Shinya Oohira

大平晋也

Shinya Oohira is one of the most talented and recognized animators in the world of anime. His animation style includes using exaggerating motion, manipulating gravity and balance with use of different perspective shots, lots of rapid camera movement and unconventional angles. With his boldly distorted and vigorous drawing style, his cuts are unique and instantly recognizable.

He has worked as an animator for over thirty years. His early work in the 80's mainly consisted of action and effects cuts. He bounced around several studios, including Sunrise, Madhouse, and Pierrot. His early cuts include Gall Force 2: Destruction, for which he animated a laser beam with a distinctly loose and vivid sense of movement. With its smooth animation and wavy motion pattern, the cut has a lively fluidity to it that can be seen as the first step towards Oohira's current distinctive visuality. He used the same approach on his smoke effects for Akira and a flood for Angel Cop. His style truly came into fruition when he started applying this to solid objects – especially people. The earliest such case is his cut in the fourth episode in The Hakkenden: Shin Shou. The Oohira "wobble," is perhaps his most distinct trademark: the animated objects expand and compress in a wobbling manner.

Aspired to become an animator after having seen Masahito Yamashita's work on Urusei Yatsura.

Took part as a key animator on Quentin Tarantino's "Kill Bill: Vol. 1" in 2003.