Kazuhiko Shimamoto  

Hidehiko Tezuka, Shinji Kinoe

As a child, he was heavily influenced by Osamu Tezuka and Shotaro Ishinomori, which sparked his love for Kamen Rider. He later criticized Tatsuya Egawa's comical take on "Kamen Rider The First" as being of low quality. Masayuki Fujihara, Tetsuo Yamashita, Naoki Mizutani, Michiaki Watanabe and Eisaku Kubonouchi were once his assistants. He was also a classmate with Masamune Shirow, Hideaki Anno and Takami Akai at Osaka University of Arts. Kentaro Yano was his senior while Aki Katsu and Meimu were his juniors. He had close friends such as Masami Yuuki, Kazuhiro Fujita, Bang Ippongi, Moo, Nenbei and Yumiko Igarashi.