View source for Takaaki Kidani

{{short description|Japanese video game developer and entrepreneur (born 1960)}}
{{Infobox person
| name             = Takaaki Kidani
| native_name      = 木谷 高明
| native_name_lang = ja
| image            = Takaaki Kidani 5 201011.jpg
| alt              = 
| caption          = 
| birth_name       = <!-- only use if different from name -->
| birth_date       = {{Birth date and age|1960|06|06}}
| birth_place      = [[Kanazawa]], [[Ishikawa Prefecture|Ishikawa]], Japan
| alma_mater       = [[Musashi University]]
| death_date       = <!-- {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} or {{Death-date and age|death date†|birth date†}} -->
| death_place      = 
| nationality      = Japanese
| other_names      = 
| occupation       = Video game developer, entrepreneur
| known_for        = 
}}
{{Nihongo|'''Takaaki Kidani'''|木谷 高明|Kidani Takaaki|born June 6, 1960}} is a Japanese video game developer and entrepreneur born in [[Kanazawa]], Japan. He is the founder, CEO and president of [[Bushiroad]].<ref>{{Cite web| title = 木谷高明 初の著書「煽動者 ～徹底プロモーション 仕掛人の哲学～」| access-date = 2014-08-01| url = http://hobbyjapan.co.jp/kidani/}}</ref> Kidani has also served as the chairman of [[New Japan Pro-Wrestling]] (NJPW). He continues to be involved with NJPW through Bushiroad, in which owns the company.<ref>{{Cite web| title = 新日本プロレス木谷高明取締役会長が辞意を表明。「これからはブシロードグループとして外側からサポートして行く」| access-date = 2017-01-19| url = http://www.njpw.co.jp/45498}}</ref>

==Early life==
After Kidani graduated from [[Musashi University]] with a degree in economics, he worked at [[Yamaichi Securities]]. He handled American duties.

==Broccoli==
Kidani formerly from [[Yamaichi Securities]] in 1994. On March 25 of the same year, he founded [[Broccoli (company)|Broccoli]] as a [[startup company]]. At first, his business focused on event management, but from 1994 to 1998, he started Comic Castle for [[dōjinshi]]. In 1996, he established his first chain of retail stores {{ill|Gamers Ltd.|lt=Gamers|ja|ゲーマーズ}}. His company has its center focus on anime and video games. Their company performance increased after producing the anime series [[Di Gi Charat]] and his company was then listed on the [[JASDAQ Securities Exchange]].

==Bushiroad==
He founded Bushiroad in May 2007 as a company that produces card games and assumed the position of president. The origin of the name Bushiroad comes from the failure to make ''[[Neppu Kairiku Bushi Road]]'' into a film due to various reasons when he led the project in the days of Broccoli. The film was restarted in March 2013 with Kidani as the executive producer. The company would create numerous [[media franchise]]s including ''[[Tantei Opera Milky Holmes]]'' and ''[[BanG Dream!]]''.<ref>{{cite interview|last=Kidani|first=Takaaki|subject-link=Takaaki Kidani|interviewer=Kenji Sunaga|url=https://realsound.jp/2018/11/post-268336.html|title=ブシロード 木谷高明が語る、『バンドリ！』プロジェクトの軌跡と未来 「何十年も続く作品にしたい」|publisher=Real Sound|date=November 6, 2018|access-date=March 14, 2020|language=ja|trans-title=Bushiroad's Takaaki Kitani talks about BanG Dream!'s project trajectory and future: "I want to make a work that will last for decades"}}</ref>

On October 2, 2017, Bushiroad announced that Kidani would be stepping down as the company's [[Representative Director (Japan)|Representative Director]] on October 20 and joining its [[board of directors]].<ref>{{cite web | url = https://bushiroad.co.jp/information/3 | title = 代表木谷の代表取締役退任について | date=2017-10-02 | access-date=2017-10-04 | work=[[Bushiroad]] | language=ja}}</ref>

==Awards==
*'''''[[List of Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards|Wrestling Observer Newsletter]]'''''
**[[List of Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards#Promoter of the Year|Promoter of the Year]] (2014, 2017, 2018)<ref>{{cite magazine | last = Meltzer | first = Dave | author-link = Dave Meltzer | date = January 26, 2015 | title = Jan. 26, 2015 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: 2014 awards issue w/ results & Dave's commentary, Conor McGregor, and much more | magazine = [[Wrestling Observer Newsletter]] | location = [[Campbell, California]] | issn = 1083-9593 | page=33 | url=http://www.f4wonline.com/component/content/article/110-wrestling-observer-newsletter/40865-jan-26-2015-wrestling-observer-newsletter-2014-awards-issue-w-results-a-daves-commentary-conor-mcgregor-and-much-more}}</ref>

==References==
{{Commons category|Takaaki Kidani}}
<references />

{{Bushiroad}}
{{New Japan Pro Wrestling personnel}}
{{World Wonder Ring Stardom personnel}}
{{BanG Dream}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kidani, Takaaki}}
[[Category:Japanese business executives]]
[[Category:Japanese anime producers]]
[[Category:Japanese animated film producers]]
[[Category:Professional wrestling promoters]]
[[Category:Japanese game designers]]
[[Category:People from Ishikawa Prefecture]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:1960 births]]