Anime Manga Explosion Next Generation Pioneer: Yamashita Shingo

・Yamashita talks about his action animation for NARUTO SHIPPUDEN
・Discover his approach to the JUJUTSU KAISEN Season 1 opening
・Behind-the-scenes coverage of his directorial debut Cosmic Princess Kaguya!
・Featuring Cosmic Princess Kaguya!'s live performance director Nakayama Naoya

The ANIME MANGA EXPLOSION documentary series (NHK World TV) dives deep into the artistry of the creators behind Japanese manga and anime that electrify audiences worldwide.

On January 25th 2026, ANIME MANGA EXPLOSION airs a special episode about pioneering “web generation” creator Yamashita Shingo. His career got started when the short animations he posted on his amateur website caught the attention of industry professionals. His use of digital tools was unburdened by conventional methods, and one of his most celebrated works from his period as an animator is NARUTO: SHIPPUDEN. We talk with him about his approach to the innovative action scenes in Episode 387.

Yamashita is also renowned for directing opening and ending sequences for numerous top anime. For this program, he talks about his direction of the JUJUTSU KAISEN Season 1 opening. He shows behind-the-scenes materials while discussing his use of fish imagery as a metaphor for the work and the compositing effects that he personally handled during post-animation.

We go behind-the-scenes for Cosmic Princess Kaguya!,Yamashita's feature film directorial debut. The film unfolds in the metaverse and features extensive battle scenes captured with sweeping camerawork. Yamashita shares his use of previsualization, or previz, for pulling off extraordinarily challenging action scenes. We also showcase the creation of the film's live performances. The live scene direction was handled by Nakayama Naoya, known for directing the Oshi no Ko ending and YOASOBI's “Idol” music video. We explore Nakayama's attention to detail in the expressive character shots used in the live performance, responding to Yamashita's desire to create live scenes that convey the characters' everyday lives.

Don't miss this look at Yamashita Shingo's extraordinary use of technology to push the frontiers of anime!

On air: January 25, 2026 (Sun) NHK World TV

28-minute episode broadcast from 12:10, 18:10, 23:10, and next day 5:10 (Japan time)

Free VOD streaming on the NHK World Japan website from the following day. See the viewing guide for details: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/ja/tv/howto_watch_in_japan/

Featuring: Yamashita Shingo (Director), Nakayama Naoya (Live Performance Director), Momohara Kazuma (Animation Producer)

Narrator: Michael Turpin

Official website: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/shows/anime_manga/