Mamoru Hosoda

Director, Animation Department

Birthdate: September 19, 1967 (58 Years Old)

Birthplace: Kamiichi, Japan

Mamoru Hosoda is an acclaimed, Oscar-nominated Japanese anime filmmaker who—like legendary anime filmmaker Hiyao Miyazaki—created his own animation studio, Studio Chizu, to create his own features known for a darker (than typical anime) narrative and stylistic tone since 2011.

Hosoda made his feature directorial debut with Toei Animation’s manga sequel, One Piece: Baron Omatsuri and the Secret Island (2005), the sixth entry in the One Piece series based on Eiichiro Oda’s manga series and grossing $10.5 million for distributor Toei Co. Hosoda then directed two features for animation studio Madhouse, each written by Satoko Okudera: the lovely sci-fi romance, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (2006), loosely based on Yasutaka Tsutsui’s 1967 novel, released by Kadokawa Pictures (Japan)/Bandai Entertainment (U.S., in 2008) and subsequently re-released by Funimation in 2016, and winner of the Japan Academy Film Prize for Best Animated Film; as was Hosoda’s sci-fi Summer Wars (2009), an original movie for which Hosoda wrote the story, grossing $18.4 million for distributors Warner Bros. (Japan)/GKIDS (U.S.)/CJ Entertainment (South Korea)/Cathay Organisation (Singapore)/Mighty Media (Taiwan)/Eurozoom (France).

Hosoda launched his feature films at his own Studio Chizu as director/co-screenwriter (with Satoko Okudera)/story writer, with the fantasy drama Wolf Children (2012), released by Toho (Japan)/Funimation (U.S.)/Manga Entertainment (U.K.), earning a box office take of $55 million. Hosoda made his first anime feature as sole director/writer of Studio Chizu’s adventure fantasy The Boy and the Beast (2015), released by Toho (Japan)/Funimation (U.S.)/Gaumont (Europe/StudioCanal (U.K, Ireland)/Madman Entertainment (Australia)/Mongrel Media (Canada) to a dazzling $51.4 million return, and winning Animation of the Year from Japan Academy Film Prize.

Mamoru Hosoda was director/writer of Studio Chizu’s adventure fantasy Mirai (2018), notable for being the first non-Studio Ghibli feature to be nominated for the Oscar’s Best Animated Feature award, premiering in the Cannes Film Festival’s Directors Fortnight competition, and grossing $30.4 million for distributors Toho (Japan)/GKIDS (North America)/Madman Entertainment (Australia, New Zealand)/Anime Limited (U.K., Ireland).

Hosoda directed and wrote the acclaimed fantasy feature, Belle (2021), premiering in the Cannes Film Festival and earning a strong $64.7 million gross for distributors Toho (Japan)/GKIDS (North America)/Charades (France)/Kismet (Australia, New Zealand)/Anime Limited (U.K., Ireland)/Wild Bunch (France)/Koch Media (Italy, German-speaking territories). Hosoda’s fifth Studio Chizu feature (also backed by Nippon Television and Columbia Pictures), and fourth as director/writer, was the Hamlet-inspired fantasy action anime, Scarlet (2025), premiering out of competition in the Venice Film Festival, and released by Toho (Japan)/Sony Pictures Classics (U.S.)/Sony Pictures Releasing International (International outside of U.S.).

Hosoda, previous to his directing career, served as key animator on several of Toei’s feature series, including the Sailor Moon series (1995), the GeGeGe no Kitaro (1996) and the Dragon Ball Z series (1993-1996), and also directed several Toei-produced short films designed for presentation at animation fairs and theme parks, including three shorts in the Digimon Adventure series (1999-2000).

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Personal Life
Movies
Facts

Personal life

Mamoru Hosoda was born and raised in Kamiichi, Toyama, Japan by his father (a railway engineer) and mother (a tailor). Hosoda studied oil painting at Kanazawa College of Art, from which he graduated. Hosoda is married with two children.

Known For

Summer Wars

(2009)

The Girl Who Leapt Through Time

(2006)

Wolf Children

(2012)

The Boy and the Beast

(2015)

Mamoru Hosoda Movies

Director

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Previous (7)

2025 |
Scarlet
Scarlet
2025
Action, Adventure, Animation, Fantasy, Romance, Sci-Fi
A medieval princess on a quest to avenge her father's death awakens in a realm between life and death, where she encounters an idealistic young man from the present day who shows her the possibility of a future free of bitterness and rage.
More Info
2022 |
Belle
Belle
2022
Adventure, Animation, Drama, Family, Fantasy, Music, Musical, Sci-Fi
Suzu is a shy high school student living in a rural village. For years, she has only been a shadow of herself. But when she enters "U", a massive virtual world, she escapes into her online persona as Belle, a globally-beloved singer.
2018 |
Mirai
Mirai
2018
Adventure, Animation, Drama, Family, Fantasy
A young boy encounters a magical garden which enables him to travel through time and meet his relatives from different eras, with guidance by his younger sister from the future.
More Info
2016 |
The Boy and the Beast
The Boy and the Beast
2016
Action, Adventure, Animation, Drama, Fantasy
When a young orphaned boy living on the streets of Shibuya stumbles upon a fantastic world of beasts, he's taken in by a gruff warrior beast looking for an apprentice.
2012 |
Wolf Children
Wolf Children
2012
Animation, Drama, Family, Fantasy
After her werewolf lover unexpectedly dies in an accident while hunting for food for their children, a young woman must find ways to raise the werewolf son and daughter that she had with him while keeping their trait hidden from society.
2010 |
Summer Wars
Summer Wars
2010
Action, Adventure, Animation, Comedy, Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi
A student tries to fix a problem he accidentally caused in OZ, a digital world, while pretending to be the fiancé of his friend at her grandmother's 90th birthday.
2006 |
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time
2006
Adventure, Animation, Comedy, Drama, Family, Fantasy, Mystery, Romance, Sci-Fi
A high-school girl named Makoto acquires the power to travel back in time, and decides to use it for her own personal benefits. Little does she know that she is affecting the lives of others just as much as she is her own.

Writer

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Previous (3)

2022 |
Belle
Belle
2022
Adventure, Animation, Drama, Family, Fantasy, Music, Musical, Sci-Fi
Suzu is a shy high school student living in a rural village. For years, she has only been a shadow of herself. But when she enters "U", a massive virtual world, she escapes into her online persona as Belle, a globally-beloved singer.
2018 |
Mirai
Mirai
2018
Adventure, Animation, Drama, Family, Fantasy
A young boy encounters a magical garden which enables him to travel through time and meet his relatives from different eras, with guidance by his younger sister from the future.
More Info
2016 |
The Boy and the Beast
The Boy and the Beast
2016
Action, Adventure, Animation, Drama, Fantasy
When a young orphaned boy living on the streets of Shibuya stumbles upon a fantastic world of beasts, he's taken in by a gruff warrior beast looking for an apprentice.

Facts About Mamoru Hosoda

Recurring Themes: Mamoru Hosoda’s films are frequently concerned with families and digital technology. Before Animation: Hosoda has not always made animated films, and for a period when he was studying painting at Kanazawa College of Art, he made nearly 50 video art works as well as fiction short films, which he submitted to competitions at the Pia Film Festival and Image Forum Festival. “Rejected” by Miyazaki: Mamoru Hosoda applied to a training program at Studio Ghibli, but though he failed to pass the program’s exam, whe as informed directly by Hayao Miyazaki that hiring someone of Hosoda’s skills would diminish his talents.

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