Yoshiaki Kawajiri is an anime writer and director best known for stylish, dark works like Wicked City, Ninja Scroll, and Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust.
He started out as an animator at Mushi Production after graduating high school in 1968, but when the studio folded, he co-founded Madhouse with fellow former Mushi Pro staff including Masao Maruyama, Osamu Dezaki, and Rintarou. His directorial debut came in 1984 on Lensman, which he co-directed with the more experienced Kazunori Hirokawa.
Kawajiri's international breakthrough came in the late '90s and early 2000s with his increasingly acclaimed films. His reputation caught The Wachowskis' attention, leading him to direct the "Program" segment for The Animatrix.
Content compiled by AnimeList.moe from publicly available sources.
