Photo: Paul Katzenberger / CC BY-SA 4.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
I have so much affection for Hosoda, the guy everyone insists is "the next Miyazaki" while he just quietly builds his own house. He literally founded Studio Chizu and went his own way, and you can feel that stubbornness in every frame. What gets me is how he takes the most ordinary stuff (family, summer at grandma's, the messy poetry of being online) and blows it up to this gorgeous, achingly big scale, so by the end of Summer Wars or Wolf Children I'm a wreck. His skies are unreal, like he poured the clear air of rural Toyama straight onto the screen. And then I learn the man just hates onion rings, which is the most disarmingly human detail. Every new film, I genuinely can't wait to see what world he hands me next.
Story
Mamoru Hosoda: Called "the Next Miyazaki," He Built His Own House Instead
Overview
Mamoru Hosoda was born on September 19, 1967, in Kamiichi, Toyama Prefecture, Japan. He joined Toei Animation in 1991 and made his feature film directorial debut in 1999 with Digimon Adventure: The Movie. After working as a freelance director on acclaimed films such as The Girl Who Leapt Through Time and Summer Wars, he founded his own production company, Studio Chizu, in 2011. His 2018 film Mirai became the first non-Studio Ghibli Japanese animated film to receive an Academy Award nomination for Best Animated Feature Film.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Mamoru Hosoda
- Name (Japanese)
- 細田守
- Reading
- ほそだまもる
- Born
- September 19, 1967 (age 58)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Virgo / Goat
- Origin
- Kamiichi, Toyama, Japan
- Agency
- Studio Chizu
- Agency history
- Toei Animation (1991–2005)
Freelance (2005–2011) - Active years
- 1991–present
- Occupation
- Animation film director / Animator / Director
2. Background
- High school
- Toyama Prefectural Toyama Minami High School
- University
- Kanazawa College of Art, Faculty of Fine Arts, Department of Oil Painting
- Debut
- Joined Toei Animation (then Toei Doga) in 1991 and began working as an animator. Made his feature film directorial debut in 1999 with Digimon Adventure: The Movie.
Awards & achievements
- 2007 Japan Academy Film Prize for Outstanding Animation of the Year (The Girl Who Leapt Through Time)
- 2007 Annecy International Animated Film Festival Special Prize, Feature Film (The Girl Who Leapt Through Time)
- 2010 Japan Academy Film Prize for Outstanding Animation of the Year (Summer Wars)
- 2013 Japan Academy Film Prize for Outstanding Animation of the Year (Wolf Children)
- 2019 Japan Academy Film Prize for Outstanding Animation of the Year (Mirai)
- 2019 Annie Award for Best Independent Animated Feature (Mirai)
- 2019 Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film Nomination (Mirai)
Timeline
- 1991Joined Toei Animation and began career as an animator
- 1999Made feature film directorial debut with Digimon Adventure: The Movie
- 2006Released The Girl Who Leapt Through Time as a freelance director; won Japan Academy Prize and Annecy International Animated Film Festival awards
- 2009Released Summer Wars to major domestic and international success
- 2011Founded animation production company Studio Chizu
- 2012Released Wolf Children
- 2015Released The Boy and the Beast
- 2018Released Mirai; selected for Directors' Fortnight at Cannes International Film Festival
- 2021Released Belle (Ryū to Sobakasu no Hime); selected for Cannes Première section at the 74th Cannes International Film Festival
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Married (private individual, registered 2007)
- Children
- 2 (disclosed)
4. Personality
Hobbies
- Watching films
- Reading (fan of Kenzaburo Oe and Shuji Terayama)
Specialties
- Animation direction
- Screenwriting
Motto
Private
5. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Film | Digimon Adventure: The Movie | Director | 1999 |
| Film | One Piece: Baron Omatsuri and the Secret Island | Director | 2005 |
| Film | The Girl Who Leapt Through Time | Director, Screenplay | 2006 |
| Film | Summer Wars | Director, Screenplay | 2009 |
| Film | Wolf Children | Director, Screenplay | 2012 |
| Film | The Boy and the Beast | Director, Screenplay | 2015 |
| Film | Mirai | Director, Screenplay | 2018 |
| Film | Belle | Director, Screenplay | 2021 |
6. Links
- Official sitehttps://studiochizu.jp/
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E7%B4%B0%E7%94%B0%E5%AE%88
Frequently asked questions
When was Mamoru Hosoda born?
Born September 19, 1967 (age 58).
Where is Mamoru Hosoda from?
Mamoru Hosoda is from Kamiichi, Toyama, Japan.
What does Mamoru Hosoda do?
Mamoru Hosoda works as Animation film director, Animator, Director.
What agency is Mamoru Hosoda with?
Mamoru Hosoda is with Studio Chizu.
How long has Mamoru Hosoda been active?
1991–present.
What is Mamoru Hosoda known for?
Notable works include Digimon Adventure: The Movie, One Piece: Baron Omatsuri and the Secret Island, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time.
Animator — see all → · More people from Japan →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.