Hiroyuki Kitakubo (北久保 弘之)
Born: November 15, 1963
Kitakubo is a Japanese director, animator, and screenwriter who got his start remarkably early—he was working on Mobile Suit Gundam back in 1979 while still a teenager. He made his directorial debut in 1985 with the Cream Lemon episode "Pop Chaser," but he's best known for his work on landmark anime films and OVAs throughout the late '80s and '90s.
His filmography reads like a who's who of influential projects. He collaborated with Masamune Shirow on Black Magic M-66 and worked with Katsuhiro Otomo on Akira, then directed the "A Tale of Two Robots" segment from Robot Carnival. His OVA series Golden Boy became a cult classic, while Roujin Z showcased his range across different styles.
Blood: The Last Vampire stands out as a career highlight—the film won the grand prize at the 2000 Japan Media Arts Festival and first prize at the 2001 World Animation Celebration, with Kitakubo himself taking home the Individual Award at Animation Kobe in 2001.
Content compiled by AnimeList.moe from publicly available sources.
