Yasuhiro Yoshiura

Yoshiura is known for maintaining a high degree of creative control over his projects, often personally handling the screenplay, cinematography, and editing. In a May 2026 interview, he explained that this "indie-style" approach allows him to ensure his original artistic vision remains intact throughout the production process. He also emphasized that his creative routine is deeply influenced by his interest in how technology integrates into daily life, which he uses to ground his science-fiction concepts in reality.

• Name — Yasuhiro Yoshiura • Native Name — 吉浦 康裕 • Born — 3 April 1980 • Birthplace — Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan • Education — Kyushu University • Occupation — Anime director, screenwriter • Years Active — 2001–present • Website — http: studio-rikka.com

Yoshiura focuses on creating "user-friendly" science fiction that prioritizes entertainment and universal human emotions over overt moralizing. In a May 2026 interview, he stated that his primary goal is to make stories accessible to a global audience by grounding fantastical elements in realistic, everyday settings.

Yoshiura was born in Hokkaido and was raised in Fukuoka. He majored in art engineering at Kyushu University. In 2002, he released a short film called Aquatic Language which aired on NHK BS1's 10 min. theater. The film won an "Excellent Work Award" at the Tokyo International Anime Fair. In 2006, he released the direct-to-video film Pale Cocoon. After moving to Tokyo he worked on the anime web series Time of Eve which aired six episodes and later was made into a feature movie. In 2013, he released the film Patema Inverted, which won awards at Edinburgh's Scotland Loves Animation festival, and the Chicago International Film Festival. In 2014, he directed the film Harmonie, which was used for the Anime Mirai 2014 program. In 2015, his short PP33 (Power Plant No. 33) and Bureau of Proto Society were featured in the Japan Animator Expo.

• Year || Title || Production role || Cast role || Notes || Refs • 2000 — Noisy Birth — Director — — • 2001 — Kikumana — Original concept, screenwriter, sound effects, music, production — — Honorary Mention, Computer Animation / Visual Effects, 2002 Prix Ars Electronica • Aquatic Language — Original concept, director, screenwriter — Protagonist — Excellent Work Award, Tokyo International Anime Fair, 2003 • Pale Cocoon — Original concept, director, screenplay, production — Co-worker — • –10 — Time of Eve — Creator, director, screenwriter — — ONA and feature film (List of Awards and screenings) — • 2009 — Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance — Design works — — — • Time of Eve Movie — Creator, director, screenwriter, sound director, storyboard artist, unit director, editor, photography, digital animation — — — • 2010 — Yozakura Quartet: Hoshi no Umi — CG directing assistance — — — • –13 — Patema Inverted — Creator, director, screenwriter, design work, photography director, storyboard artist, unit director, editor — — ONA Beginning of the Day and feature film • 2012 — A Town Where You Live: Twilight Intersection — Chief director — — — • 2014 — Wake Up, Girls! Movie — Digital video supervisor — — — • 2014 — Harmonie — Creator, director, screenwriter, design work, photography, editor — — Part of Young Animator Training Project 2013. — • Power Plant No. 33 — Director, writer — — 11th episode of the Japan Animator Expo. • 2015 — Bureau of Proto Society — Director, writer — — 29th episode of the Japan Animator Expo. • 2016 — Mobile Police Patlabor Reboot — Director, screenwriter, photography director, photography, storyboard artist, unit director, editing — — Extra episode of the Japan Animator Expo. • 2017 — The Dragon Dentist — Episode director — — — • 2021 — Sing a Bit of Harmony — Creator, director, screenwriter, storyboard artist, unit director — — Original film.