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Yasuhiro Kamimura Becomes New Representative Director of Gainax
posted on by Jennifer Sherman
Gainax announced on Tuesday that Yasuhiro Kamimura (Groundworks representative director) became the company's new representative director on December 28. Additionally, Yuko Takaishi (Kadokawa Anime Business Department Anime Production Division head), Atsushi Moriyama (King Records Rights Division senior operating officer), and Yoshiki Usa (Trigger representative director vice president) became the new board members, while Nobuhiko Hayashi (certified public accountant, tax counselor) became the new auditor.
Kamimura was the assistant director for Dragon Ball Movie 3: Mystical Adventure, and he served as assistant episode director for Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z. He provided key animation for Neon Genesis Evangelion, and he is credited as an animation producer for His and Her Circumstances. Kamimura also provided 2D work for anime such as FLCL, Neon Genesis Evangelion: Death & Rebirth, Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion, and Re: Cutie Honey.
Gainax explained that it held a special shareholder meeting on December 27 in relation to its former representative director Tomohiro Maki's arrest for alleged indecent acts earlier in December. Maki allegedly committed indecent acts on an aspiring voice actress contracted to a production company he managed. Gainax apologized in Tuesday's announcement for the concern and trouble that the situation has caused.
Maki resigned from his position at Gainax at the December shareholder meeting. The company's other board members and auditor also resigned on that day.
Gainax's new executives assumed their positions at the same shareholder meeting. The company noted that they "have achievements in intellectual property management and video production, and they were also recommended by companies involved with [Gainax's] business." Gainax stated that the executives' official registration is complete as of the announcement.
Gainax confirmed that it has gone through economic turmoil recently, and intellectual property and production materials have been scattered and lost. However, the company reported that the new executives quickly assessed and responded to the situation "while gaining cooperation from related companies, coping with the circumstances, and beginning work on normalizing Gainax's business operations." Gainax also stated that it is taking the current situation seriously; the company is working toward a fresh start as it strives to repair the image of its brand and products built over the past 35 years.
this article has been modified since it was originally posted; see change history