Profile

Born in 1942 in Tokyo, Japan. After earning a bachelor’s degree in art/art history at Kyoto University’s Department of Literature, he went on to do research in its graduate school for 3 years.
He founded a predecessor of the current WAO Corporation in Osaka in 1976. Its stock was listed on JASDAQ in 1988. Under his motto: “In order to change today's Japan, we need to reform the base of Japanese education system”, he developed WAO Corporation into a nationwide general educational service provider. He currently serves as a Chairman. His personal philosophy is summed up in the Japanese phrase Jitomyo or ‘self reliance.’

He founded an animation production company WAO World Co., Ltd. in 2000. He started the activity as a movie director writing the screenplay himself. He aimed at making films which were able to be enjoyed by parents and children and be filled with the messages to enrich their minds.

Movies

image : ITABOH

First theatrical feature animation NITABOH, the Shamisen Master (2004)

Runtime : 1 hours, 40 minutes

May, 2006
The 10th Seoul International Cartoon & Animation Festival  SICAF2006 (Seoul / South Korea) Grand Prize for best feature film
Nov, 2005
The 11th Lyon Asian Film Festival (Lyon / France) The first prize of Public Award for Best Animated Film
Mar, 2005
The 7th REEL 2 REAL International Film Festival for Youth
(Vancouver / Canada) Best Picture Youth Jury Award
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image : Japan, Our Homeland (Furusato-JAPAN)

Second theatrical feature animation Japan, Our Homeland (Furusato-JAPAN) (2006)

Runtime : 1 hours, 40 minutes

Nov, 2006
The 12th Lyon Asian Film Festival (Lyon / France) Grand Prize of Public Award for Best Animated Film Grand Prize of Junior Jury Award
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image : Symphony in August

Third theatrical feature animation Symphony in August -Shibuya 2002 to 2003 (2009)

Runtime : 2 hours

Nov, 2009
The 15th Lyon Asian Film Festival (Lyon / France) 2nd Prize of Public Award for Best Animated Film 3nd Prize of Junior Jury Award
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image : Monks at Gyudmed Pray World People’s Peace in Mind and Heart

Documentary Monks at Gyudmed Pray World People’s Peace in Mind and Heart

Runtime : 2 hours

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Contact

Please contact Director Akio Nishizawa by e-mail regarding coverage request, screening request, support message and so on.

WAO Corporation Official Website (Provided only in Japanese) WAO World Official Website (Provided only in Japanese)

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