Toshihiro Hirano is a Japanese anime director, animator, character designer, and manga original creator, born on October 3, 1956, in Tokyo. He is professionally known as Toshiki Hirano, having changed his name from Toshihiro Hirano, which is the name he used earlier in his career. His wife is the animator and manga artist Narumi Kakinouchi, with whom he has frequently collaborated.

Hirano began his career in the animation industry in the mid-1970s, working as an in-between artist and key animator on numerous classic series. He gained recognition for his character animation work on productions such as The Super Dimension Fortress Macross, where his depiction of female characters was particularly noted, and the film Macross: Do You Remember Love?. He also worked as an animation director on series like Urusei Yatsura and Dr. Slump during this formative period.

As an original creator, Hirano is best known for developing the Iczer franchise. The OVA series Fight! Iczer One, released in 1985, marked his directorial debut and was a project he co-created, serving as the original creator, director, and character designer. This series established a template for his work, blending science fiction, horror, and action elements with a focus on powerful female protagonists. His involvement with the Iczer universe continued with subsequent works. For the OVA Iczer Reborn, he was credited as the original creator, contributed to the screenplay for episodes five and six, and served as the episode director for the final episode. He also created and directed the subsequent OVA Iczer 3 and the television series Iczer Girl Iczelion.

Throughout the late 1980s and 1990s, Hirano established himself as a prominent director in the original video animation market, which was then a burgeoning medium for experimental and high-budget productions. He served as the original creator and director for several notable OVA series during this period. Among these are the mecha series Dangaioh and Hades Project Zeorymer, the horror-fantasy Vampire Princess Miyu, and the action title Daimajū Gekitō: Hagane no Oni. Vampire Princess Miyu, in particular, became a signature work; he served as the original creator for the OVA and later directed the television series adaptation.

His career also includes directing major television anime adaptations of existing properties. In 1994, he directed the television series adaptation of Magic Knight Rayearth, based on the manga by CLAMP. He also directed the television series for Devil Lady, based on the work by Go Nagai, and the first television adaptation of Angel Heart, based on the manga by Tsukasa Hojo.

A recurring theme in Hirano’s artistic identity is the synthesis of mechanical action with character-driven horror and drama, often centered on female leads. His visual style, developed during the 1980s, was characterized by a detailed and dynamic approach to character design, particularly in the rendering of hair and expressive features. He was also known for incorporating elements of tokusatsu (live-action special effects) into his animated works.

As a manga artist, Hirano has created several works, often in collaboration with his wife, Narumi Kakinouchi. These include the Golden Warrior Iczer-One manga, which adapts his original anime concept, as well as the Vampire Princess Miyu manga and the Shaolin Sisters series.

Hirano’s industry significance lies in his role as a key creator during the 1980s OVA boom, where he helped define the aesthetic and narrative possibilities of the format. His directorial style and original concepts from that era, such as Iczer One, Vampire Princess Miyu, and Dangaioh, have remained influential. In later years, he continued to direct major television series, including the 2010 adaptation of Magic Kaito and the 2018 Netflix anime series Baki, demonstrating a sustained and varied career that has spanned over four decades.