[Twitter](https://twitter.com/ushimou730) | [Wiki (jp)](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/馬越嘉彦)

A highly prolific and respected character designer. Originating from Monsieur Onion, where he spent his in-betweening days studying under [Hirotoshi Takaya](https://anilist.co/staff/117473/) and [Junichi Hayama](https://anilist.co/staff/140660/). In 1991, he moved to Studio Cockpit with [Hisashi Kagawa](https://anilist.co/staff/120432/) and [Tatsufumi Tamakawa](https://anilist.co/staff/109607/). A few years later he debuted as a character designer on [Grappler Baki](https://anilist.co/anime/1859/) in 1994. He is said to be a very fast and efficient worker, and according to himself, he much rather participates in TV productions than theatrical ones. Close friends with [Hiroshi Nagahama](https://anilist.co/staff/99346/) whom he often works with. They first worked together on [Juubei-chan 2](https://anilist.co/anime/636/), for which Umakoshi provided the designs for and served as the chief animation director on all 13 episodes. The following year, the duo teamed up again for [Mushishi](https://anilist.co/anime/457/), which's production quality was unusually high for a TV production. Umakoshi designed the characters and worked as the chief animation director on all 26 episodes of the series and hit a burn-out. After this he took a step back on major roles for a few years. Both him and Nagahama reprised their roles on Mushishi's revival in 2014. In 2016, Umakoshi was appointed as the character designer on [My Hero Academia](https://anilist.co/anime/21459/), and has since been highly involved with the series' production as both an animation director and animator.