Masao Maruyama

Masao Maruyama

Birth : 1941-06-19, Shiogama, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan

History

Masao Maruyama (丸山 正雄, born June 19, 1941) is a Japanese anime producer and anime entrepreneur, the co-founder of Madhouse, as well as the founder of MAPPA and Studio M2. He is the current chairman of MAPPA and president of Studio M2. Maruyama has been involved in the Japanese animation business for over 50 years. He has worked with many well-known and up-and-coming animators, established several animation production companies, worked on dozens of series and films, and planned and produced various works. Maruyama is one of the most experienced producers in the Japanese animation industry and has given opportunities to individuals who went on to become accomplished directors in their own right. Among the talents he picked up were Satoshi Kon, Mamoru Hosoda, and Sunao Katabuchi. He also gave Masaaki Yuasa and Mitsuo Iso a chance to direct at a very early stage. He also gave Mamoru Hosoda, who was thinking of returning to his hometown to change careers after he was forced to drop out of directing Studio Ghibli's Howl's Moving Castle, a chance to direct his first theatrical film after resigning from Toei Animation. Yuichiro Hayashi, Munehisa Sakai, and Sunghoo Park, who became MAPPA's main directors, and Sayo Yamamoto, his direct protégé at Madhouse, are also people whose talents were discovered by Maruyama. His ability to find talented people helped Madhouse and MAPPA to make great strides. Description above from the Wikipedia article Masao Maruyama (film producer), licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Profile

Masao Maruyama

Movies

Satoshi Kon, l'illusionniste
Self
A subtle portrait of Japanese director Satoshi Kon by the specialist of Japanese cinema Pascal-Alex Vincent and a dive into a rich work. With interviews of the greatest Japanese, French and American directors inspired by his work.
Homage to Satoshi Kon with Masao Maruyama
Self - Film Producer
Japanese Masao Maruyama, co-founder of the Madhouse studio and producer of the cult films Perfect Blue and Tokyo Godfathers talks about the fantastic universe of mangaka and filmmaker Satoshi Kon (1963-2010), one of the most brilliant and fascinating authors of world animation, ten years after his death.
One Arm
Producer
A woman lends an admirer her arm for the course of one night for him to find pleasure with it... An eerie erotic short story by Nobel Prize laureat Kawabata Yasunari is turned into minimalist animation of dazzling beauty indebted to Alfons Maria Mucha. A true gem created by two anime giants.
In This Corner of the World
Producer
Japan, 1943, during World War II. Young Suzu leaves her village near Hiroshima to marry and live with her in-laws in Kure, a military harbor. Her creativity to overcome deprivation quickly makes her indispensable at home. Inhabited by an ancestral wisdom, Suzu impregnates the simple gestures of everyday life with poetry and beauty. The many hardships, the loss of loved ones, the frequent air raids of the enemy, nothing alters her enthusiasm…
Hunter x Hunter: Phantom Rouge
Producer
Gon, Killua, Kurapika and Leorio reunite to face a dangerous opponent who was once a member of the Phantom Troupe.
Death Note Relight 2: L's Successors
Producer
After the events of the first movie Yagami Light faces two new adversaries as he is trying to create a perfect world without crime or criminals. This movie continues the first tv special and is a summary of the last 12 episodes of the tv anime
Highlander: The Search for Vengeance
Producer
Colin MacLeod hunts for the man responsible for the death of his love. He chases the immortal Marcus Octavius across centuries as his quest threatens to take over his life and heart. In his quest, he meets a woman who reminds him of his slain beauty. But it's his final battle with Marcus that will decide not only his fate, but also the fate of everyone in the world.
Final Fantasy VII: Last Order
Producer
In the events of Last Order, taking place five years before the beginning of Final Fantasy VII itself, Sephiroth was ordered to inspect the Mako Reactor outside the town of Nibelheim with a small entourage, consisting of one other member of SOLDIER and a few Shin-Ra MPs. Among this group was SOLDIER 1st Class member Zack and his buddy, a 16-year-old Shin-Ra trooper named Cloud Strife.
Aquarian Age the Movie
Executive Producer
Mayumi, the peaceful daughter of an E.G.O. leader, has never been able to come to terms with her faction's mission or her psychic abilities. Everything changes when, in the middle of a horrific attack on Earth, a mysterious boy named Hokuto appears. Mayumi is suddenly infused with a power she's never felt before. Hokuto convinces a new generation of E.G.O., ARAYASHIKI, WIZ-DOM, and DARKLORE members that the world is in danger. The POLESTAR EMPIRE, led by the ambitious Emperor, seeks to conquer the universe by resurrecting dead warriors. Four young women will discover their own personal strengths to face the ultimate evil in the Aquarian Age, a chaotic period rife with war.
Nasu: Summer in Andalusia
Producer
Pepe Benengeli is a second-class cyclist, only there to support the star member of the team. This summer he is participating in the Tour of Spain, which passes through the streets of his hometown of Andalusia. In a coincidence, his brother and ex-girlfriend are getting married on the same day as the climax of the race. Pepe, who left his hometown after suffering a breakdown, is determined to achieve something special on this day.
Millennium Actress
Executive Producer
Documentary filmmaker Genya Tachibana has tracked down the legendary actress Chiyoko Fujiwara, who mysteriously vanished at the height of her career. When he presents her with a key she had lost and thought was gone forever, the filmmaker could not have imagined that it would not only unlock the long-held secrets of Chiyoko’s life... but also his own.
X: An Omen
Producer
The story is focused on the future as seen by Kuzuki Kakyou, the dreamgazer of Dragons of Earth, as he remembers the life and death of a remarkable young woman whom he met in his dreams. He also recounts his dreams of a tragic future in which the fate of the earth will be decided.
Metropolis
Producer
Kenichi and his detective uncle, Shunsaku Ban, leave Japan to visit Metropolis, in search of the criminal, Dr. Laughton. However, when they finally find Dr. Laughton, Kenichi and Shunsaku find themselves seperated and plunged into the middle of a larger conspiracy. While Shunsaku searches for his nephew and explanations, Kenichi tries to protect Tima (a mysterious young girl), from Duke Red and his adopted son Rock, both of whom have very different reasons for wanting to find her.
Reign: The Conqueror Movie
Producer
Prince Alexander, son of King Philip, and heir to the Macedonian empire, must fend off political saboteurs, assassins, and the jealousy of his own father to ascend to the position of king. Once there, he begins his quest to conquer all nations and become known as the Great King, though an ancient prophecy foretells that he will be the destroyer of the world and forever remembered as the Devil King.
Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust
Producer
D has been hired to track down Meier Link, a notoriously powerful vampire who has abducted a woman, Charlotte Elbourne. D's orders are strict - find Charlotte, at any cost. For the first time, D faces serious competition. The Markus Brothers, a family of Vampire Hunters, were hired for the same bounty. D Must intercept Meier and conquer hostile forces on all sides in a deadly race against time.
Cardcaptor Sakura: The Movie
Executive Producer
Sakura Kinomoto, a Card Captor, wins a game of chance and is awarded a trip to Hong Kong, along with her best friend Tomoyo and her rival, Syaoran Li. It turns out that the ancient rival of Clow Reed, the creator of the mysterious and powerful Clow Cards, summoned them, and she's out for revenge. A battle ensues, and secrets are revealed about Clow Reed's shady past and Sakura's connection to him.
Satanika
Producer
Based on an original character created by Danzig lead singer Glenn Danzig for his comic company Verotik Press. This three-minute pilot was created by Madhouse for a planned Satanika OVA series. As Verotik Press encountered financial difficulties and closed, a full-length anime was never produced.
Memories
Producer
In this anime anthology, a salvage ship crew happens upon a haunted vessel in "Magnetic Rose"; a cold tablet turns a lab worker into a biological weapon in "Stink Bomb"; and an urban populace carries on an endless war with an unseen foe in "Cannon Fodder."
Azuki-chan the Movie
Producer
Valentine's Day is approaching and Azuki and Kaoru have their minds full with getting gifts for Yuunosuke and Ken.
Bio Hunter
Producer
A strange virus known as the Demon Virus, attacks the human genetic code, transforming people into monsters with demonic powers. One particular monster is terrorizing the streets of Tokyo. ripping open young women to devour their livers. A famed psychic holds the secret to the identity and purpose of this monster. Now it is up to two molecular biologists. self-proclaimed Bio Hunters Komada and Koshigaya, to reach the psychic and his beautiful daughter before its too late! The Demon Virus is out to conquer the world.
Bronze: Cathexis Koji Nanjo
Producer
A 30-minute OVA composed of five Koji Nanjo music videos, featuring never-seen scenes between Takuto and him, with an original art gallery by Minami Ozaki at the end.
A-Girl
Producer
Sisters Mariko and May, along with Mariko's bad-tempered boyfriend, become involved with Ichiro, an arrogant, womanising male model.
Kiss Me On The Apple Of My Eye
Producer
Ibuki Morisato's dream of kissing a prince turned into reality when her dream prince appeared as the new transfer student?!
Pops
Producer
Harada Kusuko is a high school girl with a secret crush on the class playboy, Mishima Takeshi.
Singles
Producer
Graduating senior Sakisaka Saki is secretly in love with her older sister Noriko's boyfriend, Kazame Kaname, unaware that Noriko and Kaname have broken up. Saki hopes to escape her dilemma when she goes to college, but she ends up attending the same college as Kaname. During orientation, she is recruited to Kaname's video club. He wants to film her, but so does another boy, Tachibana Daichi, who is secretly in love with her. Can the knots be untangled and true love find its true course?
Desperate Love
Producer
Koji Nanjo, a young rock star, falls in love with soccer player Takuto Izumi. Koji eventually learns that Izumi's mother killed his father out of severe and intense love. Izumi took all the guilt for his father's murder and refuses to go pro because of fear that his past will be discovered by the media. Izumi detests Koji's company and encouragement and severely dislikes the attention from the press, but Koji cannot stay away for he soon realizes that his love for Izumi is very similar to the love that Izumi's mother felt for his father.
Urusei Yatsura: Terror of Girly-Eyes Measles
Producer
Ten gives Ataru an alien disease, the contagious "Girl Measles," (which makes the victim's eyes turn big and twinkly, like the eyes of young girls in much of manga and anime), and when Ataru's girl-hunting spreads the virus all over Tomobiki Town, chaos ensues!
Urusei Yatsura: Goat and Cheese
Producer
Mendou recounts an old story that warns, “Don’t take pictures in front of the statue of Great-Grandfather’s Goat, or terrible things will happen!” When his father does just that, only Sakura and Onsen-mark the Teacher can ward off the horrifying consequences of an ancient family curse… or can they?
Neo Tokyo
Producer
A trilogy of separate stories. In "Labyrinth labyrinthos", a girl and her cat enter a strange world. In "Running Man", a racer takes on the ultimate opponent. In "Construction Cancellation Order", a man must shut down worker robots.
Fairy King
Producer
Jack has moved to Hokkaido to get treatment for an illness, but he's lonely and unhappy. One night a man on a horse rides through his window to help him. For a reason he doesn't understand, Jack instantly knows the man's name and feels they've met somewhere before. The man, Cu Chulainn, tells Jack to open the moonlight shadow window, which leads him to Nymphidia, the world of Midsummer Night's Dream, whose inhabitants are waiting for a new Fairy King.
Legend of the Galactic Heroes: My Conquest Is the Sea of Stars
Script
For the past 150 years, humanity’s two greatest nations have been deadlocked in a meaningless war. In what is hoped to be a miraculous victory, the Alliance embarks on a battle to break through the Empire’s frontline. Like many other “decisive” battles, this can only end in disaster; a sentiment shared by Imperial nobleman Reinhard von Lohengramm and Alliance Commodore Yang Wen Li, both of whom realize how to turn the fight in their favor. And while the tides of war may never change, these two men must rise to the occasion, solidifying their place in history as heroes.
The Phoenix: Space Chapter
Producer
This is the third part of "The Phoenix" series of the Kadokawa Haruki Office Co., Ltd. version. It is an animation version of the original story by Tezuka Osamu that depicts the cruelty of love through the fate of spacemen destined to drift through the universe after losing their mother ship..
Junk Boy
Producer
Yamazaki Ryouhei is a cool twenty-three year old, with an extremely high sex drive. A smooth talker with the lady killing eyes and a winning smile, we follow him in his never-ending search for the perfect woman. When Yamazaki catches the eye of the beautiful senior editor, Oda Yuki, you know he's not just going far, he's going all the way. He lucks into a job at Potato Boy magazine that seems just made for him, but just how far can you get if your only hobby is looking at naked women? Now he's aiming for the top, turning Potato Boy magazine into one hell of a publication. No one expected things to get so hot, so quickly, but Yamazaki knows what he wants and he knows how to get it. Don't think he will take no for an answer!
Bobby's Girl
Producer
Bobby is an underachieving high school kid with a deep love for motorcycles. His most recent achievement seems to have been getting photos of himself on a road trip printed in a motorcyclist hobby magazine. When he gets a letter from a girl his age, he decides to write her back.
The Dagger of Kamui
Production Design
A young boy named Jiro finds his mother and sister murdered in his home. Falsely accused of the crime, he flees from his village and meets a priest named Tenkai, who has him kill a rogue ninja named Tarouza. After fulfilling that task, Jiro undergoes training to become a master assassin. Many years later, Jiro finds out that he was an orphan and his real father was Tarouza, who had worked for Tenkai until he aborted his mission when he fell in love with an Ainu woman. The young ninja discovers that the Shogunate was to retrieve the lost treasure of Captain Kidd and use it to once again isolate Japan from the rest of the world. Using the clues that Tarouza had kept secret, Jiro - along with the female ninja Oyuki and a slave named Sam - travels to Russia and America to search for the treasure in hopes of using it to extract revenge from Tenkai.
The Dagger of Kamui
Producer
A young boy named Jiro finds his mother and sister murdered in his home. Falsely accused of the crime, he flees from his village and meets a priest named Tenkai, who has him kill a rogue ninja named Tarouza. After fulfilling that task, Jiro undergoes training to become a master assassin. Many years later, Jiro finds out that he was an orphan and his real father was Tarouza, who had worked for Tenkai until he aborted his mission when he fell in love with an Ainu woman. The young ninja discovers that the Shogunate was to retrieve the lost treasure of Captain Kidd and use it to once again isolate Japan from the rest of the world. Using the clues that Tarouza had kept secret, Jiro - along with the female ninja Oyuki and a slave named Sam - travels to Russia and America to search for the treasure in hopes of using it to extract revenge from Tenkai.
Dreaming Machine
Producer
A fantasy-adventure with no human characters; only robots. A "road movie" for robots.