History Creator / KunihikoIkuhara

* DoingItForTheArt: This is why he's had barely any involvement since ''Anime/RevolutionaryGirlUtena'' until ''Anime/{{Penguindrum}}'' since he's difficult to work with due to heavy creative differences between him and the executives.

Ikuhara is a firm believer of the "GirlOnGirlIsHot" adage: a lot of his work features lesbian characters that are not only well emotionally developed, but are also a nice piece of {{Fanservice}}, especially when things [[DoubleEntendre get steamy.]]

* ExecutiveMeddling: While he was relatively independent with ''Utena'', the producers only allowed him to produce ''Anime/{{Penguindrum}}'' when he made it more accessible. He added PluckyComicRelief in [[EverythingIsBetterWithPenguins form of three penguins]].

Another of his works, ''Anime/{{Penguindrum}}'', aired from July to December 2011 as part of that year's [[Summer2011Anime summer anime lineup]]. His latest project, ''Anime/{{Sarazanmai}}'', is airing as a part of the Spring 2019 anime season.

* ''Anime/SailorMoon'' (1992-96) (A list of the episodes he directed can be found [[https://wikimoon.org/index.php/Kunihiko_Ikuhara here.]])

* FanNickname: Ikuni, a {{portmanteau}} of '''Iku'''hara and Ku'''ni'''hiko. He even uses it himself.

Kunihiko Ikuhara (born December 21, 1964) is a Japanese animator and director. He is basically the Japanese Creator/DavidLynch, most famous for directing the TV series ''Anime/RevolutionaryGirlUtena'' and its movie ''The Adolescence of Utena'', plus the first four seasons of ''Anime/SailorMoon'' (directed several episodes in the first season, and became the series director for the ''R'', ''S'', and ''[=SuperS=]'' seasons) as well as the ''R'' movie, and the Creator/MamoruOshii of TV anime. Also notoriously evasive about giving straight answers to his more surreal works. ''Anime/BelladonnaOfSadness'' has been cited as an influence of his, which is quite easily seen in ''Utena''.

* BlackComedy: More and more noticable in his works starting with ''Anime/{{Penguindrum}}''.

* FanNickname: Ikuni. He even uses it himself.

!!Tropes pertaining to Kunihiko Ikuhara's works include:

* ''Anime/SailorMoon'' (1992-96) (A list of the episodes he directed can be found [[http://sailormoon.wikia.com/wiki/Kunihiko_Ikuhara here.]])

Ikuhara is a firm believer of the "GirlOnGirlIsHot" adage: a lot of his work features lesbian characters that are both well emotionally developed and also a nice piece of {{Fanservice}}, especially when things [[DoubleEntendre get steamy.]]

Another of his works, ''Anime/MawaruPenguindrum'', aired from July to December 2011 as part of that year's [[Summer2011Anime summer anime lineup]]. His latest project, ''Anime/{{Sarazanmai}}'', is airing as a part of the Spring 2019 anime season.

* DoingItForTheArt: This is why he's had barely any involvement since ''Anime/RevolutionaryGirlUtena'' until ''Anime/MawaruPenguindrum'' since he's difficult to work with due to heavy creative differences between him and the executives.

* ExecutiveMeddling: While he was relatively independent with ''Utena'', the producers only allowed him to produce ''Anime/MawaruPenguindrum'' when he made it more accessible. He added PluckyComicRelief in [[EverythingIsBetterWithPenguins form of three penguins]].

* LeslieNielsenSyndrome: [[PlayingWithATrope Played with.]] His stories remain relatively dramatic and continue to tackle heavy subjects, but starting with ''Anime/MawaruPenguindrum'', the ''imagery'' in his works have turned inexorably DenserAndWackier and more skewed toward {{Bathos}} and BlackComedy.

** Probably the best example is his response via Website/{{Twitter}} to people asking about ''Anime/MawaruPenguindrum'':

* SexIsEvil: Heavily played with in his works. The most explicit depiction of sex in ''Anime/MawaruPenguindrum'' also plays with BondageIsBad. In turn, ''Anime/YuriKumaArashi'' is built entirely around SexIsEvilAndIAmHorny.

* TransformationSequence: Featured in most of his works, including shows such as ''Anime/MawaruPenguindrum'' and ''Anime/YuriKumaArashi'' which have little to do with MagicalGirl or superhero genres.

* BlackComedy: More and more noticable in his works starting with ''Anime/MawaruPenguindrum''.

* ''Anime/MawaruPenguindrum'' (2011)

* {{Bathos}}: Good lord, he might be the undisputed CHAMPION of this trope. Scenes of misery and horror are CONSTANTLY juxtaposed against or including cartoony mascots and slapstick in his works, deliberately making the audience confused not just at [[MindScrew what is happening]], but what they should even ''feel'' about it.

!!Kunihiko Ikuhara and his works provide examples of:

* GainaxEnding: Could as well be called the ''Ikuhara Ending''. The most clear of his plots (and their resolutions) so far is ''Anime/YuriKumaArashi'', which is still {{Mind Screw}}ingly surreal.

* InTheNameOfTheMoon: He worked on the anime of the trope namer, shows up in other, non-MagicalGirl contexts as well ("Grant me the power to Revolutionize the world" from ''Utena'' or "Imagine!" from ''Penguindrum'').

* WorldOfSymbolism: This is a major feature and the key to understanding many of his works.

Another of his works, ''Anime/MawaruPenguindrum'', aired from July to December 2011 as part of that year's [[Summer2011Anime summer anime lineup]]. His latest project, ''Anime/YuriKumaArashi'', aired as part of the [[Winter2015Anime Winter 2015 season]].

* ExecutiveMeddling:
** While he was relatively independent with ''Utena'', the producers only allowed him to produce ''Anime/MawaruPenguindrum'' when he made it more accessible. He added PluckyComicRelief in [[EverythingIsBetterWithPenguins form of three penguins]].

* DoingItForTheArt: Why he's had barely any involvement since ''Anime/RevolutionaryGirlUtena'' until ''Anime/MawaruPenguindrum'' since he's difficult to work with due to heavy creative differences between him and the executives.

* InTheNameOfTheMoon: Worked on the anime of the trope namer, shows up in other, non-MagicalGirl contexts as well ("Grant me the power to Revolutionize the world" from ''Utena'' or "Imagine!" from ''Penguindrum'').

* MindScrew: Infamous for allegedly including scenes and elements only because [[TrollingCreator he felt like doing so]], without any meaning [[FauxSymbolism at all]]. Was called "the David Lynch of Japan" until the late Creator/SatoshiKon stole his title.

* ShrugOfGod: One of his most defining traits. Not only do his answers rarely make sense at all, they also occasionally contradict each others.

* WorldOfSymbolism: A major feature and the key to understanding many of his works.

** ''Sailor Moon R: TheMovie'' (1993)