Yoshiyuki Oikawa

Yoshiyuki Oikawa’s career is wild, honestly—he’s hopped around genres like he’s allergic to being pigeonholed. People usually know him for “Cells at Work!” (2024), which, okay, is a total blast if you’re into quirky takes on biology and like your science lessons with a healthy side of chaos. Not just a one-hit wonder, though—take a second to check his earlier stuff. “Dororo” from 2007? Way before the anime reboot hype, this one’s pretty gritty, unafraid to get dark, and definitely not for folks who want their samurai stories sugar-coated. He’s got a knack for making even the weirdest plots feel grounded, which is honestly rare. But then, boom, 2018 rolls around and he drops “Sumaho o Otoshita Dake na no ni”—which translates to something like “Stolen Identity” if your Japanese is rusty. That one’s all about the absolute nightmare of losing your phone and getting your entire life hijacked online. Paranoia, suspense, a little bit of social commentary about how we’re all glued to our screens and how it could backfire in the worst way possible—he nails it. Oikawa’s got this gift for making everyday stuff (like blood cells or smartphones) feel like the most dramatic thing in the world. He’s not afraid to get a little weird or dark, but there’s always this undercurrent of sharp wit running through his work. Basically, if you see his name in the credits, you know you’re in for something a little offbeat, a little clever, and way more memorable than your average movie night fare.