Years active: 1968–Present

Hometown: Yamaga, Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan

Saida is one of Oh! Production's most celebrated animators, having shaped the studio's look since practically its beginning. He joined the team shortly after the studio's 1970 founding and trained under Kazuo Komatsubara and Kouichi Murata, quickly establishing himself as one of their top talents.

He's probably best known in animation circles for his work on Gauche the Cellist, where he single-handedly handled all the key animation for the entire 63-minute film—a showcase of his technical skill that still impresses viewers today. Through the '70s and '80s, he became the go-to character designer and animation director for many of Oh! Production's most successful series, particularly the World Masterpiece Theatre adaptations like A Little Princess Sara and Daddy, Long Legs, which found their way to European audiences and helped build the studio's international reputation.

Even now, Saida remains active and has become something of an institution at Oh! Production, dedicating himself almost entirely to Chibi Maruko-chan—the long-running series that's become a cultural fixture in Japan. His consistency and longevity with the project speaks to both his dedication and the show's enduring success.