Hajime Ootani

is a Japanese animator, director, and storyboard artist.

Early life Ootani was born in Fukui Prefecture on September 22, 1979.

Career

Ootani joined studio Imagin as an in-between animator around 2004. He mostly worked as a sub-contracting animator, and eventual episode director, for Madhouse and Imagin. He made his directorial debut with an OVA adaptation of Ayano Yamane's manga A Foreign Love Affair. so, in the middle of the production for the series Dance Dance Danseur, produced by MAPPA, he was asked if he wanted to join the series as its "ballet director." Akiyuki Shinbo also commented in a separate interview that he felt Ootani and himself had similar visual sensibilities. Shinbo also said that Ootani was particularly good at horror-esque work, referencing episode 12 of March Comes In like a Lion season 2 (episode 34 overall) and the similarities in atmosphere between it and parts of Pretty Boy Detective Club. Commenting on Ootani's work with Okada, who acted as assistant director for Pretty Boy Detective Club, Shinbo also said that the two complemented each other's weaknesses and strengths as directors. Despite originally being inspired by director Hayao Miyazaki, Ootani has commented that his style is much more eccentric and different from Miyazaki's, which he described was due to trying to survive and stand out in the industry. Oku-sama wa Joshi Kōsei Jun Shishido Madhouse In-between animatorKey animator Eyeshield 21 Masayoshi Nishida Gallop My-Otome Masakazu Obara Sunrise Assistant episode director

Strawberry Panic! Masayuki Sakoi Madhouse Key animator Yume Tsukai Kazuo Yamazaki Madhouse The Story of Saiunkoku Jun Shishido Madhouse 2007 Saiunkoku Monogatari Second Series Jun Shishido Madhouse

Kamen no Maid Guy Masayuki Sakoi Madhouse Chaos;Head Takaaki Ishiyama Madhouse 2009 Needless Masayuki Sakoi Madhouse Assistant directorOpening director and storyboard 2011 Wolverine Hiroshi Aoyama Madhouse Assistant director 2012 Nisemonogatari Akiyuki ShinboTomoyuki Itamura Shaft

Gourmet Girl Graffiti Akiyuki Shinbo Naoyuki Tatsuwa Shaft Nisekoi: Akiyuki Shinbo Shaft Owarimonogatari Akiyuki Shinbo Tomoyuki Itamura Shaft 2016 March Comes In like a Lion Akiyuki ShinboKenjirou Okada Shaft Opening director and storyboard 2017 March Comes In like a Lion 2nd Season Akiyuki ShinboKenjirou Okada Shaft Assistant episode director 2018 Zoku Owarimonogatari Akiyuki Shinbo Shaft

Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story Doroinu Various Shaft Assault Lily Bouquet Shaft 2021 Pretty Boy Detective Club Shaft Ending director 2022 Dance Dance Danseur Munehisa Sakai MAPPA Ballet directorBallet part episode directorBallet part storyboard 2024 Bucchigiri?! Hiroko Utsumi MAPPA 2026 Hell's Paradise: Jigokuraku Season 2 Kaori Makita MAPPA Opening director and storyboard artist

OVAs

Films Year Title Director(s) StudioSBED Other roles and notes Ref(s)2025The Rose of VersaillesAi YoshimuraMAPPA

Video games Year Title Studio Roles Ref(s)2017Magia Record (Arc I)ShaftCutscene director and storyboard artist