Makoto Shinkai Biography

Makoto Shinkai (新海 誠, Shinkai Makoto?), born Makoto Niitsu (新津 誠, Niitsu Makoto?) (born February 9, 1973) is a Japanese anime director, animator, and principal voice actor. A native of the Nagano prefecture in Japan, he studied Japanese literature in university. He traces his passion for creation to the manga, anime, and novels he read while in middle school. His favorite anime is Castle in the Sky by Hayao Miyazaki. Shinkai has been called the new Miyazaki in several reviews including Anime Advocates and ActiveAnime, though he disagrees with this comparison, stating that "it is an overestimation".