Haruo Sotozaki
Directing Muroran, Hokkaido, Japan 79 credits
Biography
Haruo Sotozaki is a Japanese anime and film director born in Muroran, Hokkaido, Japan. Known for his work in the directing field with fifty-eight known credits, he began his career in the animation industry in the mid-1990s by contributing as a key animator and storyboard artist on various projects. He made his full directorial debut with the anime adaptation of Ninja Nonsense in 2004. Sotozaki is best known for directing the 2019 television series Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba and the 2020 film Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train. His direction is noted for dynamic action sequences and faithful adaptation of source material.
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Career overview
Haruo Sotozaki is a Japanese anime and film director who was born in Muroran, Hokkaido, Japan. Known for his work in directing, he has accumulated fifty-eight known credits in the animation industry. His career began in the mid-1990s, during which he contributed to various projects as a key animator and storyboard artist.
Sotozaki made his full directorial debut with the anime adaptation of Ninja Nonsense in 2004. He is best known for his work on the Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba series. In 2019, he directed the critically acclaimed television series of the same name, which was followed by the record-breaking film Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train in 2020. His direction is noted for its dynamic action sequences and faithful adaptation of source material.
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Career timeline
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle · DirectorDemon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle · Storyboard ArtistDemon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle · Animation DirectorDemon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Entertainment District Infiltration Arc · DirectorDemon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Special Edition Hashira Training Arc Part 1 · Director
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba -To the Hashira Training- · Director
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba -To the Swordsmith Village- · DirectorDemon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - Entertainment District Decisive Battle Arc · Director
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - Tsuzumi Mansion Arc · DirectorDemon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - Asakusa Arc · Director
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - The Hashira Meeting Arc · DirectorDemon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Mt. Natagumo Arc · Director
Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Movie: Mugen Train · DirectorDemon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Movie: Mugen Train · Animation DirectorDemon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Movie: Mugen Train · Storyboard ArtistDemon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Movie: Mugen Train · Second Unit Director
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba · Series DirectorDemon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba · Animation DirectorDemon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba · DirectorDemon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba · Opening/Ending AnimationDemon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba · Key Animation
Tales of Zestiria the X · Series Director
Tales of Zestiria: The Shepherd's Advent · Second Unit DirectorTales of Zestiria: The Shepherd's Advent · Key AnimationTales of Zestiria: The Shepherd's Advent · Storyboard ArtistTales of Zestiria: The Shepherd's Advent · Director
Magical Sisters Yoyo & Nene · Animation Director
Zetman · Key Animation
Eden of the East Movie II: Paradise Lost · Key Animation
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood · Key AnimationTales of Vesperia: The First Strike · Key Animation
Inazuma Eleven · Key AnimationAntique Bakery · Animation Director
Tales of Symphonia: The Animation · Series DirectorTales of Symphonia: The Animation · Key AnimationReideen · Key Animation
Noein: To Your Other Self · Animation DirectorNaruto the Movie: Legend of the Stone of Gelel · Key Animation
Samurai 7 · Key AnimationNinja Nonsense · Key AnimationLupin the Third: Swallowtail Tattoo · Animation Director
E's Otherwise · Key AnimationNew Fist of the North Star · Character DesignerNew Fist of the North Star: The Cursed City · Animation Director
Naruto · Key AnimationNaruto · Animation DirectorGhost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex · Key AnimationHeat Guy J · Animation DirectorHeat Guy J · Key Animation
Rave Master · Key AnimationFruits Basket · Animation DirectorFruits Basket · DirectorEarth Maiden Arjuna · Animation DirectorEarth Maiden Arjuna · Animation
Saiyuki · Animation Director
Hunter x Hunter · Key AnimationLegend of Himiko · Animation DirectorYou're Under Arrest: The Motion Picture · Key Animation
Eat-Man '98 · Animation DirectorEat-Man '98 · Key AnimationAWOL -Absent Without Leave- · Key Animation
Rurouni Kenshin · Key Animation
Full filmography
- Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle (2025) Director
- Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle (2025) Storyboard Artist
- Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle (2025) Animation Director
- Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Entertainment District Infiltration Arc (2025) Director
- Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Special Edition Hashira Training Arc Part 1 (2025) Director
- Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Special Edition Swordsmith Village Arc Part 2 (2025) Director
- Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Special Edition Swordsmith Village Arc Part 1 (2025) Director
- Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Special Edition Hashira Training Arc Part 2 (2025) Director
- Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba -To the Hashira Training- (2024) Director
- Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba -To the Swordsmith Village- (2023) Director
- Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - Entertainment District Decisive Battle Arc (2023) Director
- Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - Tsuzumi Mansion Arc (2022) Director
- Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - Asakusa Arc (2022) Director
- Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - The Hashira Meeting Arc (2021) Director
- Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Mt. Natagumo Arc (2021) Director
- Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Movie: Mugen Train (2020) Director
- Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Movie: Mugen Train (2020) Animation Director
- Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Movie: Mugen Train (2020) Storyboard Artist
- Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Movie: Mugen Train (2020) Second Unit Director
- Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba (2019) Series Director
- Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba (2019) Animation Director
- Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba (2019) Director
- Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba (2019) Opening/Ending Animation
- Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba (2019) Key Animation
- Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba (2019) Storyboard Artist
- Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - Sibling's Bond (2019) Director
- Tales of Zestiria the X (2016) Series Director
- Tales of Zestiria: The Shepherd's Advent (2014) Second Unit Director
- Tales of Zestiria: The Shepherd's Advent (2014) Key Animation
- Tales of Zestiria: The Shepherd's Advent (2014) Storyboard Artist
- Tales of Zestiria: The Shepherd's Advent (2014) Director
- Magical Sisters Yoyo & Nene (2013) Animation Director
- Zetman (2012) Key Animation
- Eden of the East Movie II: Paradise Lost (2010) Key Animation
- Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (2009) Key Animation
- Tales of Vesperia: The First Strike (2009) Key Animation
- Inazuma Eleven (2008) Key Animation
- Antique Bakery (2008) Animation Director
- Tales of Symphonia: The Animation (2007) Series Director
- Tales of Symphonia: The Animation (2007) Key Animation
- Reideen (2007) Key Animation
- Noein: To Your Other Self (2005) Animation Director
- Naruto the Movie: Legend of the Stone of Gelel (2005) Key Animation
- Samurai 7 (2004) Key Animation
- Ninja Nonsense (2004) Key Animation
- Lupin the Third: Swallowtail Tattoo (2004) Animation Director
- E's Otherwise (2003) Key Animation
- New Fist of the North Star (2003) Character Designer
- New Fist of the North Star: The Cursed City (2003) Animation Director
- Naruto (2002) Key Animation
- Naruto (2002) Animation Director
- Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (2002) Key Animation
- Heat Guy J (2002) Animation Director
- Heat Guy J (2002) Key Animation
- eX-Driver the Movie (2002) Key Animation
- Rave Master (2001) Key Animation
- Fruits Basket (2001) Animation Director
- Fruits Basket (2001) Director
- Earth Maiden Arjuna (2001) Animation Director
- Earth Maiden Arjuna (2001) Animation
- Earth Maiden Arjuna (2001) Key Animation
- Star Ocean EX (2001) Key Animation
- X (2001) Director
- R.O.D: Read or Die (2001) Key Animation
- The SoulTaker (2001) Key Animation
- Cowboy Bebop: The Movie (2001) Key Animation
- Initial D: Third Stage (2001) Animation Director
- Initial D: Third Stage (2001) Key Animation
- Digimon Adventure 02: Revenge of Diaboromon (2001) Key Animation
- Saiyuki (2000) Animation Director
- Hunter x Hunter (1999) Key Animation
- Legend of Himiko (1999) Animation Director
- You're Under Arrest: The Motion Picture (1999) Key Animation
- Eat-Man '98 (1998) Animation Director
- Eat-Man '98 (1998) Key Animation
- AWOL -Absent Without Leave- (1998) Key Animation
- Rurouni Kenshin (1996) Key Animation
- Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - Infinity Castle 2 Director
- Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - Infinity Castle 3 Director