Shinji Aramaki

Shinji Aramaki (荒牧 伸志, Aramaki Shinji), born 2 October 1960, is a renowned Japanese anime director and mechanical designer hailing from Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. Educated at the Fukuoka Prefectural Fukuoka High School and Okayama University, Shinji is a driving force in the field of 3DCG animation in Japan. Aramaki's interest in the visual arts was nurtured during his school years by influential works such as Space Battleship Yamato, Mobile Suit Gundam, and Star Wars. Despite not having an initial desire to join the animation industry, he was drawn to it owing to his artistic capabilities and the diverse opportunities the industry presented. The intermingling of digital technology in the contemporary world has erased the boundaries between animation and live-action genres, making his work even more seamless. Shinji Aramaki has gained considerable acclaim for his work on anime featuring transforming mecha into powered exoskeletons and motorcycles. In 2004, he directed Appleseed, the world's first 3D live anime to introduce motion capture, significantly impacting creators worldwide. In October 2011, Aramaki was invited to a panel discussion at the VFX-JAPAN Kickoff Meeting. His recent accomplishments include directing the initial season of Blade Runner: Black Lotus, an anime for Adult Swim and Crunchyroll, alongside Kenji Kamiyama.