On a fateful night in the late 80s, a gaggle of wide-eyed teens had their minds blown by the visceral decadence of Yoshiaki Kawajiri’s Wicked City. One of those teens, Hiroshi Nagahama, found himself working under Kawajiri at Studio MADHOUSE just a few years later. Hungry to work in animation, Nagahama caught the industry’s eyes through his willingness to try anything—from in-between animation to conceptual design. He made his first big splash by defining the world of Revolutionary Girl Utena alongside Kunihiko Ikuhara and Shichiro Kobayashi. Then in 2005, Nagahama made his directorial debut with Mushi-Shi. In the years since then, the director has become a favorite among critics for his experimental style and willingness to broach subjects few others will touch, as demonstrated in the harrowing and impactful Flowers of Evil.