Kazuto Nakazawa

Kazuto Nakazawa (中澤一登) was born in 1968.

Animator, character designer, and director who has left a strong impact on anime from the early aughts and on. His biggest influences are Masami Obari (he was briefly employed at Obari’s Studio G-1) and Shinya Ohira. He claims that at one time he had Ohira’s Hamaji’s Resurrection running on a loop in the background for weeks in his apartment. Close quarters fights of the type found in The Hakkenden are what made Nakazawa famous, so the impact of the series on Nakazawa’s work is apparent. Effectively, he took the realism of Takashi Nakamura and Satoru Utsunomiya and made it more easily accessible and popular¹.

As an animator his major scenes are too numerous to list, but some of his most recognizable cuts come from shows where he served as character designer and animation director: Samurai Champloo, Kids on the Slope, House of Five Leaves, and so on. He’s better known for his designs than his animation, with credits including Ashita no Nadja, El Hazard, Hells, Legend of Black Heaven, Starship Girl Yamamoto Yohko, and Zankyou no Terror. His limber, flexible characters cater to the types of fight scenes Nakazawa excels in. His characters are slender but durable. His Kuroko no Basket cuts have attracted a lot of attention¹.

Started getting interested in direction at Studio 4C. He was the sole creative mind behind Comedy from the studio’s anthology Sweat Punch (2002). A brooding, monochrome drama set during the Irish War of Independence, Nakazawa drew from Franz Schubert, Moto Hagio, and Jean-Jacques Annaud’s 1986 The Name of the Rose adaptation to create a bleak and amoral atmosphere. The direction was greatly informed by Rintaro, who had as big an impact on Nakazawa’s storyboarding technique as Ohira did on his animation. His works are great deal darker than Rintaro’s generally are, with an unerring authoritarian atmosphere, emphasis on negative space, and tasteful use of bloom lighting. In interviews he has said that he considers Comedy his masterpiece. Shortly thereafter he directed the OVA Parasite Dolls (2003), but only storyboard the third episode. The episode, steeped in grim fascist imagery and existential uncertainty, was a direct continuation of Nakazawa’s work in Comedy¹.

As Nakazawa’s profile rose, so too did his direction. He was responsible for directing the animated segment of Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill and episode 15 of Samurai Champloo. His work during the second half of the decade was more mercenary and less individualistic. He did a shorts for AniKuri15 and Fluximation, music videos for supercell’s Utakata Hanabi, Linkin Park’s Breaking the Habit and Asian Kung-Fu Generation’s Atarashii Sekai, the incredibly short cosmetic ad Hairy Tale, and even the opening for mixed martial arts event Pride31. His only directorial outing of note for the rest of the decade was the Genius Party Beyond entry Moondrive (2008). Solo animated by Nakazawa in a sketchy style, Nakazawa says it was inspired by Shinji Hashimoto’s cuts in My Neighbors the Yamadas¹.

Nakazawa’s directorial work after the start of the next decade has been less acclaimed. His short films for the anime/video game compilations Kid Icarus and Asura’s Wrath were generally seen as unimpressive. Nakazawa also directed the Vassalord OVA (2013), which showed some visual imagination in the vein of his older works¹.

MAD1- MAD2 - SakugaBooru - Japanese Wiki Page

Works

• Choujuu Kishin Dancougar: God Bless Dancougar(1987/OVA)

1. In-betweens(NC).

• City Hunter(1987~1988/TV)

1. In-betweens: #5, #11.

• Majokko Club Yoningumi: A Kuukan kara no Alien X(1987/OVA)

1. In-betweens.

• Machine Robo: Butchigiri Battle Hackers(1987/TV)

1. Key Animator: #29.

• Urusei Yatsura Movie 5: Kanketsu-hen(1988/Movie)

1. In-betweens.

• Gensei Shugoshin P-hyoro Ikka(1988/OVA)

1. In-betweens: #2.

• Kikou Ryohei Mellowlink(1988~1989/OVA)

1. Key Animator: #9.
2. In-betweens: #3, #5, #6.

• Five Star Stories(1989/Movie)

1. In-betweens.

• Hai! Akko Desu(1988~1992/TV)

1. Key Animator: #20.

• Tsurupika Hagemaru-kun(1988~1989/TV)

1. Key Animator: #52, #54.

• Dominion(1988~1989/OVA)

1. Key Animator: #3.

• Idol Densetsu Eriko(1989~1990/TV)

1. Key Animator: #24.

• Kangetsu Ittou: Akuryou Kiri(1989~1990/OVA)

1. Key Animator: #1, #2.

• Kyoushoku Soukou Guyver(1989~1990/OVA)

1. Key Animator: #2.

• Hi-Speed Jecy(1989~1990/OVA)

1. Key Animator: #6, #12.

• Oishinbo(1989~1992/TV)

1. Animation Director: #119, #123, #130.
2. Key Animator: #49, #52.

• Ace wo Nerae!: Final Stage(1989~1990/OVA)

1. Key Animator.

• Ankoku Shindenshou Takegami(1990~1992/OVA)

1. Key Animator: #1.

• Taiman Blues: Ladies-hen - Mayumi(1990/OVA)

1. Key Animator: #1.

• Onna Senshi Efe & Jira: Gude no Monshou(1990/OVA)

1. Key Animator.

• Mahjong Hishouden: Naki no Ryuu(1990/OVA)

1. Key Animator: #3.

• Aries: Shinwa no Seizakyuu(1990/OVA)

1. Character Designs.
2. Animation Director.

• Violence Jack: Hell's Wind-hen(1990/OVA)

1. Key Animator.

• Fushigi no Umi no Nadia(1990~1991/TV)

1. Animation Director: #25.

• Kaze no Na wa Amnesia(1990/Movie)

1. Key Animator.

• Shuranosuke Zanmaken: Shikamamon no Otoko(1990/OVA)

1. Key Animator.

• SD Gundam Gaiden(1990~1991/OVA)

1. Key Animator: #4.

• Lodoss-tou Senki(1990~1991/OVA)

1. Key Animator: #4.

• Ginga Eiyuu Densetsu(1988~1997/OVA)

1. Key Animator: #27, #31, #34, #40.

• Ace(1989~1991/OVA)

1. Key Animator: #7.

• Roujin Z(1991/Movie)

1. Key Animator.

• Kikou Keisatsu Metal Jack(1991/TV)

1. Key Animator: #32.

• Nyuuin Bokki Monogatari: Odaijini!(1991/OVA)

1. Key Animator: #1.

• Judo-bu Monogatari(1991)

1. Key Animator.

• Akai Hayate(1991~1992/TV)

1. Key Animator: #1.

• Fujiko F. Fujio: Sukoshi Fushigi Tanpen Theater(1991~1992/OVA)

1. Key Animator.

• Arslan Senki II(1992/Movie)

1. Animals Animation Director.

• Hashire Melos(1992/Movie)

1. Key Animator.

• Tenchi Muyou! Ryououki 2nd Season(1994/OVA)

1. Animation Director: #2.

• Kuro no Shishi(1992/OVA)

1. Key Animator.

• Obocchama-kun(1989~1992/TV)

1. Key Animator.

• Ys: Tenkuu no Shinden - Adol Christine no Bouken(1992~1993/OVA)

1. Animation Director: #2, #3.
2. Key Animator: #1, #2.

• 雀偵物語3　セイバーエンジェル(1991/Game)

1. Special Animator.

• Kenyuu Densetsu Yaiba(1993~1994/TV)

1. Animation Director: #7, #16.
2. Key Animator: #29.

• Fatal Fury: Legend of the Hungry Wolf(1992/OVA)

1. Animation Director.

• Casshern: Robot Hunter(1993~1994/TV)

1. Key Animator: #1.

• Moldiver(1993/OVA)

1. Animation Director: #5.

• New Dominion Tank Police(1993~1994/OVA)

1. Animation Director: #29.
2. Key Animator: OP.

• Angel Cop(1989~1994/OVA)

1. Key Animator: #4, #5.

• Bannou Bunka Neko-Musume(1992~1994/OVA)

1. Key Animator: #6.

• Metal Fighter Miku(1994/TV)

1. Key Animator: #1, #6, ED.

• Fatal Fury: The Motion Picture(1994/Movie)

1. Animation Director.

• Lupin III: Moeyo Zantetsuken!(1994/Special)

1. Animation Director.

• Magic Knight Rayearth(1994~1995/TV)

1. Key Animator: OP1.

• JoJo no Kimyou na Bouken(1993~1994/OVA)

1. Key Animator: #5.

• Ougon Yuusha Goldran(1995~1996/TV)

1. Key Animator: #1, #7.

• Ninkuu(1995~1996/TV)

1. Key Animator: #14, #51.

• El Hazard: The Magnificent World(1995~1996/OVA)

1. Character Designs.
2. General Animation Director.
3. Storyboard: #7.
4. Animation Director: #7.
5. Animation: ED.
6. Key Animator: #4, #7.

• Slayers: The Motion Picture(1995/Movie)

1. Animation Director Assistant.

• Hikyou Tanken Fam & Ihrlie(1995~1996/OVA)

1. Key Animator: #2.

• El Hazard: The Wanderers(1995~1996/TV)

1. Character Designs.
2. Key Animator: #26.

• Soreyuke! Uchuu Senkan Yamamoto Yohko(1996/OVA)

1. Character Designs.

• Midori no Makibao(1996~1997/TV)

1. Key Animator: #9, #15, #21.

• Ninja Mono(1996/OVA)

1. Key Animator: #2.

• Landlock(1996/OVA)

1. Animation Director: #1.

• Toushinden(1996/OVA)

1. Animation Character Designs.
2. Animation Director: #1.
3. Key Animator: #1, #2.

• Choujin Gakuen Gowcaizer: The Voltage Fighters(1996~1997/OVA)

1. Key Animator: #1, #2.

• Shin Hurricane Polymar(1996~1997/OVA)

1. Layout: #1.

• Ihatov Gensou: Kenji no Haru(1996/Movie)

1. Key Animator.

• Shin Tenchi Muyou!(1997/TV)

1. Character Designs.
2. General Animation Director.
3. Animation Director: #1, #13, #26.
4. Mecha Animation Director: #7.
5. Key Animator: #1, #7, #13.

• Soreyuke! Uchuu Senkan Yamamoto Yohko II(1997/OVA)

1. Character Designs.
2. Character Animation Director: #3.
3. Key Animator: #1, ED.

• Virus: Virus Buster Serge(1997/TV)

1. Storyboard: #5, #8.
2. Key Animator: #2, #12.
3. ED Animation.
4. Eye-catch.

• Battle Athletess Daiundoukai(1997~1998/OVA)

1. Key Animator: #3.

• Photon(1997~1999/OVA)

1. Key Animator: #1, #3.
2. Layout Supervision: #6.

• El Hazard: The Alternative World(1998/TV)

1. Character Draft.

• ロマンレーヌ　(Game)

1. Character Designs.

• Lodoss-tou Senki: Eiyuu Kishi Den(1998/OVA)

1. Storyboard: OP, ED.
2. Episode Director: OP, ED.
3. Animation: OP, ED.
4. Animation Director: #7, #20.
5. Layout Cooperation: #19.

• Seishoujo Kantai Virgin Fleet(1998/OVA)

1. Key Animator: #1.

• Detatoko Princess(1997~1998/OVA)

1. Key Animator: #3.

• Shamanic Princess(1996~1998/OVA)

1. Key Animator: #6.

• Generator Gawl(1998/TV)

1. OP Animation.

• Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040(1998~1999/TV)

1. Storyboard: ED.
2. Animation: ED.
3. Episode Director: ED.
4. Key Animator: #26.

• Kurogane Communication(1998~1999/TV)

1. Animation Director: #5, #6.

• EXODUS Guilty(1998/Game)

1. Animation Key Animator.

• Myth II: Soulblighter(1998/Game)

1. Animation Part Director.

• Kareshi Kanojo no Jijou(1998~1999/TV)

1. Key Animator: #16.

• Kachou Ouji(1999/TV)

1. Character Designs.
2. Animation Director: #8.
3. Key Animator: #8.

• Akihabara Dennou-gumi: 2011-nen no Natsuyasumi(1999/Movie)

1. Layout.

• Ao no 6-gou(1998~2000/OVA)

1. Key Animator: #3.

• Sol Bianca: Taiyou no Fune(1999~2000/OVA)

1. Episode Director: #4.
2. Key Animator: #1.

• Blue Gender(1999~2000/TV)

1. OP Key Animator.

• Present Play -プレゼントプレイ- (1999/Game)

1. Character Designs.
2. Key Animator.

• Ginsoukikou Ordian(2000/TV)

1. Storyboard: #5.
2. Animation Director: #5.
3. Episode Director: #5.
4. Key Animator: #24.

• Mezzo Forte(2000~2001/OVA)

1. Key Animator: #1.

• Digimon Adventure 02 Movies(2000/Movie)

1. Animation Director: #1, #2.

• Digimon Adventure 02: Diablomon no Gyakushuu(2001/Movie)

1. Animation Director.

• Final Fantasy: Unlimited(2001~2002/TV)

1. Character Designs(Joint).

• RahXephon(2002/TV)

1. Key Animator: #15.

• Ashita no Nadja(2003~2004/TV)

1. Character Designs.
2. Animation Director: #1, OP.

• Parasite Dolls(2003/OVA)

1. Director.
2. Screenplay.
3. Episode Director: #3.
4. OP Animation.
5. Key Animator: #1, #3.

• The Animatrix(2003/OVA)

1. Key Animator: "The Second Renaissance Part I&II", "Kid's Story", "A Detective Story".

• Kill Bill: Volume 1(2003/Live Action)

1. Animation Part Director.

• Samurai Champloo(2004~2005/TV)

1. Character Designs.
2. Screenplay: #15.
3. Storyboard: #15.
4. Episode Director: #15, 25.
5. General Animation Director: #15.
6. Animation Director: #1, #9, #23, #25.
7. Key Animator: #15, #23, #25.
8. 2nd Key Animation: #11, #20.
9. Key Animator Cooperation: #17.

• Steamboy(2004/Movie)

1. Key Animator.

• Sakura Wars Episode 0 Kouya no Samurai Musume(2004/Game)

1. Key Animator.

• Tsukuyomi: Moon Phase(2004~2005/TV)

1. Key Animator: #20.

• Breaking the habit(2004/MV)

1. Animation.

• Sengoku Basara(2005/Game)

1. Animation Director.

• Tales of Legendia(2005/Game)

1. Character Designs.

• FLUXIMATION　Devil Inside(2005/MV)

1. Director.
2. Animation Director.
3. Key Animator.

• Aozora No Namida(2005/MV)

1. Animation.

• Blood+(2005~2006/TV)

1. Episode Director: OP2.
2. Storyboard: OP2.

• Ergo Proxy(2006/TV)

1. Key Animator: OP.

• Asience: Kami wa Onna no Inochi(2007/SP)

1. Director.
2. Character Designs.
3. Storyboard.
4. Animation Director.
5. Key Animator.

• Ani*Kuri15(2007/SP)

1. Original Work: ""yurururu" ~Nichijou Hen~".
2. Director: ""yurururu" ~Nichijou Hen~".
3. Character Design: ""yurururu" ~Nichijou Hen~".
4. Key Animator: ""yurururu" ~Nichijou Hen~".

• Tokyo Marble Chocolate(2007/OVA)

1. Key Animator: #1.

• Hells(2008/Movie)

1. Character Designs.
2. Animation Director.

• Atarashii Sekai(2008/MV)

1. Director.

• Genius Party Beyond(2008/SP)

1. Director: "Moon Drive".

• AQUARIUS HEROES CM(2009)

1. Character Concept Design.

• Miyamoto Musashi: Souken ni Haseru Yume(2009/TV)

1. Character Designs.

• Tales of Vesperia: The First Strike(2009/Movie)

1. Key Animator.

• Kämpfer(2009/TV)

1. Key Animator: #1, #2, #6, #8.

• Seiken no Blacksmith(2009/TV)

1. Key Animator: #4.

• Saraiya Goyou(2010/TV)

1. Character Designs.
2. General Animation Director: #4.
3. Animation Director: #1(Joint).
4. Key Animator: #6.

• Kami nomi zo Shiru Sekai: Flag 0(2010/OVA)

1. Key Animator.
   1. Solo.

• Utakata Hanabi(2010/MV)

1. Director.
2. Animation Director.
3. Character Designs.

• Catherine(2011/Game)

1. Director for OP Animation.

• Gyakkyou Burai Kaiji: Hakairoku-hen(2011/TV)

1. Key Animator: OP.

• Usagi Drop(2011/TV)

1. Key Animator: #9, #11.

• Digimon Xros Wars: Toki wo Kakeru Shounen Hunter-tachi(2011/TV)

1. Character Draft Cooperation.

• HUNTER×HUNTER(2011~2012/TV)

1. Key Animator: #47, #82.

• Nakai Masahiro no kinyôbi no suma tachi e - 中居正広の金曜日のスマたちへ- OP Animation(2012/Live Action)

1. Animation.

• Kill Me Baby(2012/TV)

1. Key Animator: OP, #7.

• Kuroko no Basket(2012/TV)

1. Storyboard: OP1, #25(Joint).
2. Episode Director: OP1.
3. Animation: OP1.
4. Main Animator: #11, #13.
5. Action Animation Director: #25(Joint).
6. Key Animator: ED2, #14, #17, #24, #25.

• Sakamichi no Apollon(2012/TV)

1. Storyboard: OP.
2. Episode Director: OP.
3. Animation: OP.
   1. OP: Solo.
4. Key Animator: #11, #12.

• Kid Icarus: Uprising 3D Animation: Medusa no Giyakushuu(2012)

1. Director.

• ASURA'S WRATH: Aonisai ga(2012/Game)

1. Director.
2. Main Character Designs.

• Ore no Kanojo to Osananajimi ga Shuraba Sugiru(2013/TV)

1. Key Animator: #1, #4, #13.

• Vassalord.(2013/OVA)

1. Director.
2. General Animation Director.
3. Key Animator.

• Kuroko no Basket 2(2013/TV)

1. Storyboard: OP1.
2. Episode Director: OP1.
3. Key Animator: OP1, #1, #9, #11, #13, #17, #18, #21, #22, #24, #25.
   1. OP1: Solo.

• Wizard Barristers: Benmashi Cecil(2014/TV)

1. Key Animator: #6.

• Giovanni no Shima(2014/Movie)

1. Key Animator.

• Ryuugajou Nanana no Maizoukin(2014/TV)

1. Nanana Collection Design.

• Zankyou no Terror(2014/TV)

1. Character Designs.
2. General Animation Director: #1~#7.
3. Animation Director: OP, #8(Joint), #11(Joint).
4. Key Animator: #1, #3, #5, #11.

• 日清 HUNGRY TO WIN 登場 篇(2014/CM)

1. Character Draft.

• Shingeki no Bahamut: Genesis(2014/TV)

1. Key Animator: #12.

• Death Parade(2015/TV)

1. Key Animator: OP.

• Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata(2015/TV)

1. Key Animator: OP.

• Kuroko no Basket 3(2015/TV)

1. Storyboard: OP7.
2. Episode Director: OP7.
3. Key Animator: OP7, #56, #57, #59, #62, #63.
   1. OP7: Solo.

• Yamada-kun to 7-nin no Majo(2015/TV)

1. End-card: #3.

• Nihon Animator Expo "Konto Koroshia 1989"(2015/WEB)

1. Director.
2. Screenplay(Joint).
3. Character Designs.
4. Key Animator.
   1. Solo.

• Haikyuu!! Second Season(2015~2016/TV)

1. Key Animator: #12.

• Noblesse: Awakening(2016/WEB)

1. OP Direction.
2. Storyboard: OP.

• Days(2016/TV)

1. Character Designs.

• Shingeki no Kyoujin(2017/TV)

1. Key Animator: OP, #36.

• Mahoujin Guruguru(2017/TV)

1. Key Animator: #14.

• Ryuuou no Oshigoto!(2018/TV)

1. Key Animator: OP.

• B：the Beginning(2018/ONA)

1. Original Work(Joint).
2. Director(Joint).
3. Character Designs.
4. General Animation Director.
5. Storyboard: #1(Joint), #6(Joint), #11, #12(Joint).
6. Animation Director:#1(Joint), #12.
7. Key Animator: #7, #11, #12.

• Ginga Eiyuu Densetsu: Die Neue These(2018/TV)

1. Storyboard: #10.

• Shin Chuuka Ichiban!(2019/TV)

1. OP/ED Animation.