at AIC, the studio responsible for the series. However, Yuasa had been invited to join the production by episode director and maverick animator Shinya Ohira, who after seeing his work on Crayon Shin-chan sought him out and placed him in a position of responsibility for overseeing the animation on his episode of the series, entitled Hamaji’s Resurrection. Although the production was chaotic due to a compressed schedule which did not allow sufficient time for ensuring the visual coherence traditionally prized in animation, the result was a distinctive episode with an emphasis on realism, moving camera techniques, and expressive attention to small character acting details. As a result of this work, Ohira collaborated with Yuasa on subsequent productions. Hamaji's Resurrection generated considerable conversation within Japan's animation industry, was cited as one of the most important Japanese animated productions of the 1990s, and described as a masterpiece of Japanese animation. Following the success of Hamaji's Resurrection, Yuasa continued working as a freelance animator for the remainder of the 1990s, including work on the Studio Ghibli feature film My Neighbors the Yamadas (1999). This freelance work brought additional early directorial and supervisory opportunities. These included the television pilot film Vampiyan Kids (1999), which Yuasa directed and storyboarded; the short film Slime Adventures: Yay, the Sea! (1999), based on the popular Dragon Quest franchise, which Yuasa directed; and the acclaimed short film Cat Soup (2001), on which he served as screenwriter and animation producer. Cat Soup was a critical success, winning an Excellence Award for animation at the Japan Media Arts Festival. The Cat Soup project in particular served as a springboard for Yuasa to move fully into the directorial phase of his career. Move to directing and Mind Game Yuasa's opportunity to move into feature film directing came when Eiko Tanaka, the co-founder and CEO of Studio 4°C, requested Yuasa adapt the Robin Nishi manga Mind Game. Although the manga was little-known by the general public, several prominent staff members of Studio 4°C were passionate about the title, and studio co-founder Kōji Morimoto had previously introduced Yuasa to the series. Yuasa felt the material suited him and agreed to direct the project. The production utilized an experimental visual sensibility, incorporating a variety of illustrated styles and including the use of live-action footage. Yuasa was inspired to make use of this combination of styles in order to preserve the feeling of the original manga,