Akitarou Daichi

大地丙太郎

He is a Tokyo Polytechnic University graduate. Although Daichi was an aspiring stage photographer he instead joined animation photography company Tokyo Animation Film where he continued to work for 5 years, although he temporarily changed jobs and shot live-action karaoke videos instead. In 1991 he left his employer, worked at a game production for half a year, and returned to the animation industry where he would study under animation director Tetsuo Yasumi. Daichi would advance into episode direction and caught the eyes of Tatsuo Satou and Hiroaki Sakurai who were impressed with his work on Akazukin Chacha. Daichi made his solo directorial debut in 1995 with Nurse Angel Ririka SOS. Since 2015 he serves as scriptwriter and director for Kodomo no Omocha's stage version of which he directed the anime as well. Presently he's a freelance director.

Style
He specializes in high-tension comedy and often includes comedy and lighthearted moments even in more serious works. In his comedies he often smoothly deforms the characters far beyond their design, inspired by gag manga king Fujio Akatsuka. His directing work tends to include live-action images or brief flashbacks from past episodes. Since childhood Daichi became affected and inspired by the works of famous jidaigeki actor Joushirou Konoe inspiring him to make more historical samurai works.

Daichi is particular about choosing voice actors and has discovered several talents such as Ayaka Saitou, Nozomi Sasaki, and Reiko Yasuhara.

Accolades

Ojarumaru won the 1999 Japan Media Arts Festival Animation Excellence Award.
Maksete Iruka! won the 2004 Japan Media Arts Festival Animation Excellence Award.
Gyagu Manga Biyori was recommended by the Japan Media Arts Festival Animation committee in 2005.

Controversies
In 2018 and 2019 voice actress Hiroko Konishi alleged that she was propositioned by her manager to enter a mixed bath with Daichi in the nude and was blacklisted from the voice acting industry when she refused.