Kitarō Kōsaka was born on February 28, 1962, in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. He embarked on his career in the animation industry in 1979 with Oh! Production, where he remained until 1986. Subsequently, he transitioned to a freelance career, allowing him to take on various projects as a key and supervising animation director.
During his time at Studio Ghibli, Kōsaka worked alongside the renowned director Hayao Miyazaki, whose work he greatly admires. In 2003, he made his directorial debut with the anime film Nasu: Summer in Andalusia, which was set against the backdrop of the Vuelta a España road bicycle race. This film was adapted from Iō Kuroda's manga Nasu and was recommended to Kōsaka by Hayao Miyazaki himself, who is a cycling enthusiast.
Nasu: Summer in Andalusia went on to become the first Japanese anime film to be selected for the prestigious Cannes Film Festival. Kōsaka has also worked on numerous projects for the studio Madhouse, including adaptations of manga artist Naoki Urasawa's works, such as Yawara, Master Keaton, and Monster. Furthermore, he has adapted two of Clamp's works, including the short films Clover and Double X.
Throughout his illustrious career, Kōsaka has demonstrated his versatility and talent as an animator and film director, working on a wide range of projects and collaborating with some of the most respected figures in the industry.
