Akira Amemiya (amecchi)

**Akira Amemiya** graduated from Tokyo University of Technology and was a part of the university's Anime Research Society. During his time in university, he was heavily influenced by the work of [Group CAS](https://twitter.com/group_cas), Osaka University of Arts' own Anime Research group. At the time of Amemiya, [**Toshiyuki Satou**](https://anilist.co/staff/107357/Toshiyuki-Satou) was part of the group, while [**Ikehata Hiroshi**](https://anilist.co/staff/120505/Ikehata-Hiroshi) visited regularly. This inspired this young, talented animator to make *Kanada*-style anime.

After a bit on indie work, Amemiya joined studio Gainax and slowly climbed up the ladder: from clean-up to animation direction, on to storyboarding and episode directing, until after joining studio Trigger, and co-directing *Kill la Kill*, finally having the credentials to direct his own series.
His animation style is heavily influenced by Trigger frontman [**Hiroyuki Imaishi**](https://anilist.co/staff/97349/Hiroyuki-Imaishi), being his protege and having worked on every one of his shows. Amemiya's style is less goofy and chaotic, containing more 'retro' devices like impact frames and multi-tonal shading. He also draws from [**Masami Obari**](https://anilist.co/staff/100660/Masami-Obari), creating a strong sense of fore- and background by having figures switch between them along a diagonal axis. He is frequently typecasted for old school mecha combat whose animation is pose heavy and slightly dull in color.

Amemiya's animation and storyboarding style is heavily influenced by Trigger founder and fellow member of the neo-*Kanada* school, [Hiroyuki Imaishi](https://anilist.co/staff/97349/Hiroyuki-Imaishi). Amemiya is his protege and has worked on every one of Imaishi's shows. Their [comedic timings](https://blog.sakugabooru.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/mini-imaishi.mp4) are very similar, although Amemiya is less goofy and chaotic, containing more 'retro' devices like impact frames and multi-tonal shading. He is frequently typecasted for old school mecha combat whose animation is pose heavy and slightly dull in color, reminiscent of Masami Obari.

Masami Obari would be such a big influence for Amemiya that he would replicate several [animation sequences](https://blog.sakugabooru.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/dangaioh2.mp4), quirks, and [layouts](https://i.imgur.com/nTRdM4K.jpg), most notably for *SSSS.GRIDMAN*. Amemiya could generally be considered a 'nerdy' director, very often referencing other series and artists he loves, both in storyboarding, animation, and (often [mecha](https://twitter.com/SSS_SGRID/status/1051063114022572033)) designs. Another significant influence on Amemiya's style is [**Hideaki Anno**](https://anilist.co/staff/100111/Hideaki-Anno), whose [*Neon Genesis Evangelion*](https://anilist.co/anime/30/Evangelion/) is [Amemiya's favorite series](https://i.imgur.com/nEYK186.png). *SSSS.GRIDMAN* uses [recurring Anno cuts](https://blog.sakugabooru.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/welcome-to-the-anno-class.jpg) and draws heavy inspiration from his long, lingering framing.

Amemiya adds his own personality to his ode-heavy artistry by adding [subtle details](https://blog.sakugabooru.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/what-kind-of-brand-is-TOMATO-LIFE-tho.jpg), many silly visual gags, and repurposing the work of several very tonally contrasting artists into his own.