Kôhei Sakita

Kôhei Sakita’s not exactly a household name—yet—but if you’re even slightly obsessed with anime, you’ve probably stumbled across his work. The guy’s fingerprints are all over some of the wildest, most visually electric projects in recent years. Let’s start with DanDaDan (2024). This show? Total fever dream. It throws together psychic battles, aliens, and spirits, all mashed up with a wild sense of humor. Sakita’s touch is obvious in the way the characters move—there’s a looseness, a swagger, zero stiffness. It’s like he’s got a sixth sense for pulling heart out of chaos. Then there’s The Colors Within (2024), which is a whole different vibe. It dials things back, hits you with a more introspective, artsy punch. Sakita’s animation here is gentle, but it sneaks up on you—soft palettes, subtle lighting, and, honestly, a real knack for squeezing meaning out of a single shot. It’s not loud, but it sticks with you. And you can’t skip over Star Wars: Visions (2021). Sakita contributed to this anthology, which, let’s be real, is basically Star Wars on a sugar rush. He played with the universe’s familiar toys but twisted them through a distinctly Japanese lens. Lightsabers, yes, but also samurai swagger and way more emotional grit than you’d expect. Sakita’s work doesn’t just blend in—it pops, it surprises, and it always feels like he’s having a blast behind the scenes.