Hiroshi Wakao is the founder and first representative director of Shaft.
Originally a member of Mushi Production, he founded Shaft in 1975. He served as the representative director of the studio until his retirement in 2004 when he was succeeded by Kubota Mitsutoshi. He also worked as a colour designer and production manager on several titles where Shaft was involved, and was a producer for their Sakura Diaries series.
