Akitaro Daichi

He is a Tokyo Polytechnic University graduate. Although Daichi was an aspiring stage photographer he instead joined animation photography company Tokyo Animation Film where he continued to work for 5 years, although he temporarily changed jobs and shot live-action karaoke videos instead.

In 1991 he left his employer, worked at a game production for half a year, and returned to the animation industry where he would study under animation director Tetsuo Yasumi. Daichi would advance into episode direction and caught the eyes of Tatsuo Satou and Hiroaki Sakurai who were impressed with his work on Akazukin Chacha. Daichi made his solo directorial debut in 1995 with Nurse Angel Ririka SOS.

Since 2015 he serves as scriptwriter and director for Kodomo no Omocha's stage version of which he directed the anime as well. Presently he's a freelance director. He specializes in high-tension comedy and often includes comedy and lighthearted moments even in more serious works. In his comedies he often smoothly deforms the characters far beyond their design, inspired by gag manga king Fujio Akatsuka.