Known for Production
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.
Born
June 19, 1941 (age 85)
Birthplace
Shiogama, Miyagi, Japan
Filmography
44 films, 37 shows


Nezumikozo Jirokichi
2023 · 24m
country: France
Legendary anime director Rintaro’s (Metropolis, X/1999, Galaxy Express 999) first new work in over a decade depicts pioneering 1930s director Sadao Yamanaka and the production of his Nezumikozo Jirokichi. Despite dying before the age of 30, Yamanaka was a pivotal influence in Japanese cinema whose work would go on to inspire future generations. While most of his films have been lost to time, his scripts remain, and Nezumikozo Jirokichi recreates one of these lost films—a tale of a famous, virtuous bandit in old Edo—as imagined by Rintaro together with an all-star team including Katsuhiro Otomo (Akira, Memories), Taro Maki (Pluto, Millennium Actress) and Masao Maruyama (Ninja Scroll, Perfect Blue).


この世界の(さらにいくつもの)片隅に
2019
country: Japan


One Arm
2019 · 31m
country: Japan
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
2016 · 2h 10m
country: Japan
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
2013 · 1h 37m
country: Japan
One day, Kurapika spots a child who looks very similar to his childhood friend, Pyro. However, when he catches up to him, the boy steals Kurapika's eyes with some kind of magical power. Gon, Leorio, and Killua promise to help find who took his eyes and get them back, but Killua is having his own problems when he is forced to face his past and whether he really is worthy to have Gon as a friend.


Death Note Relight 2: L's Successors
2009 · 1h 40m
country: Japan
L's successor must ponder L's defeat if he hopes to succeed where his famed predecessor failed. At the headquarters of the SPK, he calls upon the Japanese task force to declare war on Light. A recap of Death Note episodes 27–37, with new footage.


Highlander: The Search for Vengeance
2007 · 1h 26m
country: Hong Kong
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
2005 · 25m
country: Japan
After the destruction of Nibelheim at the hands of Sephiroth, Zack and Cloud are on the run from Shinra Inc. As they make their way back to Midgar, they recall the horrible events that happened at Nibelheim, as well as fight for survival against Shinra.


Nasu: Summer in Andalusia
2003 · 47m
country: Japan
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.


X: An Omen
2001 · 22m
country: Japan
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
2001 · 1h 47m
country: Japan
In the midst of societal conflict in the futuristic city of Metropolis, Kenichi and his uncle Shunsaku Ban set out to uncover the mystery behind the first human-like robot, Tima.


Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust
2001 · 1h 43m
country: Japan
Legendary dhampir D competes with a motley family of bounty hunters to track down Charlotte Elbourne, a young woman seemingly abducted by undead nobleman Meier Link.


Reign: The Conqueror Movie
2000 · 1h 40m
country: Japan
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.


Perfect Blue
1998 · 1h 21m
country: Japan
Rising pop star Mima Kirigoe quits singing to pursue a career as an actress. After she takes up a role on a popular detective show, her handlers and collaborators begin turning up murdered. Harboring feelings of guilt and haunted by visions of her former self, Mima's reality and fantasy meld into a frenzied paranoia.


Satanika
1998 · 3m
country: Japan
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.


X
1996 · 1h 37m
country: Japan
It's the year of destiny, and 15 year old Kamui Shiro, a powerful psychic, has returned to Toyko after a 6 year absence, having left when he was very young. He wants to be with his childhood friends, Fuma (his best friend) and Kotori, Fuma's little sister (and Kamui's possible girlfriend). He wants to protect them from all dangers, but destiny and fate are haunting Kamui and pulling in himself and his beloved childhood friends. It is his destiny and his sole decision to decide the fate of the world, no matter if he wants the role or not. Now it is a matter of if he will join the side of the Seven Seals and become the Dragon of Heaven to save mankind or join the Seven Angels and become the Dragon of Earth to destroy all civilization so the earth can heal itself from man's destruction.


Memories
1995 · 1h 53m
country: Japan
Three back-to-back anime films by three different directors make up this sci-fi trilogy three years in the making.


Azuki-chan the Movie
1995 · 30m
country: Japan
Valentine's Day is approaching and Azuki and Kaoru have their minds full with getting gifts for Yuunosuke and Ken.


Bio Hunter
1995 · 58m
country: Japan
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
1994 · 33m
country: Japan
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
1993 · 31m
country: Japan
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
1993 · 31m
country: Japan
Ibuki Morisato's dream of kissing a prince turned into reality when her dream prince appeared as the new transfer student?!


Pops
1993 · 31m
country: Japan
Harada Kusuko is a high school girl with a secret crush on the class playboy, Mishima Takeshi.


Singles
1993 · 30m
country: Japan
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 1989
1992 · 46m
country: Japan
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
1991 · 30m
country: Japan
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
1989 · 30m
country: Japan
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
1989 · 50m
country: Japan
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
1988 · 1h
country: Japan
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.


Girls in Summer Dresses: Hiroshima, August 6, 1945
1988 · 34m
country: Japan
In 1945, the second- and third-year students of a Hiroshima girls' school are taken away to work in war factories. The remaining 220 girls of the first year try to make the best of their new-found status as the only teenagers in an almost deserted town, even amid the deprivations of wartime. On the seventh of August, an American bomber changes their lives forever. Broadcast on the 43rd anniversary of Hiroshima in memory of "the girls who lost their lives to the atom bomb." (Source: Anime Encyclopedia)


Legend of the Galactic Heroes: My Conquest Is the Sea of Stars
1988 · 59m
country: Japan
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.


Phoenix: Space Chapter
1987 · 48m
country: Japan
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
1987 · 45m
country: Japan
Overconfident 23-year-old Ryouhei somehow lucks into a job at the lucrative skin mag Potato Boy, with his only qualification being an abnormally high sex drive. Immediately smitten with the publication's prestigious editor Yuki (and just about every other female colleague), Ryouhei shows a libidinous instinct that could take Potato Boy to the next level — if he can ever take the job seriously.


The Running Man
1987 · 11m
country: Japan
Zack Hugh has dominated the Death Circus racing circuit for 10 years. Journalist Bob Stone discovers Zack possesses telekinetic abilities, which he uses to destroy the other racers. After winning his latest race by killing the competitors, Zack hallucinates being overtaken by a spectral racer and destroys himself when he attempts to use his powers on the hallucination


Space-Time Traveler - Time Stranger
1986 · 1h 31m
country: Japan
In the new Calendar Year of 392, in Neo-Tokyo, a young man, Agino Jiro, steals a time synchronization system and tries to escape to the past. The authorities give chase and damage his ship in the pursuit, forcing him to land in modern day Tokyo, Determined, he breaks into a van and attaches the device, recklessly kidnapping Nobucho, Shinichi, Teko and their teacher, Hokubei. Their initial resistance force lands them in Tokyo on March 9th 1945, during the US bombing campaign. Escaping again to the past the group eventually arrives at the Warring States period. There the future and the past collide as factions from Jiro's era seek to alter their past at a pivotal moment at Honnoji.


Bobby's Girl
1985 · 44m
country: Japan
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
1985 · 2h 12m
country: Japan
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.