Bio: Anno Hideaki

1960 Born 22 May, Yamaguchi Prefecture. Acquires prodigious knowledge of live-action SF movies and TV; is a particular devotee of Ultraman (makes home 8mm Ultraman movies as a youth) and England's ITC shows (Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet, The Prisoner, etc.) 1981 As a student in Osaka, joins Akai Takami and Yamaga Hiroyuki to form the three-man staff of the Daicon III opening video: Anno's job is the actual animation. 1982 Daicon Film founded; Anno goes to Artland with Akai and Yamaga to work on the TV series Superdimensional Fortress Macross, which became the first part of ROBOTECH in the United States. 1983 Daicon IV opening video wins an Animage Grand Prix award. Anno works on anime version of Kaze no Tani no Nausicaa as a key animator, piling a tremendous load of anime, manga and other reference books on his desk, leaving barely enough room for a single sheet of drawing paper. Miyazaki Hayao is said to have come by and asked, "How is he possibly going to get it all out of here when the job is finished?" 1984 Gainax founded on Christmas Eve, superseding Daicon Film. 1985 Anno works on The Royal Space Force, Gainax's four-minute pilot film for what will be released as The Wings of Honneamise. 1987 Honneamise released; Anno is an animation director and mecha designer on the film. 1988 Anno directs and co-writes Top o Nerae! Gunbuster OAV series, Gainax's first success. Gunbuster was recently voted one of the top 10 OAVs ever at the Emotion (Bandai Visual) 13th Anniversary Celebration. 1990 Anno directs and co-writes TV series Fushigi no Umi no Nadia, Gainax's biggest anime success to date. Nadia wins the Animage Grand Prix. 1991 Otaku no Video, Gainax's last original anime for four years, released. 1995 Neon Genesis Evangelion, directed and written by Anno, premieres. EVANGELION Copyright © 1996 GAINAX Co. Ltd.