Shinji Aoyama
Biography
Shinji Aoyama (July 13, 1964 – March 25, 2022) was a Japanese male film director, screenwriter, composer, film critic and novelist. He was born in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, Japan and graduated from Rikkyo University. Aoyama is credited with 67 works in the TMDB database, and his primary professional recognition is for directing. In 2000 his film Eureka received two awards at the Cannes Film Festival. He was also known by the stage name 青山真治. Aoyama’s career spanned multiple roles in the Japanese film industry until his death at the age of 57 and his legacy continues.
Career overview
Shinji Aoyama was born on 13 July 1964 in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, Japan. After completing his studies at Rikkyo University, he pursued a multifaceted career in the Japanese film industry, working as a director, screenwriter, composer, film critic, and novelist. His creative output spanned a range of media, reflecting a broad engagement with both the artistic and analytical aspects of cinema. His stage name is recorded in Japanese characters as 青山真治.
Aoyama is primarily known for his work as a film director. The Movie Database lists 67 credited works in which he served in a directing capacity, underscoring a prolific output across feature films and other projects. The database categorizes him under the directing profession, confirming directing as his principal area of recognition. His most internationally recognized achievement came with the film Eureka, for which he received two awards at the 2000 Cannes Film Festival, marking a significant milestone in his directing career.
Aoyama continued to be active in the industry until his death on 25 March 2022 at the age of 57. His contributions as a director and his broader involvement in screenwriting, composition, criticism, and literature left a lasting imprint on contemporary Japanese cinema. His death at 57 concluded a career that had spanned several decades.
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Career timeline
Full filmography
- A Weapon in My Heart (2026) Director
- A Weapon in My Heart (2026) Editor
- A Weapon in My Heart (2026) Screenplay
- A Weapon in My Heart (2026) Original Music Composer
- BAUS: The Ship's Voyage Continues (2025) Screenplay
- Living in the Sky (2020) Screenplay
- Living in the Sky (2020) Director
- Goldfish Princess (2020) Director
- Saijō no propose (2019) Director
- Haruneko (2016) Producer
- カラフルな細いパイプ (2016) Director
- Shokuzai no Sonata (2015) Director
- Shokuzai no Sonata (2015) Creator
- Give my regards to Yakima Canutt (2015) Director
- Broken Hearts for Sale (2015) Director
- Japanscope, panorama de la nouvelle Nouvelle Vague (2015)
- FuGAK 3／Farewell, My Dear Eien. (2015) Director
- FUGAKU 2 / The SEAGULL The Shots (2014) Director
- Backwater (2013) Director
- The War and a Woman (2013) Music
- FUGAKU 1 / Zombies in the Dog House (2013) Director
- Cut (2011) Co-Writer
- Tokyo Park (2011) Director
- Tokyo Park (2011) Writer
- 60 Seconds of Solitude in Year Zero (2011) Director
- Three☆Points (2011)
- DOWN (2010) Director
- Kijû Yoshida: What Is a Filmmaker? (2008) as Self
- R246 STORY (2008) Screenplay
- Little Red Riding Hood (2008) Writer
- Little Red Riding Hood (2008) Director
- Little Red Riding Hood (2008) Editor
- Sad Vacation (2007) Director
- Sad Vacation (2007) Novel
- Sad Vacation (2007) Screenplay
- Crickets (2006) Director
- AA (2006) Director
- The Lakeside Murder Case (2005) Director
- The Lakeside Murder Case (2005) Editor
- The Lakeside Murder Case (2005) Writer
- My God, My God, Why Hast Thou Forsaken Me? (2005) Director
- My God, My God, Why Hast Thou Forsaken Me? (2005) Writer
- Wish You Were Here (2005) Director
- Song of Ajima / Ajimaa no Uta (2004) Director
- Mike Yokohama: A Forest with No Name (2003) Director
- Mike Yokohama: A Forest with No Name (2003) Writer
- The Detective Who Can Say No (2003)
- The Detective Who Can Say No (2003) Director
- Days in the Shade (2003) Director
- Deka Matsuri (2003) Director
- Like a Desperado Under the Eaves (2003) Writer
- Like a Desperado Under the Eaves (2003) Director
- 海流から遠く離れて (2003) Director
- Searching for Meaning: Jeonju Digital Project (2003) Director
- TRUNK (2003) Director
- The Private Detective Mike (2002) Director
- The Private Detective Mike (2002) Writer
- Dreaming Bashō: Toshinori Kondo Blows through Kumano (2002) Director
- Eureka (2001) Director
- Eureka (2001) Writer
- Eureka (2001) Editor
- Eureka (2001) Original Music Composer
- Chloe (2001) as Kitano
- phew video (2001) Director
- Desert Moon (2001) Director
- Desert Moon (2001) Screenplay
- Recitation Travelogue - Masterpieces of Japan: Jesus in the Barn (2001) Director
- Tampen (2001) as Man
- To the Backstreet: The Films Kenji Nakagami Left Out (2001) Director
- To the Backstreet: The Films Kenji Nakagami Left Out (2001) Writer
- Not To Talk About All Of Her Old Age (2001) Director
- Shady Grove (1999) Director
- Shady Grove (1999) Screenplay
- License to Live (1999) as man in pub
- Embalming (1999) Screenplay
- Embalming (1999) Director
- Embalming (1999) Editor
- Barren Illusion (1999) as Fascist
- June 12, 1998: At the Edge of Chaos (1999) Director
- Wild Life (1997) Director
- Wild Life (1997) Screenplay
- An Obsession (1997) Writer
- An Obsession (1997) Director
- An Obsession (1997) Editor
- Two Punks (1996) Director
- Helpless (1996) Director
- Helpless (1996) Original Music Composer
- Helpless (1996) Screenplay
- Celebrate Cinema 101 (1996) Director
- Yûri (1996) Assistant Director
- The Written Face (1995) Assistant Director
- Suit Yourself or Shoot Yourself!! The Heist (1995) Assistant Director
- BeRLiN (1995) Assistant Director
- Suit Yourself or Shoot Yourself!! The Escape (1995) Assistant Director
- Not in the Textbooks! (1995) Director
- Not in the Textbooks! (1995) Screenplay
- The Dream of Garuda (1994) Screenplay
- The Guard from Underground (1992) Assistant Director