Takeshi Koike

Takeshi Koike (小池健 Koike Takeshi, born January 26, 1968) is a Japanese animator, illustrator and film director.

Something of a protégée of Yoshiaki Kawajiri, he was also influenced by Yoshinori Kanada, Frank Miller, Mike Mignola, and Katsuhito Ishii. He went straight from high school education to beginning his career at Madhouse as an in-betweener on works directed by Kawajiri after being interviewed by him. His first professional work as a director is the title sequence of the 2000 film Party 7; while his first feature film is Redline, which premiered in 2009 and was released in 2010. He served as character designer and animation director for 2012's Lupin the Third: The Woman Called Fujiko Mine, and directs film continuations of it starting with Lupin the Third: Daisuke Jigen's Gravestone in 2014. Work outside of animation includes the artwork for the 2004 Dreams Come True single "Yasashii Kiss o Shite".