born October 4, 1971 is a Japanese anime director, animator and co-founder of Studio Trigger. His style is marked by fast and frantic animation combined with elaborate storyboarding and punchy direction. Prior to founding Trigger, he was an animator and director at Gainax. His most well-known works include Gurren Lagann (2007), Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt (2010), Kill la Kill (2013), Promare (2019), and (2022).
Early career
After drawing the
manga for the
doujinshi circle, Imaishi worked as a creator. He worked at
Gainax in 1995 as an in-between animator for
Neon Genesis Evangelion. Some of his early works include animation direction, storyboarding and key animation for
Kare Kano (
His and Her Circumstances),
FLCL,
Diebuster,
Oval X Over, and the ending animation of
Paradise Kiss. He went on to direct
Dead Leaves, a 2004 anime film produced by Production I.G. and the first episode of
.
Director
His series director debut was
Gurren Lagann (2007).
["Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann". (November 2006) Newtype USA. p. 17.] The anime received an Excellence Prize at the 2007 Japan Media Arts Festival,
and Imaishi himself received an individual award at the twelfth
Animation Kobe Festival.
In 2008, the anime received both "best television production" and "best character design" from the Tokyo International Anime Fair.
Later he went on to work as director in the anime series,
Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt. His main influence of being an animator and director are
Yoshinori Kanada and his works, in which all his anime titles such as
Dead Leaves,
Gurren Lagann and
Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt pay special tributes to him and his art. Imaishi left Gainax and established
Studio Trigger in 2011.
His first directorial work at the studio is
Kill la Kill.
He directed the opening for season 2 of
Black Dynamite.
Notable works
Director
-
Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi (2002) (episode 3)
-
Dead Leaves (2004)
-
(2004) (episode 1)
-
Oval x Over (2005)
-
Gurren Lagann (2007)
-
Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt (2010)
-
Kill la Kill (2013)
-
Japan Animator Expo (2015) ( "Sex & Violence with Machspeed")
-
Space Patrol Luluco (2016)
-
Promare (2019)
-
(2021) ( "The Twins")
-
(2022)
-
New Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt (2025)
Other
-
Neon Genesis Evangelion (1995) In-Between Animator
-
Kare Kano (His and Her Circumstances) (1998) Storyboard, Key Animator, Animation Director, Script (ep. 19)
-
Medabots (1999) Animation Director (episode 14), Key Animator
-
FLCL (2000) Animation Director (episode 5)
-
PaRappa the Rapper (2001) Ending Animation Director (ED1)
-
Fullmetal Alchemist (2003) Key Animator (episodes 4, 22)
-
(2005)
-
Namco × Capcom (2005)
-
Redline (2009) Key Animator
-
Black Rock Shooter (2012) Director (CG Battle)
-
Inferno Cop (2012) Supervisor
-
Ninja Slayer (2015) Character Designer
-
OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes (2017) Storyboard Artist for opening titles
-
(2020), Storyboard Artist (episode 5)
External links
