Mamoru Oshii is a prolific Japanese film director, television director, and writer. In a career that has so far spanned more than forty years, Oshii has been involved in directing OVAs, feature films, short films, television series, and radio dramas. His first occupation in the anime industry was as a storyboard artist, and in the 1970s he storyboarded a variety of anime television programs for Tatsunoko Productions. As a writer, Oshii is a frequent screenwriter, and an occasional novelist and manga artist.
Though primarily known as a director of animated films, mostly for Production I.G, Oshii has also been involved in several live-action projects.
Anime
Film
| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Urusei Yatsura: Only You | Yes | No | |
| 1984 | Urusei Yatsura 2: Beautiful Dreamer | Yes | Yes | |
| 1989 | Patlabor: The Movie | Yes | No | |
| 1990 | MAROKO | Yes | Yes | |
| 1993 | Patlabor 2: The Movie | Yes | No | |
| 1995 | Ghost in the Shell | Yes | No | |
| 1996 | G.R.M.: The Record Of Garm War | Yes | No | A conceptual short film that evolved into Garm Wars: The Last Druid |
| 1999 | Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade | No | Yes | |
| 2004 | Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence | Yes | Yes | |
| 2005 | Open Your Mind | Yes | No | Musical drama |
| 2006 | Tachiguishi Retsuden | Yes | Yes | |
| 2007 | Ani-Kuri 15 – Project Mermaid | Yes | No | Short film |
| 2008 | Ghost in the Shell 2.0 | Yes | No | |
| 2008 | The Sky Crawlers | Yes | No | |
| 2009 | Musashi: The Dream of the Last Samurai | No | Yes | Also producer |
| 2010 | Je t'aime | Yes | No | Short film; Twelve minutes |
| TBA | Chimera | Yes | Yes |
Other credits
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Blood: The Last Vampire | Co-planner (Team Oshii) | |
| 2009 | Halo Legends – The Duel | Creative director | Short film |
| 2012 | Kick-Heart | Consultant |
Television
| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977–1978 | Ippatsu Kanta-kun | Yes | No | Directed 2 episodes |
| 1977–1979 | Yatterman | Yes | No | Directed 2 episodes |
| 1978–1979 | Gatchaman II | Yes | No | Directed 3 episodes |
| 1979–1980 | Zenderman | Yes | No | Directed 9 episodes |
| 1980–1981 | The Wonderful Adventures of Nils | Yes | No | Directed 18 episodes |
| 1981–1982 | Belle and Sebastian | Yes | No | Directed 2 episodes; Also production assistant |
| 1981–1986 | Urusei Yatsura | Yes | Yes | Directed 24 episodes; Wrote 7 episodes; Also served as "chief director" from episodes 1 to 106 |
| 1983–1984 | Mrs. Pepper Pot | No | Yes | 1 episode |
| 1989–1990 | Patlabor: The TV Series/Mobile Police Patlabor | No | Yes | 5 episodes |
| 1990–1992 | Patlabor: The Mobile Police: New Files | No | Yes | 4 episodes |
| 2021 | Lupin the 3rd Part 6 | No | Yes | 2 episodes |
| 2023–present | The Fire Hunter | No | Yes |
Storyboard artist
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1977–1978 | Ippatsu Kanta-Kun | 4 episodes |
| 1977–1979 | Yatterman | 2 episodes |
| 1978–1979 | Gatchaman II | 3 episodes |
| 1978–1979 | Majokko Tickle | 1 episode |
| 1979–1980 | Zenderman | 10 episodes |
| 1980–1981 | The Wonderful Adventures of Nils | 11 episodes |
| 1980–1981 | Rescueman | 6 episodes |
| 1981–1982 | Yattodetaman | 6 episodes |
| 1981–1982 | Belle and Sebastian | 2 episodes |
| 1981–1982 | Golden Warrior Gold Lightan | 2 episodes |
| 1981–1983 | Miss Machiko | 1 episode |
| 1981–1986 | Urusei Yatsura | 21 episodes |
| 1983 | Urusei Yatsura: Only You | |
| 1981–1986 | Dashu Kappei | 1 episode |
| 1982–1983 | Gyakuten! Ippatsuman | 7 episodes |
| 1983–1984 | Little Mrs. Pepperpot | 1 episode |
| 1983–1985 | The Yearling | 2 episodes |
| 1983–1984 | Dallos | 3 episodes |
| 1987 | Zillion | 3 episodes |
| 1988 | Mobile Police Patlabor | All 6 episodes |
| 1989–1990 | Gosenzo-sama Banbanzai! |
Other credits
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2004-2005 | Windy Tales | Supervisor |
| 2004 | Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. 2nd GIG | Story concept |
| 2005 | Blood+ | Co-planner |
OVAs and ONAs
| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983–1984 | Dallos | Yes | Yes | Wrote 3 episodes |
| 1985 | Angel's Egg | Yes | Yes | |
| 1987 | Twilight Q | Yes | Yes | Second part, "Mystery Article File 538" |
| 1988 | Mobile Police Patlabor | Yes | No | |
| 1989 | Gosenzo-sama Banbanzai! | Yes | Yes | |
| 2002 | MiniPato: Mobile Police Patlabor Minimum | No | Yes | |
| 2010 | 009: The Reopening | Yes | No | A promotional short for 009 Re:Cyborg |
| 2020 | CONNECTED… | Yes | No | Co-directed with Kōji Morimoto, a promotion for KENWOOD wearable device |
| 2021 | Vlad Love | Yes | Yes |
Live-action
Film
| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | The Red Spectacles | Yes | Yes | |
| 1991 | StrayDog: Kerberos Panzer Cops | Yes | Yes | |
| 1992 | Talking Head | Yes | Yes | |
| 2001 | Avalon | Yes | No | |
| 2003 | Killers – .50 Woman | Yes | Yes | Short film |
| 2006 | Onna Tachiguishi Retsuden Ketsune korokke no Ogin: Paresuchina shitō hen | Yes | Yes | Short film |
| 2007 | Shin-Onna Tachiguishi Retsuden – The Golden Fish Girl & Assault Girl | Yes | Yes | Also executive producer |
| 2008 | Rebellion: The Killing Isle (aka Kill) – Assault Girl 2 | Yes | No | Short film; Directed one of four shorts in the film; Also executive producer |
| 2009 | Assault Girls | Yes | Yes | |
| 2010 | 28 1/2 Mousou no Kyojin | Yes | No | |
| 2015 | The Next Generation Patlabor: Shuto Kessen | Yes | No | |
| 2015 | Tōkyō Mukokuseki Shōjo | Yes | No | |
| 2015 | Garm Wars: The Last Druid | Yes | Yes | English-language film |
| 2019 | Blood Friends | Yes | No |
Other credits
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1987 | In the Aftermath | Uses footage from Angel's Egg, which was written and directed by Oshii |
Television
| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008–2009 | K-tai Investigator 7 | Yes | Yes | Episode 19-20 |
| 2014–2015 | The Next Generation: Patlabor | Yes | Yes | |
| 2017 | Sand Whale and Me | Yes | No | Miniseries |
Radio drama
| Year | Title | Director | Writer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | While Waiting for the Red Spectacles | Yes | Yes |
| 2006 | Kerberos Panzer Jäger | Yes | Yes |
Manga
| Year | Title | Illustrator |
|---|---|---|
| 1988–2000 | Kerberos Panzer Cop | Kamui Fujiwara |
| 1994–1995 | Seraphim 266,613,336 Wings | Satoshi Kon |
| 2003–2005 | Kerberos Saga Rainy Dogs | Mamoru Suriura |
| 2006–2007 | Kerberos & Tachiguishi | Mamoru Sugiura |
Novel
| Year | Title |
|---|---|
| 2000 | Avalon: Gray Lady |
| 2000 | Blood: The Last Vampire: Night of the Beasts |
| 2004 | Tachiguishi Retsuden |
Music video
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | King of My Castle | Single by Wamdue Project. Music video is composed of footage from Ghost in the Shell |
| 1999 | You're The Reason | Single by Wamdue Project. Music video is composed of footage from Patlabor 2: The Movie |
Video game
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Mobile Police Patlabor Comes Back: MiniPato | Supervisor |
| 2008 | The Sky Crawlers: Innocent Aces | Special consultant |
References
General
- Ruh, Brian (2004). Stray Dog of Anime: The Films of Mamoru Oshii. Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 1-4039-6334-7
- Mamoru Oshii at IMDb
- Mamoru Oshii at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
- Production I.G
Specific
- "Comic Natalie: Mamoru Oshii Directs Anime Film of Baku Yumemakura's Chimera Novels". Anime News Network. 15 March 2018. Retrieved 30 January 2022.
- "Ranma ½'s Junji Nishimura Directs Hikari no Ō Fantasy TV Anime Scripted by Mamoru Oshii". Anime News Network. 30 January 2022. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
- "Mamoru Oshii Unveils Vladlove Vampire 'Girls-Meets-Girl' Comedy Anime Show". Anime News Network. 26 June 2019. Retrieved 30 January 2022.
- "Live-Action Patlabor's Premiere Dates, Visuals Unveiled". Anime News Network. 17 December 2013. Retrieved 30 January 2022.
- "Mamoru Oshii Makes Live-Action Thriller Tōkyō Mukokuseki Shōjo". Anime News Network. 30 April 2015. Retrieved 30 January 2022.
- "Ghost in the Shell's Oshii to Helm His 1st Live-Action English Film". Anime News Network. 30 October 2012. Retrieved 30 January 2022.
- Komatsu, Mikikazu (20 January 2022). "Mamoru Oshii's New Live-action Film Blood Friends Gets One Night Only Screening on February 5". Crunchyroll. Retrieved 24 April 2022.
- Pineda, Rafael Antonio (20 January 2022). "Mamoru Oshii's Live-Action Blood Friends Film Gets 1-Night Screening on February 5". Anime News Network. Retrieved 24 April 2022.
- "Ghost in the Shell's Mamoru Oshii, I.G Debut 'Sand Whale and Me' Micro-Series on March 18". Anime News Network. 19 October 2016. Retrieved 30 January 2022.