Junji Nishimura

Junji Nishimura (西村 純二, Nishimura Junji, born December 23, 1955) is a Japanese anime director and producer currently residing in Karatsu, Saga. After graduating from Meiji Gakuin University in 1980, Nishimura entered into the anime studio Nishiko Production. Nishimura had his first job as a producer for Baldios in 1980, and went on to be in charge of production in other series such as Six God Combination Godmars, and Magical Princess Minky Momo in 1982. An episode of Urusei Yatsura he directed in 1982, "After You've Gone" (episode #44), was voted the favorite episode of the TV series by Japanese fans. In 1984, Nishimura resigned from Nishiko and in 1985 had his director debut with Pro Golfer Saru. Since then, he has worked as the director on many anime produced by Studio Deen, notably Ranma ½ (serving as series director on later television seasons and for the OVA series as well) and Kyo Kara Maoh!. In 2019, he was named as director of a new anime series, Vladlove, about a girl vampire that was written by Mamoru Oshii and financed by Ichigo Inc.