Kenjirou Okada

Kenjirou Okada 岡田 堅二朗
Born	Japan
Occupation(s)	Director, storyboard artist
Years active	2005–present
Employer	Group TAC (2005–2010)
Known for	March Comes In like a Lion

Kenjirou Okada (Japanese: 岡田 堅二朗, Hepburn: Okada Kenjirō) is a Japanese director and storyboard artist best known for directing March Comes In like a Lion.

Career

Okada started off in the anime industry as a production assistant for Zoids: Genesis in 2005 at Group TAC.[1] Over several years, Okada worked to this capacity, and in 2007 was promoted to production manager on Nenbutsu Monogatari (released in 2008). Two years later, in 2010, he made his debut as an episode director on episode 124 of Hana Kappa. That year, however, Group TAC filed for bankruptcy, and Okada had a short tenure at Studio CJT (founded by former Group TAC members) as a producer,[2] but that same year became a freelancing director. In 2012, he became associated with Shaft and made his debut with the studio on the 2nd episode of Nekomonogatari: Black. For the next 4 years, he participated in a number of Shaft productions as an episode director and storyboard artist, and in 2016 made his debut as a series director with the studio on March Comes In like a Lion under Akiyuki Shinbo's direction,[3] which received positive reviews from critics.[4][5] Okada occasionally works with other companies, but a majority of his output continues to be with Shaft.

Style

In an interview between him and Shaft colleague Hajime Ootani, the two were asked to describe each other's styles and processes as directors. Commenting on his own style, Okada stated that he gave more attention to appealing to fans of the works he was adapting and the original author's expectations, to which Ootani supported and gave admiration for.[6] In 2021, Okada acted as assistant director for Ootani's Pretty Boy Detective Club, and chief director Shinbo stated that Ootani and Okada complimented each other's strengths and weaknesses.[7]

Works

Television series

  In "Director(s)" column highlights Okada's directorial works.

Year	Title	Director(s)	Studio	SB[a]	ED[b]	Other roles and notes	Ref(s)
2005	Zoids: Genesis	Kazunori Mizuno	SMDE	No	No	Production assistant	[1]
2006	Otogi-Jūshi Akazukin	Takaaki Ishiyama	Madhouse	No	No	Production assistant	[8]
2007	Bakugan Battle Brawlers	Mitsuo Hashimoto	TMS Entertainment Japan Vistec	No	No	Production assistant
2009	Kimi ni Todoke	Hiro Kaburagi	Production I.G	No	No	In-between animator	[9]
2012	Tsuritama	Kenji Nakamura	A-1 Pictures	No	Yes		[10]
	Nekomonogatari: Black	Akiyuki Shinbo Tomoyuki Itamura (series)	Shaft	No	Yes		[11]
	Picchipichi Shizuku-chan	Kazumi Nonaka	Asahi Production	No	No	Producer	[2]
2013	From the New World	Masashi Ishihama	A-1 Pictures	No	Yes		[12]
	Sasami-san@Ganbaranai	Akiyuki Shinbo	Shaft	No	Yes		[13]
	Monogatari Series Second Season	Akiyuki Shinbo (chief) Tomoyuki Itamura Naoyuki Tatsuwa (series, #6–9) Yuki Yase (series, #14–17)	Shaft	No	Yes	Assistant episode director 2nd key animator	[14][15][16]
	Gatchaman Crowds	Kenji Nakamura	Tatsunoko Production	No	Yes		[17]
2014	Buddy Complex	Yasuhiro Tanabe	Sunrise	No	Yes		[18]
	Captain Earth	Takuya Igarashi	Bones	No	Yes		[19]
	Mekakucity Actors	Akiyuki Shinbo (chief) Yuki Yase	Shaft	No	Yes		[20]
	Hanamonogatari	Akiyuki Shinbo (chief) Tomoyuki Itamura	Shaft	No	Yes		[21][22]
	Tsukimonogatari	Akiyuki Shinbo (chief) Tomoyuki Itamura	Shaft	No	Yes		[23]
2015	Nisekoi:	Akiyuki Shinbo (chief) Yukihiro Miyamoto (chief episode)	Shaft	Yes	Yes		[24][25]
	Aria the Scarlet Ammo AA	Takashi Kawabata	Doga Kobo	No	Yes		[26]
	Owarimonogatari	Akiyuki Shinbo (chief) Tomoyuki Itamura	Shaft	No	Yes		[27]
2016	March Comes In like a Lion	Akiyuki Shinbo Kenjirou Okada (series)	Shaft	Yes	Yes		[3][28][29]
2017	March Comes In like a Lion 2nd Season	Akiyuki Shinbo Kenjirou Okada (series)	Shaft	Yes	Yes		[30][31][32]
2018	Fate/Extra: Last Encore	Akiyuki Shinbo (chief) Yukihiro Miyamoto (series)	Shaft	No	Yes		[33]
2019	Zoku Owarimonogatari	Akiyuki Shinbo	Shaft	Yes	Yes		[34]
2020	Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story	Doroinu (chief) Yukihiro Miyamoto Kenjirou Okada Midori Yoshizawa	Shaft	Yes	Yes		[35][36][37][38] [39]
	Wave, Listen to Me!	Tatsuma Minamikawa	Sunrise	Yes	No		[40]
	Assault Lily Bouquet	Shouji Saeki Hajime Ootani (chief episode)	Shaft	Yes	Yes		[41]
2021	Pretty Boy Detective Club	Akiyuki Shinbo (chief) Hajime Ootani	Shaft	Yes	Yes	Assistant director	[42][43][44]
2022	RWBY: Ice Queendom	Toshimasa Suzuki Kenjirou Okada (chief)	Shaft	Yes	Yes		[45]
2023	Horimiya: The Missing Pieces	Masashi Ishihama	CloverWorks	Yes	Yes		[46]
2024	Black Butler: Public School Arc	Kenjirou Okada	CloverWorks	Yes	Yes		[47]
2025	Black Butler: Emerald Witch Arc	Kenjirou Okada	CloverWorks	Yes	Yes		[48]

OVAsONAs

Year	Title	Director(s)	Studio	SB[a]	ED[b]	Other roles and notes	Ref(s)
2008	Nenbutsu Monogatari	Takashi Ui	Group Tac	No	No	Production manager
2016	Koyomimonogatari	Akiyuki Shinbo (chief) Tomoyuki Itamura	Shaft	No	Yes		[49]

Films

Year	Title	Director(s)	Studio	SB[a]	ED[b]	Other roles and notes	Ref(s)
2006	Eien no Hou	Isamu Imakake	Group TAC	No	No	Production assistant
2020	Josee, the Tiger and the Fish	Kōtarō Tamura	Bones	No	Yes		[50]

Video games

Year	Title	Studio	Roles and notes	Ref(s)
2017	Magia Record (Arc I)	Shaft	Cutscene director and storyboard artist	[51]

Notes

1. Storyboard artist.
2. Episode director, equivalent to unit director.

Citations

• Aniplex (2021). Pretty Boy Detective Club Vol. 5 Special Booklet. Aniplex.

References

1. Zoids: Genesis (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episodes 23, 29, 37. 制作進行 - 岡田堅二朗 [Production advancer - Kenjirou Okada]
2. Picchipichi Shizuku-chan (in Japanese). Event occurs at opening credits. プロデューサー - 岡田堅二朗 [Producer - Kenjirou Okada]
3. "3月のライオン March comes in like a lion". Media Arts Database (in Japanese). Agency for Cultural Affairs. Retrieved December 18, 2020.
4. Jensen, Paul; Ekens, Gabriella (April 16, 2018). "Shelf Life - March Comes in Like a Lion Season 1 Part 1". Anime News Network. Retrieved December 18, 2020.
5. "The Fall 2016 Anime Preview Guide - March comes in like a lion". Anime News Network. October 8, 2016. Retrieved December 18, 2020.
6. Kenjirou Okada and Hajime Ootani (January 24, 2018). March Comes In like a Lion Blu-Ray Volume 5 (Interview) (in Japanese).
7. Aniplex 2021, p. 13.
8. Otogi-Jūshi Akazukin (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episodes 23, 29, 37. 制作進行 - 岡田堅二朗 [Production advancer - Kenjirou Okada]
9. Kimi ni Todoke (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episode 10. 動画 - 岡田堅二朗 (Telecom Animation Film) [In-between animator - Kenjirou Okada (Telecom Animation Film)]
10. Tsuritama (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episode 10. 演出 - 岡田堅二朗 [Episode director - Kenjirou Okada]
11. Nekomonogatari: Black (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episode 2. 演出 - 岡田堅二朗 [Episode director - Kenjirou Okada]
12. From the New World (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episode 20. 演出 - 岡田堅二朗 [Episode director - Kenjirou Okada]
13. Sasami-san@Ganbaranai (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episode 10. 演出 - 岡田堅二朗 [Episode director - Kenjirou Okada]
14. Monogatari Series Second Season (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episodes 1, 4, 12, 18, 23. 演出 - 岡田堅二朗 [Episode director - Kenjirou Okada]
15. Monogatari Series Second Season (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episode 3. 演出協力 - 岡田堅二朗 [Assistant episode director - Kenjirou Okada]
16. Monogatari Series Second Season (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episode 23. 第二原画 - 岡田堅二朗 [2nd key animator - Kenjirou Okada]
17. Gatchaman Crowds (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episode 10. 演出 - 岡田堅二朗 [Episode director - Kenjirou Okada]
18. Buddy Complex (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episode 11. 演出 - 岡田堅二朗 [Episode director - Kenjirou Okada]
19. Captain Earth (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episode 19. 演出 - 岡田堅二朗 [Episode director - Kenjirou Okada]
20. Mekakucity Actors (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episode 3. 演出 - 岡田堅二朗 [Episode director - Kenjirou Okada]
21. Hanamonogatari (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episodes 1, 4. 演出 - 岡田堅二朗 [Episode director - Kenjirou Okada]
22. Hanamonogatari (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episode 4. 絵コンテ - 岡田堅二朗 [Storyboard artist - Kenjirou Okada]
23. Tsukimonogatari (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episode 2. 演出 - 岡田堅二朗 [Episode director - Kenjirou Okada]
24. Nisekoi: (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episodes 2, 12. 絵コンテ - 岡田堅二朗 [Storyboard artist - Kenjirou Okada]
25. Nisekoi: (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episodes 2, 11. 演出 - 岡田堅二朗 [Episode director - Kenjirou Okada]
26. Aria the Scarlet Ammo AA (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episode 3. 演出 - 岡田堅二朗 [Episode director - Kenjirou Okada]
27. Owarimonogatari (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episodes 7, 13. 演出 - 岡田堅二朗 [Episode director - Kenjirou Okada]
28. March Comes In like a Lion (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episodes 1, 22. 演出 - 岡田堅二朗 [Episode director - Kenjirou Okada]
29. March Comes In like a Lion (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episode 11. 絵コンテ - 岡田堅二朗 [Storyboard artist - Kenjirou Okada]
30. March Comes In like a Lion 2nd Season (in Japanese). Event occurs at opening credits. シリーズディレクター - 岡田堅二朗 [Director - Kenjirou Okada]
31. March Comes In like a Lion 2nd Season (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episodes 4, 22. 演出 - 岡田堅二朗 [Episode director - Kenjirou Okada]
32. March Comes In like a Lion 2nd Season (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episode 9. 絵コンテ - 岡田堅二朗 [Storyboard artist - Kenjirou Okada]
33. Fate/Extra: Last Encore (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episode 13. 演出 - 岡田堅二朗 [Episode director - Kenjirou Okada]
34. Zoku Owarimonogatari (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episode 3. 絵コンテ / 演出 - 岡田堅二朗 [Storyboard artist / Episode director - Kenjirou Okada]
35. それが絶交証明書 [It's Proof of the End of a Friendship]. Magia Record Anime. Retrieved December 18, 2020.
36. 友達にしてごめんね [Sorry For Making You My Friend]. Magia Record Anime. Retrieved December 18, 2020.
37. なんだってしてやるよ [I'll Do Anything]. Magia Record Anime. Retrieved December 18, 2020.
38. 一緒に帰りたい [I Want to Go Home With You]. Magia Record Anime. Retrieved December 18, 2020.
39. どうしてこんなにみじめなんですか [Why is This So Unbearable?]. Magia Record Anime. Retrieved December 18, 2020.
40. Wave, Listen to Me! (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episode 3. 絵コンテ - 岡田堅二朗 [Storyboard artist - Kenjirou Okada]
41. 第9話コスモス [Episode 9 - Cosmos]. Assault Lily Bouquet (in Japanese). Retrieved December 18, 2020.
42. Hodgkins, Crystalyn (March 13, 2021). "Pretty Boy Detective Cluv TV Anime Reveals New Promo Video, More Staff, More Cast". Anime News Network. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
43. Pretty Boy Detective Club (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episodes 1, 8, 12. 演出 - 岡田堅二朗 [Episode director - Kenjirou Okada]
44. Pretty Boy Detective Club (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episodes 4, 8. 絵コンテ - 岡田堅二朗 [Storyboard artist - Kenjirou Okada]
45. Pineda, Rafael Antonio (March 24, 2022). "Shaft Animates New RWBY TV Anime RWBY: Ice Queendom". Anime News Network. Retrieved March 24, 2022.
46. "Terebi Anime "Horimiya -piece-" Kōshiki Saito | Sutōrī" TVアニメ「ホリミヤ -piece-」公式サイト | STORY [TV Anime "Horimiya: The Missing Pieces" Official Website | Story]. horimiya-anime.com (in Japanese). Retrieved July 10, 2023.
47. Pineda, Rafael Antonio (July 3, 2023). "Black Butler Gets New Anime Season in 2024". Anime News Network. Retrieved July 3, 2023.
48. Tai, Anita (July 6, 2024). "Black Butler: Emerald Witch Arc Anime Premieres in 2025". Anime News Network. Retrieved July 6, 2024.
49. Koyomimonogatari (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episodes 11–12. 演出 - 岡田堅二朗 [Episode director - Kenjirou Okada]
50. Josee, the Tiger and the Fish (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits. 演出 - 岡田堅二朗 [Unit director - Kenjirou Okada]
51. Magia Record (video game) (in Japanese). ゲーム内アニメーション 絵コンテ･演出 - 大谷肇 / 岡田堅二朗 / 宮本幸裕 [In-game animation storyboard artist and director - Hajime Ootani / Kenjirou Okada / Yukihiro Miyamoto]

External links

• Kenjirou Okada at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
• Kenjirou Okada at IMDb