Katsuhiko Nishijima

Best known as the creator of [Project A-Ko](https://anilist.co/anime/212/). He is particularly noted for his work during the ‘80s, going all out in [Urusei Yatsura](https://anilist.co/anime/1293/) and many OVAs and films such as [Outlanders](https://anilist.co/anime/1940/) and [Dirty Pair](https://anilist.co/anime/1796/). He is among the many [Kanada](https://anilist.co/staff/106398/)-influenced animators of the ‘80s, and his work is recognizable from its wide-eyed characters, attention to anatomical detail, and characterful impact frames. Initially he wanted to be a mangaka, but enrolled in university instead after not being sure if he could make a living - though, he did drop out after a year. During his short lived time there, he was watching [Gundam](https://anilist.co/anime/80/) and had sent a letter to [Yoshiyuki Tomino](https://anilist.co/staff/97337/) with the hopes of joining [Sunrise](https://anilist.co/studio/14/). They weren’t accepting in-betweeners at this time, so a producer of theirs referred him to [Studio Live](https://anilist.co/studio/6460/), which he then joined after passing an entrance test in 1979. There he studied under the studio’s founder, [Toyoo Ashida](https://anilist.co/staff/110953/), and started gaining attention for his work on Urusei Yatsura. After working at [Studio Deen](https://anilist.co/studio/37/) for a while, he took part in the establishment of Studio Graviton alongside [Hideaki Anno](https://anilist.co/staff/100111/), [Shouichi Masuo](https://anilist.co/staff/133909/) and [Kouji Itou](https://anilist.co/staff/101166/). He then went freelance and worked regularly for [Studio Fantasia](https://anilist.co/studio/24/). Lately he has shifted more and more towards directing and storyboarding rather than animating himself, often collaborating with his long-time friends [Yuuji Moriyama](https://anilist.co/staff/100658/) and [Noriyasu Yamauchi](https://anilist.co/staff/112903/).