TV-Series
Description
Masashi Yamada is a freelance director and one of the directing staff at Musashino Animation in the anime Shirobako. He originally came from an animation background, having worked as an animator before moving into staging and directing. His first directorial assignment was episode nine of the series Prun Prun Heaven, a project that suffered severe schedule breakdowns and became infamous online for its poor animation quality, earning the episode the mocking internet nickname Purukyu. This experience left Yamada with a lasting grudge against the director Kinoshita, who was also involved in that project, and he frequently brings up the incident when deadlines or schedules are threatened. Despite this resentment, he continues to work alongside Kinoshita and does not abandon him during production.
Yamada is generally calm and collected, but he possesses a stern and serious demeanor, especially regarding work. He can be stubborn and does not hesitate to show his displeasure when he feels that quality or efficiency is being compromised. His past trauma makes him particularly sensitive to last-minute changes that add labor and expense, and he reacts with clear anger when such demands arise. He is deeply knowledgeable about Japanese films, and his storyboards often show the influence of his cinematic tastes. His drawing skills, built from his time as an animator, also inform his staging work.
Within the story, Yamada serves as one of the directing staff on the studio's first in-house project Exodus! and later takes on the role of director for the subsequent series Two Piece after the completion of Third Aerial Girls Squad. His key relationships include fellow animation director Hironori Madoka, whose more lenient attitude contrasts with Yamada's sternness, and Kinoshita, whose scheduling missteps constantly test Yamada's patience. Over time, Yamada gains recognition and directs further successful projects, but his fundamental approach to work remains driven by a commitment to professionalism and a wariness born from his difficult debut.
Yamada is generally calm and collected, but he possesses a stern and serious demeanor, especially regarding work. He can be stubborn and does not hesitate to show his displeasure when he feels that quality or efficiency is being compromised. His past trauma makes him particularly sensitive to last-minute changes that add labor and expense, and he reacts with clear anger when such demands arise. He is deeply knowledgeable about Japanese films, and his storyboards often show the influence of his cinematic tastes. His drawing skills, built from his time as an animator, also inform his staging work.
Within the story, Yamada serves as one of the directing staff on the studio's first in-house project Exodus! and later takes on the role of director for the subsequent series Two Piece after the completion of Third Aerial Girls Squad. His key relationships include fellow animation director Hironori Madoka, whose more lenient attitude contrasts with Yamada's sternness, and Kinoshita, whose scheduling missteps constantly test Yamada's patience. Over time, Yamada gains recognition and directs further successful projects, but his fundamental approach to work remains driven by a commitment to professionalism and a wariness born from his difficult debut.