Tetsurou Kodama, born in Oita Prefecture, Japan, is a director and animator who's worked across computer graphics and background art. He got into anime after watching Katsuhiro Ootomo's "Cannon Fodder" from the Memories anthology—that film basically made him want to pursue the medium. He's picked up awards for his original short films, including "My Home" and "Running Man." These days, he runs Echoes, a studio where he directs animated series, promotional material, and commercials.