Masaki Harada was a Japanese director, known for directing many Ultraman Series episodes during the Heisei era.
Career[]
Harada began working part-time in film production when he was a student. His earliest known role is as a third assistant director in Space Ironman Kyodain in 1976. During his tenure as an assistant director, he worked at Toei, Daiei, Mifune Productions and Filmlink International. He made his directorial debut in 1992 with Uradeka. Harada directed for the Ultraman Series from 1997 to 2005.
Death[]
On February 28, 2008, Harada died in a Tokyo hospital of heart failure due to cancer. He was 52.[1][2][3]
Works[]
- Ultraman Tiga (1997) - Director, 4 episodes
- Episode 29 "Blue Night's Memory"
- Episode 30 "Monster Zoo"
- Episode 49 "The Ultra Star" (with Kazuho Mitsuta)
- Episode 50 "Take Me Higher!"
- Ultraman Zearth 2: Superhuman Big Battle - Light and Shadow (1997) - Assistant director
- Ultraman Dyna (1997-1998) - Director and special effects director, 10 episodes
- Episode 5 "Winning Shot" (director)
- Episode 6 "The Land's Ultimate Monster" (director)
- Episode 11 "Phantom Planet" (director and special effects director)
- Episode 12 "Mysterious Thief Himala" (director and special effects director)
- Episode 19 "Bird of the Phantom Dream" (director and special effects director)
- Episode 20 "Alien Boy" (director and special effects director)
- Episode 31 "Fight! Dyna vs. Dyna" (director and special effects director)
- Episode 32 "The Singing Investigation Robot" (director and special effects director)
- Episode 46 "The Power of Thinking of You" (director and special effects director)
- Episode 47 "Farewell Hanejiro" (director and special effects director)
- Ultraman Gaia (1998-1999) - Director and special effects director, 13 episodes
- Episode 5 "Another Giant" (director)
- Episode 6 "The Ridiculing Eye" (director)
- Episode 11 "The Dragon's Capital" (director)
- Episode 12 "Monster Encircling Net" (director)
- Episode 19 "Lilia's Maze" (director and special effects director)
- Episode 20 "The Fossil of Ruin" (director and special effects director)
- Episode SP "Gathering! 3 Great Ultra Warriors: Secrets of the Gaia Movie" (director)
- Episode 29 "The Distant City: Uqbar" (director and special effects director)
- Episode 30 "The Demon's Cocoon" (director and special effects director)
- Episode 37 "The Fourth Symphony of a Nightmare" (director and special effects director)
- Episode 38 "Ground-Breaking Tusks" (director and special effects director)
- Episode 45 "The Living Planet" (director)
- Episode 46 "The Attack of the Forest" (director)
- Booska! Booska!! (1999-2000) - Main director,[4] 12 episodes
- Ultraman Tiga Side Story: Revival of the Ancient Giant (2001) - Behind-the-scenes film director and composition
- Ultraman Dyna: The Return of Hanejiro (2001) - Director and special effects director
- Ultraman Cosmos (2001-2002) - Director and special effects director, 12 episodes
- Episode 4 "The Fallen Robot"
- Episode 9 "Friend in the Forest"
- Episode 13 "Daughter of Time: Part 1"
- Episode 14 "Daughter of Time: Part 2"
- Episode 24 "Warm Memories"
- Episode 25 "Alien Girl"
- Episode 35 "The Magic Stone"
- Episode 36 "The Mountain of Yōkai"
- Episode 47 "Sorceress of the Sky"
- Episode 48 "Waroga Counterattack"
- Episode 57 "Door of Snow"
- Episode 58 "The Sky of Revenge"
- Ultraman Cosmos vs. Ultraman Justice: The Final Battle (2003) - VFX coordinator
- Ultra Heroine Legend: From Anne to Seven (2004) - Director
- Ultra Q: Dark Fantasy (2004) - Director, 4 episodes
- Episode 9 "Temptation at 2 AM"
- Episode 10 "Ceremonial Bonfire"
- Episode 13 "The Invader of Shadows"
- Episode 15 "The Shining Ship"
- Ultra Heroine Legend: Contest of Goddesses (2005) - Director
Other Works[]
- Magic Bullet Chronicles Ryukendo (2006) - Director
- Metal Kaiser (2014) - Director, 3 episodes
- Episodes 1 "Birth of the Azure Dragon Kaiser: Electric-Sucking Monster Enestan"
- Episodes 2 "Yuan Revenge: Curse of the Demon Beast"
- Episodes 3 "Terrifying Invaders: Invading Alien Kaela"
Trivia[]
- Harada's episodes were often written by Ai Ota.
References[]