Masami Hata got his start as an animator in 1965 at Mushi Pro, jumping in on Wonder 3 and soon directing his first couple of TV series there. When Mushi Pro shut down in 1973, he bounced around—storyboarding and directing episodes for Tokyo Movie Shinsha before landing at Sanrio around 1975, right as the company was getting serious about anime. He stuck with Sanrio for over a decade, directing several of their big-budget theatrical films known for their full animation.

After Sanrio Films wrapped up in 1985 (following Fairy Florence), Hata went freelance and has been directing and writing storyboards across various studios ever since, working on both TV and film projects.

Born: 1942 in Toyama Prefecture, Japan