Keiichi Hara

is a Japanese director of animated films.

Biography What started Hara on his career as an animation creator was visiting an animation film company as part of his job hunting activities after graduating from Tokyo Designer Gakuin College (TDG). He recklessly left the tour, an act normally forbidden for visitors, and then begged an artistic director to give him a job. A few days later he returned with some continuity drawings he created, as requested. As a result, he was introduced to a commercial film studio.

After working at the studio for eighteen months, he joined Shin-Ei Animation on the recommendation of the president Keijiro Kurokawa. At Shin-Ei he began working on a TV series Kaibutsu-kun as a production manager, then was moved to Doraemon. There for the first time he took on the role of animation director. In working on Doraemon, he was influenced by the chief director Tsutomu Shibayama. Since Hara admired Fujiko Fujio, Doraemons original author, he worked hard and became known for improving quality. He appeared in an animation magazine as a new director to look out for. After Obake no Q Taro and Doraemon, he was chosen as chief director of Esper Mami and worked for this TV series for two and a half years. When Esper Mami ended, he took a break for ten months. Then he returned by working on 21 emon. After 21 emon, he worked on Crayon Shin-chan. For "Shin-chan" he did direction and continuity both for the TV series and the movies, becoming director in October 1996. The 2001 Crayon Shin-chan movie Crayon Shin-chan: The Storm Called: The Adult Empire Strikes Back earned critical praise, and raised his profile. The following year's Crayon Shin-chan: The Storm Called: The Battle of the Warring States was commended by the Agency for Cultural Affairs.

As of 2012 Hara has begun shooting his first live-action film, Hajimari no Michi, which was released in June, 2013.

Television 1983–1986: Doraemon (ドラえもん) Direction/Storyboard 1987–1989: Esper Mami (エスパー魔実) Director/Direction/Storyboard/Screenplay 1989: Chimpui (チンプイ) Director 1989: 21-emon (21エモン) Storyboard 1992–2004: Crayon Shin-chan (クレヨンしんちゃん) Director/Direction/Storyboard/Screenplay

Filmography March 9, 1991: Dorami-chan: Wow, The Kid Gang of Bandits (アララ少年山賊団!) Director March 6, 1993: Dorami-chan: Hello, Dynosis Kids!! (ハロー恐竜キッズ!!) Director July 24, 1993: Crayon Shin-chan: Action Kamen vs Leotard Devil (クレヨンしんちゃん アクション仮面VSハイグレ魔王) Direction/Storyboard/screenplay April 23, 1994: Crayon Shin-chan: The Secret Treasure of Buri Buri Kingdom (クレヨンしんちゃん ブリブリ王国の秘宝) Direction/Storyboard/screenplay April 15, 1995: Crayon Shin-chan: Unkokusai's Ambition (クレヨンしんちゃん 雲黒斎の野望) Direction/Storyboard/screenplay April 13, 1996: Crayon Shin-chan: Adventure in Henderland (クレヨンしんちゃん ヘンダーランドの大冒険) Direction/Storyboard/screenplay April 19, 1997: Crayon Shin-chan: Pursuit of the Balls of Darkness (クレヨンしんちゃん 暗黒タマタマ大追跡) Director/Direction/Storyboard/screenplay April 18, 1998: Crayon Shin-chan: Blitzkrieg! Pig's Hoof's Secret Mission (クレヨンしんちゃん 電撃!ブタのヒヅメ大作戦) Director/Direction/Storyboard/screenplay April 17, 1999: Crayon Shin-chan: Explosion! The Hot Spring's Feel Good Final Battle/Kureshin Paradise! Made in Saitama (クレヨンしんちゃん 爆発!温泉わくわく大決戦 / クレしんパラダイス!メイド・イン・埼玉) Director/Direction/Storyboard/screenplay April 22, 2000: Crayon Shin-chan: The Storm Called The Jungle (クレヨンしんちゃん 嵐を呼ぶジャングル) Director/Direction/Storyboard/screenplay April 21, 2001: Crayon Shin-chan: The Storm Called: The Adult Empire Strikes Back (クレヨンしんちゃん 嵐を呼ぶ モーレツ!オトナ帝国の逆襲) Director/Direction/Storyboard/screenplay April 20, 2002: Crayon Shin-chan: The Storm Called: The Battle of the Warring States (クレヨンしんちゃん 嵐を呼ぶ アッパレ!戦国大合戦) Director/Direction/Storyboard/screenplay April 19, 2003: Crayon Shin-chan: The Storm Called: Yakiniku Road of Honor (クレヨンしんちゃん 嵐を呼ぶ 栄光のヤキニクロード) Direction/Storyboard/screenplay April 17, 2004: Crayon Shin-chan: The Storm Called: The Kasukabe Boys of the Evening Sun (クレヨンしんちゃん 嵐を呼ぶ!夕陽のカスカベボーイズ) Direction/Storyboard April 16, 2005: Crayon Shin-chan: The Legend Called Buri Buri 3 Minutes Charge (クレヨンしんちゃん 伝説を呼ぶブリブリ 3分ポッキリ大進撃) Storyboard July 28, 2007: Summer Days with Coo (河童のクゥと夏休み) Director/Direction/Storyboard/Screenplay August 21, 2010: Colorful (カラフル) Director June 1, 2013: Hajimari no Michi (はじまりのみち) Director/screenplay May 9, 2015: Miss Hokusai (百日紅) Director April 26, 2019: Birthday Wonderland (バースデー・ワンダーランド) Director December 23, 2022: Lonely Castle in the Mirror (かがみの孤城) Director

Honours Medal with Purple Ribbon (2018)