Photo: 大臣官房人事課 / CC BY 4.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
I'll be honest, the first time I saw House (Hausu) I genuinely thought my brain had short-circuited, and I mean that as the highest compliment. Obayashi was a wizard who refused to play by anyone's rules, splicing collage-cut chaos and homemade special effects into something that feels like a fever dream a kid would dream up. But what gets me is the other side of him, that tender Onomichi trilogy stuff like Transfer Student and The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, where he handles teenage longing so gently it aches. That town of hills and sea he grew up in basically lives inside his frames. He kept that boyish, experimental spark right to the end in 2020, and honestly, I think nobody else in Japanese cinema ever quite matched that mix of mad scientist and softie.
Overview
Nobuhiko Obayashi (January 9, 1938 – April 10, 2020) was a Japanese film director, screenwriter, producer, editor, and composer born in Onomichi, Hiroshima. He is best known for his debut feature House (Hausu, 1977) and the acclaimed Onomichi trilogy comprising Transfer Student (Tenkousei), The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (Toki wo Kakeru Shoujo), and Lonely Heart (Sabishinbo). Over his career he received numerous honors including the Japan Academy Prize for Best Director (1992), the Medal with Purple Ribbon (2004), and recognition at the Berlin International Film Festival (1998).
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Nobuhiko Obayashi
- Name (Japanese)
- 大林宣彦
- Reading
- おおばやし のぶひこ
- Born
- January 9, 1938 – April 10, 2020
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Capricorn / Tiger (寅)
- Origin
- Onomichi, Hiroshima, Japan
- Occupation
- Film Director / Screenwriter / Film Producer / Film Editor / Composer
2. Background
- High school
- Hiroshima Prefectural Onomichi Kita High School
- University
- Seijo University
Awards & achievements
- Blue Ribbon Award for Best New Director (1978)
- Japan Academy Prize for Best Director (1992)
- Japan Academy Prize for Best Editing (1993)
- Berlin International Film Festival recognition (1998)
- Medal with Purple Ribbon (2004)
- Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays (2009)
- Mainichi Art Award (2018)
- Takasaki Film Festival (2019)
4. Personality
Motto
Private
5. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable Work | House (Hausu) | — | Unknown |
| Notable Work | Transfer Student (Tenkousei) | — | Unknown |
| Notable Work | The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (Toki wo Kakeru Shoujo) | — | Unknown |
| Notable Work | Lonely Heart (Sabishinbo) | — | Unknown |
6. Links
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%A4%A7%E6%9E%97%E5%AE%A3%E5%BD%A6
Frequently asked questions
When was Nobuhiko Obayashi born?
January 9, 1938 – April 10, 2020.
Where is Nobuhiko Obayashi from?
Nobuhiko Obayashi is from Onomichi, Hiroshima, Japan.
What does Nobuhiko Obayashi do?
Nobuhiko Obayashi works as Film Director, Screenwriter, Film Producer, Film Editor, Composer.
What is Nobuhiko Obayashi known for?
Notable works include House (Hausu), Transfer Student (Tenkousei), The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (Toki wo Kakeru Shoujo).
Film Director — see all → · Screenwriter — 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.