Yukihiro Miyamoto (Japanese: 宮本 幸裕, Hepburn: Miyamoto Yukihiro, born November 21, 1977), occasionally nicknamed Otokomatsuri,[2] is a Japanese anime director. He started at animation studio Vega Entertainment, and later joined Shaft. He is best known for directing Puella Magi Madoka Magica and its subsequent film trilogy alongside Akiyuki Shinbo, the latter trilogy which subsequently garnered ¥2 billion, making it a box-office success.[3]
Miyamoto joined the anime industry in 2002 as a production manager and assistant episode director for Vega Entertainment on their adaptation of Leiji Matsumoto's Gun Frontier manga series.[4][5] In 2003 and 2004, he debuted as an episode director and storyboard artist with F-Zero: GP Legend,[6] and began doing outsource work with Vega for Madhouse in 2004. For the next 3 years, he served with Madhouse, most prominent as an episode director for Monster,[7] and then in 2006 joined studio Shaft. At Shaft, he quickly became a prominent director alongside Akiyuki Shinbo, Shin Oonuma, and Tatsuya Oishi. In 2008, he debuted with a series as the chief unit director with (Zoku) Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei alongside Shinbo.[8] In the following years, Miyamoto directed several more series with Shinbo, and in 2011 they directed Puella Magi Madoka Magica,[9] which became a critical hit and, alongside Bakemonogatari, is considered to be one of the series that pushed the studio into the spotlight.[10] Subsequently, Miyamoto was tasked with directing the series' film trilogy, with Shinbo acting as chief director over the films.[11]
The Madoka Magica film trilogy was announced with Shinbo acting as chief director and Miyamoto acting as director. Although their credits differed from the TV counterparts, their jobs were essentially the same as before, according to Miyamoto.[12] The first two films were compilations with updated visuals, and the third film was created as a sequel. Miyamoto intended to direct the work as its overall film director without doing unit direction; however, the directors that the staff tried to recruit were busy, and Miyamoto was made to act as a unit director on the film anyway.[12] The only other directors involved to help were unit director Takashi Kawabata and assistant director Hiroyuki Terao, who were rercruited due to the fact that it would've been impossible for Miyamoto to finish the film on his own.[13]
In 2018, it was announced that the spin-off Magia Record mobile game would receive an adaptation by the studio; the following year, it was announced that Miyamoto would serve as an assistant director and director alongside Shaft directors Kenjirou Okada, Midori Yoshizawa, Doroinu of Gekidan Inu Curry, with Shinbo serving as an animation supervisor on the project.[14]
Miyamoto described himself as being a "heretic" at Shaft—someone who, in a company of many differing directors, is only good at doing "plain work", and isn't particularly original or creative.[15] Shinbo described Miyamoto in a similar way, but said that he was more like a professional craftsman who leaves their mark in places that cannot be seen.[15] Due to this, Shinbo has said that Miyamoto is a director whose work often exceeds his expectations.[16] Shinbo himself likes to cut the space between dialogue when characters talk, though he mentioned that Miyamoto seems to cut dialogue pauses more than Shinbo to a point that the silence between characters talking is close to zero.[16] Miyamoto said that it's like characters who have already started thinking of a response to the person who is actively talking, and thus begin speaking either directly after the person talking has stopped or interrupting their speech entirely.[16]
Shaft producer Yasuhiro Okada, who was the animation producer for the Madoka Magica film trilogy, described Miyamoto as being the best director capable of absorbing and expressing Shinbo's flavor.[13]
Miyamoto is married and has a who was child born near the end of production of the Kizumonogatari trilogy.[17] When his wife was in labor, Miyamoto was at the hospital and continued to text with Shaft's producers and staff regarding the film; and the director, Tatsuya Oishi, joked that Miyamoto should name them "Nekketsu" (after the second film in the trilogy, which Miyamoto was in charge of as unit director).[17]
^Miyamoto may have acted as a freelance director for much of his time with Shaft, but Megami Magazine referred to him and directors Kouji Matsumura and Midori Yoshizawa as "directors belonging to Shaft" (シャフト所属の演出家) in a 2023 interview.[1]
^ abcdDirectors credited for all works as Director (監督, Kantoku) unless noted otherwise.
Watanabe, Yumiko (2010). 新房監督のアニメ論 「制約は理由にならない」 【前編】 [Director Shinbo's Anime Theory "Restrictions Are Not a Reason" (Part 1)] (in Japanese). ASCII. Retrieved August 29, 2023.
Kizawa, Yukito; Takayama, Atsushi; Saitou, Fusano, eds. (2014). 劇場版魔法やまどかマギカ[新編]叛逆の物語公式ガイドブック only you. [Movie Version Puella Magi Madoka Magica [New Edition] Story of Rebellion Official Guidebook only you.]. Houbunsha. ISBN978-4832244290.
Aniplex (2017). Kizumonogatari Part 2: Nekketsu Deluxe Booklet. Aniplex of America.
Takahashi, Yumi, ed. (2019). Akiyuki Shimbo x Shaft Chronicle (in Japanese). Dotcom. ISBN978-4835457017.
^"Megami Magazine November 2023". Megami Magazine (in Japanese). Gakken. September 29, 2023. 『五等分の花嫁』メインスタッフ座談会 ["The Quintessential Quintuplets∽" Main Staff Roundtable]. ASINB0CJ5TSXRS.
^(Zan) Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episodes 1–6, 9–10, 12–13. 演出 - 宮本幸裕 [Episode director - Yukihiro Miyamoto]
^(Zan) Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei (in Japanese). Event occurs at opening credits. OP演出 - 宮本幸裕 [Opening director - Yukihiro Miyamoto]
^Bakemonogatari (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episode 1. 演出 - 宮本幸裕 [Episode director - Yukihiro Miyamoto]
^ ab"Staff". King Amusement Creative (Starchild). Retrieved July 27, 2020.
^Arakawa Under the Bridge (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episode 1. 演出 - 宮本幸裕 [Episode director - Yukihiro Miyamoto]
^Arakawa Under the Bridge x Bridge (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episode 1. 演出 - 宮本幸裕 [Episode director - Yukihiro Miyamoto]
^Hidamari Sketch x Hoshimittsu (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episodes 1–2. 演出 - 宮本幸裕 [Episode director - Yukihiro Miyamoto]
^Hidamari Sketch x Hoshimittsu (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episodes 1–2. OPディレクター - 宮本幸裕 [Opening unit director - Yukihiro Miyamoto]
^第1話 「夢の中で逢った、ような......」 [Episode 1 "I First Met Her in a Dream... or Something."]. Madoka Magica TV (in Japanese). Retrieved March 1, 2021.
^第12話「わたしの、最高のともだち」 [Episode 12 "My Very Best Friend"]. Madok Magica TV (in Japanese). Retrieved March 1, 2021.
^Ground Control to Psychoelectric Girl (in Japanese). Event occurs at opening credits. OP演出協力 - 宮本幸裕 [Opening assistant unit director - Yukihiro Miyamoto]
^Hidamari Sketch x SP (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits. OP演出 / ED演出 - 宮本幸裕 [OP unit director / ED unit director - Yukihiro Miyamoto]
^Hidamari Sketch x SP (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episode 2. 演出 - 宮本幸裕 [Episode director - Yukihiro Miyamoto]
^Ground Control to Psychoelectric Girl (in Japanese). Event occurs at opening credits. ED演出協力 - 宮本幸裕 [Ending assistant unit director - Yukihiro Miyamoto]
^Nisemonogatari (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episodes 3, 9. 演出 - 宮本幸裕 [Episode director - Yukihiro Miyamoto]
^Hidamari Sketch x Honeycomb (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episode 9. 演出 - 宮本幸裕 [Episode director - Yukihiro Miyamoto]
^Nekomonogatari (Black) (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits. エンディングアニメーション - 宮本幸裕 [Ending animation - Yukihiro Miyamoto]
^Monogatari Series Second Season (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits 1, 3–4. エンディングアニメーション - 宮本幸裕 [Ending animation - Yukihiro Miyamoto]
^Nisekoi (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episode 7. 演出 - 宮本幸裕 [Episode director - Yukihiro Miyamoto]
^Mekakucity Actors (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episode 2. 演出 - 宮本幸裕 [Episode director - Yukihiro Miyamoto]
^Mekakucity Actors (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episode 12. 演出協力 - 宮本幸裕 [Assistant episode director - Yukihiro Miyamoto]
^Hanamonogatari (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episode 2. 演出 - 宮本幸裕 [Episode director - Yukihiro Miyamoto]
^Tsukimonogatari (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episode 1. 演出 - 宮本幸裕 [Episode director - Yukihiro Miyamoto]
^Pretty Boy Detective Club (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits (2nd list). エンディングアニメーション演出 - 大谷肇 [Ending animation unit director - Yukihiro Miyamoto]
^Kid Icarus (SHAFT) (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits. 演出 - 宮本幸裕 [Episode director - Yukihiro Miyamoto]
^西尾維新最新作『掟上今日子の備忘録』×〈物語〉シリーズ コラボCM第二弾 [Nisio Isin's Latest Work "Okitegami Kyouko no Bibouroku" x Monogatari Series Collaboration CM 2nd] (in Japanese). December 31, 2014. Retrieved February 25, 2021.
^Magical Pâtissier Kosaki-chan (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episodes 1. 演出 - 宮本幸裕 [Episode director - Yukihiro Miyamoto]
^"久米田康治×シャフトで「かくしごと」PV制作!神谷浩史&安済知佳が出演" [Kōji Kumeta x Shaft "Kakushigoto" PV Production! Featuring Hiroshi Kamiya & Chika Anzai]. Natalie. June 17, 2016. Retrieved December 2, 2020.
^Assault Lily Fruits (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits. 演出 / 絵コンテ - 宮本幸裕 [Episode director / storyboard artist - Yukihiro Miyamoto]
^shonenmagazine official (February 17, 2022). 漫画『化物語』シャフト制作特別PV [Manga "Bakemonogatari" Special Shaft Production PV]. YouTube. Retrieved February 17, 2022.