Film director Koji Hagiuda died on October 21, the Japan Writers Guild said on its website. He was 59.
The guild announced the death by November 6. "Guild member Koji Hagiuda passed away on October 21, 2026. He was 59," it said on its website. "We offer our sincere prayers for his repose."
Hagiuda was born in Saitama Prefecture. At high school he borrowed an 8mm camera from the school and made a large number of films.
From assistant director to director
He worked as an assistant director on Masashi Yamamoto's "Kuman" (Kumagusu), Kaizo Hayashi's "The Most Terrible Time in My Life" and Naomi Kawase's "Suzaku."
He made his directing debut in 1995 with "Kimi ga Genki de Yatteite Kureru to Ureshii." His second film, "Rakuen" (Paradise), released in 2000, won the excellence award in the television drama division of the Agency for Cultural Affairs' Arts Festival.
His 2004 film "Kikyo" (Homecoming) was shown at overseas festivals, starting with the Japanese Cinema: A New Perspective section of the Tokyo International Film Festival. It went on to the Festival des 3 Continents in France, the Jeonju Film Festival in South Korea and the Fajr International Film Festival in Iran.
Adaptations of Akira Sasou's manga
In 2007 came "Shindo," an adaptation of a manga by Akira Sasou, starring Riko Narumi and Kenichi Matsuyama. The following year brought "Kodomo no Kodomo," also adapted from Sasou's manga, which drew wide attention.
A photograph accompanying the announcement was taken at the preview screening marking the completion of "Shindo" in 2006.