Birthplace: Hokkaido, Japan

Born: January 29, 1950

Akiyama started out directing documentaries before making the jump into anime. His earliest anime credit was "Protector," followed by work as an animation director on "Jarinko Chie" and "Macross" at Green Box and Anime Friend Studios.

He joined AIC in 1986, which is where he made his mark on the industry. He's best known for directing the cult classics "Gall Force" and "Bubblegum Crisis"—both became defining works of their era. Beyond those, he's also responsible for "Ai No Kusabi," the "El Hazard" TV series, and "Magical Girl Pretty Samy," giving him a pretty diverse portfolio across different genres and styles.

His most recent project on record is "Armitage: Dual Matrix."