Takayuki Hirao

[Twitter](https://x.com/hira0takayuk1) He graduated from Osaka's Designer College and started his career at [Madhouse](https://anilist.co/studio/11/MADHOUSE) as a production assistant, later making the transition to storyboarder and episode director with [Texhnolyze](https://anilist.co/anime/26/). During his time at Madhouse he served as Assistant Director to [Satoshi Kon](https://anilist.co/staff/99580/Satoshi-Kon) on [Paranoia Agent](https://anilist.co/anime/323/Paranoia-Agent/) and was greatly influenced by him, regarding him as his mentor. Shortly after leaving Madhouse he joined [Ufotable](https://anilist.co/studio/43/ufotable), where he worked for several years and made his proper directorial debut with [Kara no Kyoukai 5](https://anilist.co/anime/4282/). He left Ufotable in 2016 and he's been freelance since, returning to the company only to direct the opening for the video game Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey. Him and [Tetsurou Araki](https://anilist.co/staff/100088/) are really close friends since their days at Madhouse. They run a column called *Bariuta no ai wo shiritai!!* published in the Animage monthly magazine. He is married to color designer [Emi Chiba](https://anilist.co/staff/103075/).