Масао Маруяма

Maruyama has been involved in the Japanese animation business for over 50 years. He has worked with many well-known and up-and-coming animators, established several animation production companies, worked on dozens of series and films, and planned and produced various works.

Maruyama is one of the most experienced producers in the Japanese animation industry and has given opportunities to individuals who went on to become accomplished directors in their own right. Among the talents he picked up were Satoshi Kon, Mamoru Hosoda, and Sunao Katabuchi. He also gave Masaaki Yuasa and Mitsuo Iso a chance to direct at a very early stage. He also gave Mamoru Hosoda, who was thinking of returning to his hometown to change careers after he was forced to drop out of directing Studio Ghibli's Howl's Moving Castle, a chance to direct his first theatrical film after resigning from Toei Animation. Yuichiro Hayashi, Munehisa Sakai, and Sunghoo Park, who became MAPPA's main directors, and Sayo Yamamoto, his direct protégé at Madhouse, are also people whose talents were discovered by Maruyama. His ability to find talented people helped Madhouse and MAPPA to make great strides.