Tatsuya Ishihara

A prominent director and a key member of [Kyoto Animation](https://anilist.co/studio/2/). After graduating from Osaka Designers' College in the late '80s, Ishihara joined Kyoto Animation and began his career as an animator. In 1991, he made his debut as a director with [Shiawasette Naani](https://anilist.co/anime/13441/). After that, he switched his focus to directing. Back then Kyoto Animation was still a sub-contracting studio, so therefore Ishihara could only get a handful of opportunities directing. Some of the shows in which Ishihara got to direct multiple episodes were [Tenchi Muyou!](https://anilist.co/anime/696/), [Aka-chan to Boku](https://anilist.co/anime/1485/), [Hyper Police](https://anilist.co/anime/1180/), and [Inuyasha](https://anilist.co/anime/249/). He also storyboarded the majority of the episodes he directed. In 2003, Kyoto Animation started their transformation into a full-fledged animation studio producing their first anime series, [Fullmetal Panic? Fumoffu](https://anilist.co/anime/72/). Ishihara directed and storyboarded the 7th episode of the show. Two years later in 2005, he made his proper directorial debut directing the studio's second TV show, [Air](https://anilist.co/anime/101/). The following year he directed the award winning anime series, [The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya](https://anilist.co/anime/849/). From here Ishihara has gone on to direct multiple of Kyoto Animation's acclaimed works.