ScreenwriterLight NovelistManga WriterJapanese

Jukki Hanada

Jukki Hanada is a prolific Japanese anime screenwriter and light novel author known for his significant contributions to popular series and films.

1. Personal History

Jukki Hanada's background, family, education, and personal interests have significantly shaped his life and career in the anime industry.

1.1. Birth and Family

Jukki Hanada was born in 1969. His grandfather was Kiyoteru Hanada, a renowned essayist and literary critic. It was Kiyoteru Hanada who bestowed upon him his given name, Jukki (十輝Japanese). The specific origin or meaning behind the name's selection remains unstated in public records.

1.2. Education

Hanada attended Hosei University. During his university years, he harbored aspirations of becoming an anime screenwriter. Recognizing the potential difficulties in establishing a stable career in scriptwriting, he diligently saved money and maintained a frugal lifestyle. This proactive financial planning was influenced by his observation of many aspiring scenario writers who, unable to sustain themselves solely through writing, sought other employment and eventually abandoned their creative pursuits. After graduating from university, when initial screenwriting opportunities were scarce, he utilized these savings to support himself. He has publicly acknowledged that his ability to make a living as a professional screenwriter is a result of good fortune. While studying, he also became a disciple of Takao Koyama, a prominent figure in the anime scriptwriting field, to further his skills and knowledge.

1.3. Personal Interests

Hanada is deeply passionate about anime, stemming from his childhood. He identifies as part of the "Gundam generation" and is a devoted fan of director Yoshiyuki Tomino. Among his favorite fictional robots is Ideon. Beyond his professional work, Hanada is an avid fan of Nippon Professional Baseball and a staunch supporter of the Hiroshima Toyo Carp team. He frequently shares his enthusiasm for the Carp on social media, attends games, particularly in the Kanto region when his schedule allows, and enjoys creating anime characters he has worked on to play in baseball video games.

2. Career

Jukki Hanada's professional journey is marked by his extensive work across various media, from his early days as an apprentice to his current prolific output in anime, light novels, and manga.

2.1. Early Career and Apprenticeship

Jukki Hanada's first professional screenwriting credit was for episode 46 of Jankenman, titled "Find the Treasure of Janken Village!". This particular plot was the only one of his submissions to be accepted during his apprenticeship under Takao Koyama. In his early career, he also participated in planning competitions for the Brave Series, where he submitted numerous proposals, though none of them were ultimately adopted for production. In the early 1990s, Hanada joined Satoru Akahori's office, an experience that provided him with extensive knowledge about the anime industry. During this period, he also contributed to the literary aspects of Sakura Wars. After experiencing a period of several years with limited work, his career saw a significant upturn following his involvement in the series composition for Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi, which led to a gradual increase in his anime-related projects. He has noted that while he sometimes receives offers for anime projects at their early planning stages, the unpredictable nature of the industry, with projects being canceled or multiple projects starting simultaneously, often makes it challenging to manage his workload. He is currently affiliated with SATZ Corporation.

2.2. Television Series Screenwriting

Jukki Hanada has made extensive contributions to television anime, serving in both series composition and individual scriptwriting roles.

2.2.1. Series Composition

In his role as a series composer, Hanada is responsible for establishing the overarching narrative structure and direction for an entire anime television series. His works in this capacity include:

  • Mahoromatic: Something More Beautiful (2002-2003)
  • Petite Princess Yucie (2002-2003)
  • Popotan (2003)
  • Hanaukyo Maid Team: La Verite (2004)
  • Rozen Maiden (2004)
  • Rozen Maiden Träumend (2005-2006)
  • Kashimashi: Girl Meets Girl (2006)
  • Rozen Maiden Ouvertüre (2006)
  • Idolmaster: Xenoglossia (2007)
  • Sola (2007)
  • H2O: Footprints in the Sand (2008)
  • S.A (2008)
  • Yozakura Quartet (2008)
  • The Girl Who Leapt Through Space (2009)
  • Student Council's Discretion (2009)
  • Princess Jellyfish (2010)
  • Level E (2011)
  • Nichijou (2011)
  • Steins;Gate (2011)
  • Campione! (2012)
  • Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions (2012)
  • Robotics;Notes (2012-2013)
  • Love Live! School Idol Project (2013-2014)
  • Beyond the Boundary (2013)
  • Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions -Heart Throb- (2014)
  • No Game No Life (2014)
  • Kantai Collection (2015)
  • Sound! Euphonium (2015)
  • Wakaba Girl (2015)
  • Love Live! Sunshine!! (2016-2017)
  • Sound! Euphonium 2 (2016)
  • A Place Further than the Universe (2018)
  • Bloom Into You (2018)
  • Steins;Gate 0 (2018)
  • Hitori Bocchi no Marumaru Seikatsu (2019)
  • Granbelm (2019)
  • Love Live! Superstar!! (2021-2022)
  • The Dangers in My Heart (2023)
  • Sengoku Youko (2024)
  • Sound! Euphonium 3 (2024)
  • Girls Band Cry (2024)
  • Atri: My Dear Moments (2024)
  • Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin (2024)
  • Love Live! Superstar!! 3rd Season (2025)
  • Medalist (2025)
  • See You Tomorrow at the Food Court (2025)

2.2.2. Scriptwriting

As a scriptwriter, Hanada has penned individual episodes for various television anime series. This list primarily includes series where he contributed as a scriptwriter, excluding those where he also served as the primary series composer:

  • Jankenman (1992)
  • Yoyo no Neko Tsumami (1992)
  • Tanoshii Willow Town (1994)
  • Slayers (1995)
  • Slayers Next (1996)
  • Chobits (2002)
  • Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi (2002)
  • The Mythical Detective Loki Ragnarok (2003)
  • Burn-Up Scramble (2004)
  • Diamond Daydreams (2004)
  • Kannazuki no Miko (2004)
  • Gakuen Alice (2004-2005)
  • Ah! My Goddess (2005)
  • He Is My Master (2005)
  • Da Capo: Second Season (2005)
  • Elemental Gelade (2005)
  • Strawberry Marshmallow (2005)
  • Happy Seven (2005)
  • Fate/stay night (2006)
  • Ah! My Goddess: Flights of Fancy (2006)
  • Sasami: Magical Girls Club (2006)
  • Code-E (2007)
  • Mission-E (2008)
  • Kyōran Kazoku Nikki (2008)
  • Chrome Shelled Regios (2009)
  • K-On! (2009)
  • Beyblade: Metal Fusion (2009)
  • Hanasakeru Seishōnen (2009-2010)
  • Shugo Chara!! Doki (2009)
  • Tatakau Shisho: The Book of Bantorra (2009)
  • K-On!! (2010)
  • Natsume's Book of Friends 3 (2011)
  • Kimi to Boku (2011)
  • Natsume's Book of Friends 4 (2012)
  • Kimi to Boku 2 (2012)
  • Accel World (2012)
  • The Pet Girl of Sakurasou (2012-2013)
  • Tamako Market (2013)
  • A Certain Scientific Railgun S (2013)
  • Strike the Blood (2013)
  • Magi: The Kingdom of Magic (2013)
  • The Seven Deadly Sins (2014-2015)
  • Comic Girls (2018)

2.3. OVAs and Short Films

Hanada has also contributed to Original Video Animations (OVAs) and other short-form animated productions:

  • Sola: A Different Route (2007)
  • Sola: Towards the Dawning Sky (2007)
  • Strawberry Marshmallow (2007)
  • Aki Sora (2009)
  • Aki Sora: Yume no Naka (2010)
  • Nichijou Episode 0 (2011)
  • Steins;Gate: Egoistic Poriomania (2012)
  • Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions: Glimmering...Explosive Festival (Slapstick Noel) (2013)
  • Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions -Heart Throb-: Playback of...the Wicked Eye's Apocalypse (The Rikka Wars) (2014)
  • Beyond the Boundary: Daybreak (2014)
  • Sound! Euphonium: Dash, Monaka (2015)
  • Steins;Gate 0 - Valentine's of Crystal Polymorphism: Bittersweet Intermedio (2018)
  • Sound! Euphonium: Ensemble Contest (2023)

2.4. Anime Films

His filmography includes screenwriting for various anime feature films:

  • Steins;Gate: The Movie - Load Region of Déjà Vu (2013)
  • Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions: Rikka Version (2013)
  • Beyond the Boundary: I'll Be Here - Past (2015)
  • Beyond the Boundary: I'll Be Here - Future (2015)
  • Love Live! The School Idol Movie (2015)
  • Sound! Euphonium: The Movie - Welcome to the Kitauji High School Concert Band (2016)
  • KanColle: The Movie (2016)
  • No Game No Life: Zero (2017)
  • Sound! Euphonium: The Movie - May the Melody Reach You! (2017)
  • Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions! Take on Me (2018)
  • Love Live! Sunshine!! The School Idol Movie: Over The Rainbow (2019)
  • Sound! Euphonium: The Movie - Our Promise: A Brand New Day (2019)
  • A Few Moments of Cheers (2024)

2.5. Other Creative Works

Beyond television and film animation, Jukki Hanada has diversified his creative output across various media, including light novels, manga, and video games.

2.5.1. Light Novels

Hanada has authored and co-authored several light novel series:

  • Ojōsama Express (1996-1997) - Volume 1 was written solely by Hanada, while subsequent volumes were co-authored with Yoshimi Narita.
  • Kururi kuru!: De suru Raishū (2001)
  • Dai Kiraina, ano Sora ni (2001)
  • Second Stage (published in Monthly Dragon Magazine, September 2001 issue)
  • Twice X'mas (published in Cobalt, December 2001 issue)
  • Tokimeki Memorial (Dengeki G's Bunko) - Volume 1 was written solely by Hanada, with subsequent volumes co-authored alongside Yasutomo Yamada and Takashi Aoshima.
    • Tokimeki Memorial (1) (August 1997)
    • Tokimeki Memorial (2) (October 1997) - Co-authored with Yasutomo Yamada
    • Tokimeki Memorial (3) (December 1997) - Co-authored with Yasutomo Yamada
    • Tokimeki Memorial (4) (April 1999) - Co-authored with Takashi Aoshima
    • Tokimeki Memorial (5) (July 1999) - Co-authored with Yasutomo Yamada
    • Tokimeki Memorial (6) (November 1999) - Co-authored with Takashi Aoshima
  • Muteki-Oh Tri-Zenon Gaia-Zenon (Fujimi Fantasia Bunko)
    • Muteki-Oh Tri-Zenon Gaia-Zenon I: Akatsuki no Kyōdai (September 2000)
    • Muteki-Oh Tri-Zenon Gaia-Zenon II: Uragiri no South Ocean (January 2001)
    • Muteki-Oh Tri-Zenon Gaia-Zenon III: Akatsuki no Kanata ni (April 2001)

2.5.2. Manga Contributions

Hanada has contributed as a story writer or script contributor for various manga projects:

  • Saber Marionette J (1996-1999, serialized in Monthly Comic Dragon and Monthly Dragon Junior) - Based on an original story by Satoru Akahori, with scripts by Jukki Hanada, character design by Tsukasa Kotobuki, and art by Kyusuke Kotoyoshi.
  • Ojōsama Express (1998-1999, serialized in Monthly Comic Gao!) - Based on an original concept by Jukki Hanada, with art by Reio Katsumata.
  • Kururi kuru! (2001-2005, serialized in Monthly Comic Gum) - Story by Jukki Hanada, with art by Hiyohiyo.
  • Hōrorogion (2009-2010, serialized in Dengeki Daioh) - Original story by Jukki Hanada, with art by Tatsu Nohana and Gion design by Chūō Higashiguchi.

2.5.3. Game Scenarios

Hanada has also contributed to the narrative design of video games:

  • Space Knight Tekkaman Blade: Orbital Ring Recapture Operation (1994) - Game scenario composition.
  • Ojōsama Express (1998) - Story original concept and composition.

2.5.4. Radio Dramas and Drama CDs

  • Motto! Tokimeki Memorial (1995-1996) - Radio Drama.
  • Sound! Euphonium 5th Anniversary Disc ~Kirameki Passage~ (2021) - Drama CD.

2.5.5. Original Concepts

  • IDOLY PRIDE (2019-present) - Original concept.

3. Creative Process and Philosophy

Jukki Hanada employs a distinctive approach to his script development. He notes that due to the nature of anime production, scripts are often completed long before the broadcast date. Consequently, he sometimes finds himself wondering about the specific plot of an episode when it airs. However, upon watching, he can vividly recall which parts were original and which were added or modified during the writing process. A core tenet of his writing method is his strict aversion to copy-pasting content, even when the original scenario exists as digital data. He emphasizes that he meticulously types out every single character and punctuation mark by hand. His reasoning for this manual process is that it is essential for him to fully grasp the unique tempo and dialogue style of each specific work, ensuring authenticity and flow. Takashi Aoshima frequently collaborates with Hanada as a sub-writer for his television anime projects.

4. Awards and Recognition

Jukki Hanada has received significant recognition for his screenwriting and creative work, including the prestigious Tokyo Anime Award.

YearAwardCategoryResult
2015Tokyo Anime AwardBest Screenplay / Original Story-
2019Tokyo Anime AwardBest Screenplay / Original Story-

5. Legacy and Impact

Jukki Hanada's extensive and consistent contributions to the anime industry have left a significant mark. His prolific body of work spans numerous popular television series, OVAs, and films, many of which have garnered widespread audience reception. His involvement in diverse projects, ranging from fantasy and science fiction to slice-of-life and idol-themed narratives, showcases his versatility as a screenwriter. His meticulous approach to scriptwriting, including his unique "no copy-paste" philosophy, underscores his dedication to crafting authentic and well-paced narratives, contributing to the enduring appeal of the series he works on.