Naoko Yamada
Directing Born Nov 28, 1984 Kyoto, Japan 79 credits
Biography
Naoko Yamada is a Japanese animator and film director. Born on November 28, 1984, in Kyoto, Japan, she is known for her work in the anime industry. Yamada's career began with drawing inbetween frames for Inuyasha at Kyoto Animation. She was later promoted to key animator for Air and eventually became an episode director for Clannad. Yamada made her chief directorial debut with the anime series K-On!, which was a success and led to a second season and a film. She has also directed other notable anime films, including A Silent Voice and Liz and the Blue Bird. Yamada's known credits include 36 titles.
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Career overview
Naoko Yamada is a Japanese animator and film director. She began her career at Kyoto Animation after seeing an advertisement. Her first assignment at the studio was drawing inbetween frames for the anime series Inuyasha. Yamada was eventually promoted to a key animator for the anime series Air.
Yamada's work as an episode director for Clannad led to her being asked to direct her first major project, the anime series K-On!. The series was a success, leading to a second season and a film adaptation. Yamada's work on K-On! marked a significant milestone in her career as a director.
Naoko Yamada has directed several notable anime projects, including the anime films A Silent Voice and Liz and the Blue Bird. Her work at Kyoto Animation has been marked by her ability to bring slice-of-life stories to life.
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Career timeline
Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia · Other
The Colors Within · DirectorThe Colors Within · Storyboard ArtistThe Colors Within · Second Unit Director
The Heike Story · Storyboard ArtistThe Heike Story · Opening/Ending AnimationThe Heike Story · Series DirectorThe Heike Story · DirectorModern Love Tokyo · Storyboard Artist
Visual Prison · Opening/Ending Animation
Kaguya-sama: Love Is War · Opening/Ending AnimationViolet Evergarden: Eternity and the Auto Memory Doll · Second Unit DirectorSound! Euphonium the Movie - Our Promise: A Brand New Day · Key AnimationSound! Euphonium the Movie - Our Promise: A Brand New Day · Second Unit Director
Tsurune · DirectorTsurune · Storyboard ArtistViolet Evergarden · Storyboard ArtistLiz and the Blue Bird · Second Unit DirectorLiz and the Blue Bird · Storyboard Artist
Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid · DirectorMiss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid · Storyboard ArtistSound! Euphonium The Movie: May the Melody Reach You! · Series DirectorSound! Euphonium The Movie: May the Melody Reach You! · Second Unit DirectorSound! Euphonium The Movie: May the Melody Reach You! · Storyboard Artist
A Silent Voice: The Movie · Storyboard ArtistA Silent Voice: The Movie · DirectorMyriad Colors Phantom World · Storyboard ArtistSound! Euphonium The Movie: Welcome to the Kitauji High School Concert Band · Second Unit DirectorSound! Euphonium The Movie: Welcome to the Kitauji High School Concert Band · Series Director
Sound! Euphonium · Series DirectorSound! Euphonium · Storyboard ArtistSound! Euphonium · Director
Tamako Love Story · Second Unit DirectorTamako Love Story · Storyboard ArtistTamako Love Story · DirectorTamako Love Story · Original Story
Free! · Opening/Ending AnimationFree! · DirectorFree! · Storyboard ArtistTamako Market · Series DirectorTamako Market · Director
Hyouka · Storyboard ArtistHyouka · DirectorLove, Chunibyo & Other Delusions! · Storyboard Artist
Nichijou: My Ordinary Life · DirectorNichijou: My Ordinary Life · Opening/Ending AnimationNichijou: My Ordinary Life · Storyboard ArtistK-ON! The Movie · DirectorK-ON! The Movie · Second Unit Director
The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya · Second Unit DirectorThe Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya · Key Animation轻音少女番外篇：访问
K-ON! · Series DirectorK-ON! · DirectorK-ON! · Opening/Ending AnimationK-ON! · Storyboard ArtistK-ON! · Key Animation
Lucky Star · Key AnimationClannad · DirectorClannad · Storyboard ArtistClannad · Key AnimationClannad · Assistant Director
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya · DirectorThe Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya · Storyboard ArtistKanon · Key Animation
Munto 2: Beyond the Walls of Time · Animation
Full filmography
- Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia (2026) Other
- The Colors Within (2024) Director
- The Colors Within (2024) Storyboard Artist
- The Colors Within (2024) Second Unit Director
- The Heike Story (2022) Storyboard Artist
- The Heike Story (2022) Opening/Ending Animation
- The Heike Story (2022) Series Director
- The Heike Story (2022) Director
- Modern Love Tokyo (2022) Storyboard Artist
- Modern Love Tokyo (2022) Director
- Garden of Remembrance (2022) Director
- Garden of Remembrance (2022) Screenplay
- Modern Love Tokyo: He's Playing Our Song (2022) Director
- Modern Love Tokyo: He's Playing Our Song (2022) Storyboard
- Visual Prison (2021) Opening/Ending Animation
- Kaguya-sama: Love Is War (2019) Opening/Ending Animation
- Violet Evergarden: Eternity and the Auto Memory Doll (2019) Second Unit Director
- Sound! Euphonium the Movie - Our Promise: A Brand New Day (2019) Key Animation
- Sound! Euphonium the Movie - Our Promise: A Brand New Day (2019) Second Unit Director
- Tsurune (2018) Director
- Tsurune (2018) Storyboard Artist
- Violet Evergarden (2018) Storyboard Artist
- Liz and the Blue Bird (2018) Second Unit Director
- Liz and the Blue Bird (2018) Storyboard Artist
- Liz and the Blue Bird (2018) Director
- Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid (2017) Director
- Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid (2017) Storyboard Artist
- Sound! Euphonium The Movie: May the Melody Reach You! (2017) Series Director
- Sound! Euphonium The Movie: May the Melody Reach You! (2017) Second Unit Director
- Sound! Euphonium The Movie: May the Melody Reach You! (2017) Storyboard Artist
- A Silent Voice: The Movie (2016) Storyboard Artist
- A Silent Voice: The Movie (2016) Director
- Myriad Colors Phantom World (2016) Storyboard Artist
- Sound! Euphonium The Movie: Welcome to the Kitauji High School Concert Band (2016) Second Unit Director
- Sound! Euphonium The Movie: Welcome to the Kitauji High School Concert Band (2016) Series Director
- Sound! Euphonium The Movie: Welcome to the Kitauji High School Concert Band (2016) Storyboard Artist
- Sound! Euphonium (2015) Series Director
- Sound! Euphonium (2015) Storyboard Artist
- Sound! Euphonium (2015) Director
- Tamako Love Story (2014) Second Unit Director
- Tamako Love Story (2014) Storyboard Artist
- Tamako Love Story (2014) Director
- Tamako Love Story (2014) Original Story
- Free! (2013) Opening/Ending Animation
- Free! (2013) Director
- Free! (2013) Storyboard Artist
- Tamako Market (2013) Series Director
- Tamako Market (2013) Director
- Tamako Market (2013) Storyboard Artist
- Beyond the Boundary (2013) Director
- Beyond the Boundary (2013) Opening/Ending Animation
- Beyond the Boundary (2013) Storyboard Artist
- Hyouka (2012) Storyboard Artist
- Hyouka (2012) Director
- Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions! (2012) Storyboard Artist
- Nichijou: My Ordinary Life (2011) Director
- Nichijou: My Ordinary Life (2011) Opening/Ending Animation
- Nichijou: My Ordinary Life (2011) Storyboard Artist
- K-ON! The Movie (2011) Director
- K-ON! The Movie (2011) Second Unit Director
- K-ON! The Movie (2011) Storyboard Artist
- The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya (2010) Second Unit Director
- The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya (2010) Key Animation
- 轻音少女番外篇：访问 (2010) as 导演
- K-ON! (2009) Series Director
- K-ON! (2009) Director
- K-ON! (2009) Opening/Ending Animation
- K-ON! (2009) Storyboard Artist
- K-ON! (2009) Key Animation
- The Last War of the Heavenliods and Akutoliods (2009) Key Animation
- Lucky Star (2007) Key Animation
- Clannad (2007) Director
- Clannad (2007) Storyboard Artist
- Clannad (2007) Key Animation
- Clannad (2007) Assistant Director
- The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (2006) Director
- The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (2006) Storyboard Artist
- Kanon (2006) Key Animation
- Munto 2: Beyond the Walls of Time (2005) Animation