Nobuyoshi HABARA

Born in 1963 in Hiroshima, Nobuyoshi Habara developed a passion for animation at a very young age and, by the time he was ten, already dreamed of making it his career. In high school, he created his first independent anime projects with friends, and after graduating he moved to Tokyo to pursue work as an animator. He began his professional career at Ashi Productions, where he worked on his first series.

A devoted fan of science fiction and robots, he naturally started out on mecha anime such as Dancougar, taking on various roles including animator, animation director, mecha designer, and character designer. He rose to prominence in the mid-1980s thanks to Machine Robo, a series broadcasted in France in 1987.

Over the course of his career, he broadened his skills to include directing, storyboarding, and overall production. He continued working in the mecha genre with Gekiganger 3, but also explored other styles, such as sports with Ashita e Free Kick and romantic fantasy with D.N.Angel.

After a period as a freelance artist, he took part in founding studio XEBEC in 1995, where he became head of the animation department. There, he worked on Gekiganger 3, D.N.Angel, Negima!, Broken Blade, and Space Battleship Yamato 2199, reconnecting with the Yamato franchise he has always loved. He also contributed to its sequel, Space Battleship Yamato 2202. More recently, he has served as director on series such as Kyôkai Senshi and My Status as an Assassin Obviously Exceeds the Hero's.

Alongside his animation work, Nobuyoshi Habara has also contributed to other fields: web animation with Petit Eva, video games with Killer 7, and live-action productions such as Gegege no Kitaro.

Animation

• 1983 - Tokusô Kihei Dorvack (mecha-designer, mecha animation director, and animator)
• 1985 - Dancouga – Super Beast Machine God (Chôjû Kishin Dancouga) - (animation director)
• 1986 - Machine Robo: Revenge of Cronos (Machine Robo Chronos no Daigyakushû) - (chara-designer and animation director)
• 1988 - Reina Kenrô Densetsu (chara-designer, storyboarder, animation director, and director)
• 1989 - Legend of Heavenly Sphere Shurato (Tenkû Senki Shurato) - (animation director for episode 16, eyecatch, and animator)
• 1990 - Magical Angel Sweet Mint (Mahô no Angel Sweet Mint) - (original character conception)
• 1991 - Jankenman (chara-designer)
• 1992 - Ashita e Free Kick (chara-designer and animation director)
• 1996 - Martian Successor Nadesico (Kidô Senkan Nadesico) - (storyboarder, director, and animator)
• 1996 - Gekiganger 3 (chara-designer, mecha-designer, storyboarder, director, animator, and animation director, as Mamoru Konoe)
• 1999 - Zoids (assistant director, director, storyboarder, and animator)
• 2003 - D.N.Angel (director and storyboarder)
• 2003 - Fullmetal Alchemist (key animator)
• 2004 - Fafner in the Azure (Sôkyû no Fafner) - (director, storyboarder, and animator)
• 2005 - Negima! Magister Negi Magi (Mahô Sensei Negima) - (chief decorator, director, storyboarder, animation director, and animator)
• 2006 - Busô Renkin (animator and storyboarder of the opening, director, and animator)
• 2008 - Michiko & Hatchin (Michiko To Hacchin) - (director)
• 2010 - Broken Blade (Break Blade) - (director)
• 2013 - Space Battleship Yamato 2199 (Uchû Senkan Yamato 2199) - (storyboarder and director)
• 2015 - Sôkyû no Fafner Exodus (director)
• 2017 - Space Battleship Yamato 2202: Warriors of Love (STAR BLAZERS 2202) - (director)
• 2021 - Kyôkai Senshi (director)
• 2025 - My Status as an Assassin Obviously Exceeds the Hero's (director)

Web

• 2008 - Petit Eva (visual works)

Live-action

• 2007 - Kitarô le Repoussant (storyboard)
• 2011 - Saya Samurai (storyboard)

Video games

• 2005 - Killer 7 (director and animator of animation scenes)