Oshii

Oshii is a Japanese surname. The most widely known bearer is Mamoru Oshii (born 1951), a filmmaker, animator, and writer whose work has had a substantial influence on contemporary anime and cinema. He began directing feature-length works with Urusei Yatsura 2: Beautiful Dreamer (1984), a film noted for its philosophical tone and visual experimentation.

Oshii achieved international recognition for The Ghost in the Shell (1995), a cyberpunk animated film acclaimed for its philosophical themes, stylistic innovation, and treatment of technology and consciousness. His other notable projects include Patlabor 2: The Movie (1993), Avalon (2001), a Polish-Japanese live-action/CGI collaboration, and The Sky Crawlers (2008), an animated feature. His style is often characterized by contemplative pacing, atmospheric visuals, and a blending of science fiction with deeper inquiries into identity and reality.

Beyond individual works, Oshii has been influential in shaping perceptions of anime as a form of cinema with its own cinematic language. His films have inspired filmmakers and critics worldwide and contributed to discussions about the role of technology, representation, and narrative form in late 20th and early 21st-century media. While the surname Oshii may belong to other individuals, it is Mamoru Oshii who remains the most prominent figure associated with the name in popular and scholarly contexts.