**Katsuhiro Ôtomo** (1954), acclaimed Japanese director, screenwriter, and manga artist, is a central figure in contemporary animation, best known for his cyberpunk masterpiece *Akira* (1988). This film, adapted from his own manga, redefined the animated sci-fi genre with its dystopian vision of Neo-Tokyo, fluid animation, and complex themes of power, mutation, and social chaos.

His other notable directorial works include the segment “Magnetic Rose” from the anthology *Memories* (1995), which explores psychological horror, and the steampunk blockbuster *Steamboy* (2004). He also wrote the screenplay for the visionary *Metropolis* (2001).

Ôtomo's style is characterized by a maniacal attention to detail, dynamic action sequences, and realistic depictions of movement and destruction, making him a pioneer in adult animation cinema.