Hometown: Komatsushima, Tokushima, Japan
Also known as: Ikunigoma Kinako (イクニゴマ キナコ)
He got his start at Toei Douga in 1986, but the real turning point came after he left to form the creative collective Be-Papas in 1996, which he oversaw personally. Revolutionary Girl Utena put him on the map—the series won both the Best Television Series Award and the Kobe Award at Animation Kobe '97. Be-Papas disbanded in 1999, and by 2001 he'd relocated to the United States.
Beyond anime, he's worked on various projects across different mediums: he was assistant director on the TV series Fuuhaa, co-wrote the novel Schell Bullet, contributed story work to the manga The World of S & M and Nokemono to Hanayome, and supervised the dramatization for the Shoujo Kakumei Utena stage musical.
His taste in films leans toward the thoughtful—he's a fan of Spielberg's Duel but notably isn't into Rocky Horror Picture Show. When not working, he enjoys swimming and has a habit of collecting photos of himself with his cat. He also has strong opinions about pillows; firm is the way to go, apparently.
Content compiled by AnimeList.moe from publicly available sources.
