Keiichi Hara

Keiichi Hara (原 恵一, Hara Keiichi, born July 24, 1959) is a renowned Japanese director of animated films. He embarked on his career in animation after visiting an animation film company post-graduation from Tokyo Designer Gakuin College. The turning point came when he presented his continuity drawings to an artistic director and subsequently joined a commercial film studio. After eighteen months, Hara joined Shin-Ei Animation upon President Keijiro Kurokawa's recommendation. There, Hara began to make his mark in the world of animation, working on various TV series such as Kaibutsu-kun and Doraemon, demonstrating his dedication and improving quality of work under the guidance of the chief director Tsutomu Shibayama. He went on to contribute significantly to TV series like Esper Mami, 21 emon and notably, Crayon Shin-chan. His work on Crayon Shin-chan, both the TV series and the movies, received critical acclaim, elevating his profile in the industry. Hara ventured into live-action film with Hajimari no Michi, which was released in 2013. Throughout his career, Keiichi Hara has been recognized as an animation director with a knack for storytelling, evident in his extensive filmography that spans multiple decades.