Raito Nishizaka
Raito Nishizaka (西坂來人), born on December 4, 1985, in Fukushima, Japan, is a celebrated Japanese director and illustrator. His early life was marked by challenges, as he spent part of his childhood in a children's home to escape domestic violence. After high school, he pursued his passion for film, attending the directing course at Nikkatsu Art Academy in Tokyo through a newspaper scholarship program. Following his graduation, Nishizaka worked as an art assistant for special effects films and TV programs before embarking on a freelance career as a film director and illustrator, including authoring several picture books. In 2014, he joined the Tokyo-based production company Tokyo Cowboys. His notable directorial works include the feature film "Aichaku" (2025), the Amazon Prime Video comedy series "The Benza" (which originated as a short film), its spin-off "Benza English," and episodes of the travel documentary series "Getting Dirty in Japan." He continues to work as an illustrator, providing artwork for projects like "The Benza RPG."

