well known for realistic portrayals and first person views shown in his directorial and storyboard works and has obtained a good reputation as a director.^[2] Furuhashi has often collaborated and supervised numerous extensive and high-quality anime productions with animators Norio Matsumoto, Atsuko Nakajima and Hirofumi Suzuki. Over the years, he has worked in numerous productions with Studio Deen and began his directorial career with the studio.

Works

Anime television

Urusei Yatsura (1981–1986; animation director)
Maison Ikkoku (1986–1988; key animation)
F (1988; key animation)
Ranma ½ (first series and nettō-hen) (1989; storyboards, episode direction)
Super Zugan (1994; ending animation)
Battle Fighters: Garō Densetsu (1992; storyboards, episode direction)
Battle Fighters: Garō Densetsu 2 (1993; director, episode direction)
Kuma no Pūtarō (1995–1996; storyboards)
Rurouni Kenshin (1996–1998; director, storyboards, episode direction)
You're Under Arrest (1996–1997; director)
Hunter × Hunter (1999–2001; director)
GetBackers (2002–2003; director, storyboards) - direction assistance by Keitarō Motonaga
Gunslinger Girl (2004; storyboards of episode 12)
Genshiken (2004; storyboards of episodes 2 and 4)
Maria-sama ga Miteru (2004; storyboards)
Maria-sama ga Miteru ~Haru~ (2004; storyboards, episode direction)
Kyō Kara Maō! (2004; key animation of episode 2)
Zipang (2004–2005; director, screenplay)
Noein: Mō Hitori no Kimi e (2005–2006; storyboards of episode 12)
Binchō-tan (2006; director, series composition, screenplay, storbyoards, episode director, direction and storyboards of OP and ED)
Le Chevalier D'Eon (2006–2007; director, storyboards, episode direction)
Mononoke (2007; storyboards)
Darker than Black: Kuro no Keiyakusha (2007, storyboards of second opening theme)
Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai (2007; storyboards of episode 13)
Real Drive (2008; director, storyboards, episode direction, OP direction)^[3]
Amatsuki (2008; director, series composition, screenplay, storyboards of episode 1, key animation of episode 13)^[4]
Kimi ni Todoke (2009; storyboard of episode 6)
Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn RE:0096 (2016; director)
Altair: A Record of Battles (2017; director)^[5]
Neo Yokio (2017; director)
Dororo (2019; director)^[6]
Spy × Family (2022–2023; director)^[7]
Dog Signal (2023; director)^[8]

Anime film

Haikara-San: Here Comes Miss Modern Part 1 (2017; director, screenplay)^[9]
Haikara-San: Here Comes Miss Modern Part 2 (2018; screenplay)^[10]

OVA

Chōjin Locke: Lord Reon (1989; storyboards)
Ranma ½: Nettō Utagassen (1990; director)
Ranma ½: Kessen Tōgenkyō! Hanayome wo Torimodose!! (1992; director)
Taiho Shichauzo (1994–1995; director, storyboards, episode direction)
Rurouni Kenshin: Trust & Betrayal (1999; director)
Reinō Tantei Miko (2000; director, storyboards)
Rurouni Kenshin: Reflection (2001; director)
Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn (2010–2014; director)^[11]
Rurouni Kenshin: New Kyoto Arc (2011–2012; director)

Games

Tales of Rebirth (2004; director, storyboards and direction of game OP movie)
Tales of the Abyss (2005; director and storyboards of game OP movie)

References

^ "Les 24 Chevaliers Part XXIV: Kazuhiro Furuhashi (Director) (01)". Production I.G. Retrieved 2008-11-12.
^ "Les 24 Chevaliers Part XXIV: Kazuhiro Furuhashi (Director) (02)". Production I.G. Retrieved 2008-11-12.
^ "Production I.G, Masamune Shirow's Latest Airs in April". Anime News Network. November 5, 2007. Retrieved September 30, 2021.
^ "Amatsuki Virtual-World History Anime's Promo Streamed". Anime News Network. March 26, 2008. Retrieved September 30, 2021.
^ "Shōkoku no Altair Historical Fantasy Manga Gets TV Anime by MAPPA". Anime News Network. December 21, 2016. Retrieved September 30, 2021.
^ "Dororo TV Anime's 1st Promo Video, Cast, Staff, Visual Revealed". Anime News Network. September 3, 2018. Retrieved September 30, 2021.
^ "Spy×Family Domestic Spy Comedy Manga Gets TV Anime in 2022". Anime News Network. October 31, 2021. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
^ Dempsey, Liam (July 26, 2023). "Educational Anime Dog Signal Adopts Cast and Staff for October Premiere". Crunchyroll. Retrieved July 26, 2023.
^ Pineda, Rafael (March 22, 2017). "Haikara-san ga Tōru Anime Films' Debut Dates, Titles, Staff Revealed". Anime News Network. Retrieved March 22, 2017.
^ Pineda, Rafael (May 25, 2018). "Haikara-San: Here Comes Miss Modern 2nd Film Opens in Japan on October 19". Anime News Network. Retrieved May 25, 2018.
^ "Gundam Unicorn Anime Officially Announced". Anime News Network. April 22, 2009. Retrieved September 30, 2021.