Takahide Hori  

Yamiken

Hori was born in 1971 and grew up in Oita Prefecture. He graduated from Midorigaoka High School, which is affiliated with the Oita Prefectural College of Arts and Culture, with a major in oil painting. After graduation, he moved to Tokyo where he worked part-time while pursuing his dream of becoming an artist. At age 29, Hori was able to make a living through commercial artwork contracts such as store design, model making, and mural painting. He also managed a dining bar for a year and a half. Throughout his career, Hori has won several small awards for painting and has experience creating marionettes, dolls, netsuke, and accessories. In 2013, at the age of 41, Hori began an independent stop-motion animation project called "Junk Head 1." It took him about four years to complete the film from conception to completion. On November 16th, 2013, "Junk Head 1" had a one-day screening at Shibuya Uplink and was a huge success with a packed house.