was a Japanese anime director and storyboard artist of television anime.

He notably served as the supervising director of the Pokémon television anime series from 1997 to 2006.

Biography Hidaka was born in Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan on 19 October 1960.

Career After graduating from the Department of Architecture at Miyazaki Prefectural Miyazaki Industrial High School and the Department of Architecture, Faculty of Engineering at Kyushu Sangyo University, Hidaka relocated to Tokyo due to recession in the construction industry. Even as a student, his background in understanding architectural blueprints and perspectives allowed him to create dynamic and complex transformation sequences, such as the school's robot transformation in Nekketsu Saikyō Go-Saurer.

Inspired by the films Crusher Joe and Urusei Yatsura: Only You, Hidaka aspired to become an animator and joined Studio Cosmos, where he worked on series such as Taotao.

After gaining experience working on backgrounds, he joined Sunrise as a director, where he directed Nekketsu Saikyō Go-Saurer.

He became a freelancer and worked as a storyboard artist for numerous Sunrise productions. He served as the director of the Pokémon television anime from the show's start until Pokémon: Battle Frontier and as a storyboard artist until Pokémon the Series: Black & White.

Death Hidaka died on 9 March 2022, at the age of 61. Despite the cause of death never being disclosed, Naotake Furusato, who worked with Hidaka on numerous productions, revealed that he had heard that Hidaka had been ill for the past couple of years,Naotake Furusato (11 July 2025). 第64回：『太陽の勇者ファイバード、不思議な事件がありました』 (in Japanese). Furusato P Anime Road. Iijan Online Store. Retrieved 28 March 2026. with the announcement of his death being shared the following day on social media by former classmate Mitsuo Fukuda.@fukuda320. 『ガルキーバ』『ポケモン』を手がけられてた日高政光監督の訃報が届きました。演出は同期で同じ歳。『ドラグナー』、『ワタル』『グラン』と机を並べて仕事してたんですけど…、残念です。ご冥福をお祈りします。 (in Japanese). X (formerly Twitter). Mitsuo Fukuda X account. 10 March 2022. Retrieved 25 June 2026.

Filmography Television anime Taotao (1983): Production Assistant Musashi no Ken (1985): Production Assistant Metal Armor Dragonar (1987): Storyboard and Direction Mashin Hero Wataru (1988): Storyboard and Direction Madö King Granzört (1989): Storyboard and Direction Mashin Hero Wataru 2 (1990): Storyboard and Episode Director The Brave of Sun Fighbird (1991): Chief Director Genki Bakuhatsu Ganbaruger (1992): Storyboard and Episode Director The Brave Express Might Gaine (1993): Storyboard and Episode Director Nekketsu Saikyō Go-Saurer (1993): Storyboard and Episode Director Jungle King Tar-chan (1993): Storyboard and Episode Director Kenyū Densetsu Yaiba (1993): Storyboard The Brave Police J-Decker (1994): Storyboard and Episode Director Captain Tsubasa J (1994): Storyboard and Episode Director Mobile Suit Gundam Wing (1995): Storyboard Wild Knights Gulkeeva (1995): Director, Script (episode 14), Storyboard (5 episodes), Episode Director (episodes 14 and 26) Mojacko (1995): Storyboard (episodes 12 and 20) and Episode Director (episode 12) After War Gundam X (1996): Storyboard and Episode Director Brave Command Dagwon (1996): Storyboard and Episode Director Reideen the Superior (1996): Storyboard The King of Braves GaoGaiGar (1997): Storyboard Pokémon: Indigo League (1997): Supervising Director Berserk (1997): Storyboard Super Mashin Hero Wataru (1997): OP1 and OP2 Storyboard Pokémon: Adventures in the Orange Islands (1999): Supervising Director Betterman (1999): Storyboard Turn A Gundam (1999): Storyboard Pokémon: The Johto Journeys (1999): Supervising Director Gear Fighter Dendoh (2000): Storyboard Pokémon: Johto League Champions (2000): Director Brigadoon: Marin & Melan (2000): Storyboard s-CRY-ed (2001): Storyboard Pokémon: The Legend of Thunder (2001): Directorポケットモンスター／クリスタル ライコウ雷の伝説 (in Japanese). Poketto Monsutā Kurisutaru Raikō Ikazuchi no Densetsu. allcinema.net. Retrieved 25 June 2026. Pokémon: Master Quest (2001): Supervising Director Final Fantasy: Unlimited (2001): Storyboard Pokémon: Advanced (2002): Supervising Director and Storyboardポケットモンスター アドバンスジェネレーション (in Japanese). Pocket Monsters Advanced Generation. allcinema.net. Retrieved 25 June 2026. Pokémon: Advanced Challenge (2003): Supervising Director Pokémon: Advanced Battle (2004): Supervising Director Pokémon: Battle Frontier (2005): Supervising Director Zegapain (2006): Storyboard Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl (2006): Storyboard Pokémon: The Mastermind of Mirage Pokémon (2006): Director戦慄のミラージュポケモン (in Japanese). POKEMON: THE MASTERMIND OF MIRAGE POKEMON. allcinema.net. Retrieved 25 June 2026. Dragonaut: The Resonance (2007): Storyboard Pokémon: Diamond and Pearl: Battle Dimension (2007): Storyboard Blassreiter (2008): Storyboard Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion R2 (2008): Storyboard Linebarrels of Iron (2008): Director Pokémon: Diamond and Pearl: Galactic Battles (2008): Storyboard Saki (2009): Storyboard The Sacred Blacksmith (2009): Storyboard The Qwaser of Stigmata (2010): Storyboard Pokémon: Diamond and Pearl: Sinnoh League Victors (2010): Storyboard The Qwasar of Stigmata II (2011): Storyboard Pokémon the Series: Black & White (2010): Storyboard Manyu Scroll (2011): Storyboard The Severing Crime Edge (2013): Storyboard Hayate the Combat Butler: Cuties (2013): Storyboard Saki: The Nationals (2014): Storyboard Nano Invaders (2014): Storyboard (episode 15) Haikyū!! Karasuno High School vs Shiratorizawa Academy (2014): Storyboard Shōnen Ashibe Go! Go! Goma-chan (2016): Storyboard Tsuredure Children (2017): Storyboard (episode 52) Märchen Mädchen (2018): Storyboard and Unit Director

Theatrical anime Ranma ½: Big Trouble in Nekonron, China (1991): Storyboard and Unit Director Fatal Fury: The Motion Picture (1994): Unit Director Pokémon: The First Movie (1998): Unit Director劇場版ポケットモンスター／ミュウツーの逆襲 (in Japanese). POCKET MONSTER: MEWTWO STRIKES BACK!. allcinema.net. Retrieved 25 June 2026. Pokémon the Movie 2000 (1999): Unit Director劇場版ポケットモンスター／幻のポケモン ルギア爆誕 (ばくたん) (in Japanese). POCKET MONSTER: REVELATION LUGIA. allcinema.net. Retrieved 25 June 2026. Pokémon 3: The Movie (2000): Unit Director劇場版ポケットモンスター／結晶塔の帝王 エンテイ (in Japanese). Lord of the "UNKNOWN" Tower. allcinema.net. Retrieved 25 June 2026. Pikachu & Pichu (2000): Unit Director劇場版ポケットモンスター／ピチューとピカチュウ (in Japanese). Pichū to Pikachū. allcinema.net. Retrieved 25 June 2026. Pokémon 4Ever (2001): Unit Director劇場版ポケットモンスター／セレビィ 時を越えた遭遇 (であい) (in Japanese). Pocket Monsters the Movie: Celebi - A Timeless Encounter. allcinema.net. Retrieved 25 June 2026. Pokémon: Lucario and the Mystery of Mew (2005): Production Committee (OLM) Pokémon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea (2006): Production Committee (OLM) Pokémon—Zoroark: Master of Illusions (2010): Storyboard Inazuma Eleven: Saikyō Gundan Ōga Shūrai (2010): Unit Director Pokémon the Movie: Black—Victini and Reshiram and White—Victini and Zekrom (2011): Unit Director Inazuma Eleven GO: Kyūkyoku no Kizuna Gurifon (2011): Unit Director Pokémon the Movie: Kyurem vs. the Sword of Justice (2012): Unit Director劇場版ポケットモンスター ベストウイッシュ キュレムVS聖剣士ケルディオ (in Japanese). Pocket Monsters Best Wishes! The Movie: Kyurem vs. the Sacred Swordsman: Keldeo. allcinema.net. Retrieved 25 June 2026. Inazuma Eleven GO vs. Danbōru Senki W (2012): Unit Director Pokémon the Movie: Genesect and the Legend Awakened (2013): Storyboard and Unit Director劇場版ポケットモンスター ベストウイッシュ 神速 (しんそく) のゲノセクト ミュウツー覚醒 (in Japanese). Pocket Monsters Best Wishes! The Movie: ExtremeSpeed Genesect: Mewtwo Awakens. allcinema.net. Retrieved 25 June 2026. Code Geass: Akito the Exiled "The Wyvern Divided" (2013): Storyboardコードギアス 亡国のアキト／第２章 引き裂かれし翼竜 (in Japanese). Code Geass: Akito the Exiled "The Wyvern Divided". allcinema.net. Retrieved 25 June 2026. New Initial D the Movie Legend 1: Awakening (2014): Director, Storyboard, Unit Director新劇場版 頭文字[イニシャル]Ｄ Legend 1 －覚醒－ (in Japanese). New Initial D the Movie Legend 1: Awakening. allcinema.net. Retrieved 25 June 2026. Code Geass: Akito the Exiled "The Brightness Falls" (2015): Storyboardコードギアス 亡国のアキト／第３章 輝くもの天より堕つ (in Japanese). Code Geass: Akito the Exiled "The Brightness Falls". allcinema.net. Retrieved 25 June 2026. New Initial D the Movie Legend 2: Racer (2015): Chief Director and Storyboard新劇場版 頭文字[イニシャル]Ｄ Legend 2 －闘走－ (in Japanese). New Initial D the Movie Legend 2: Racer. allcinema.net. Retrieved 25 June 2026. New Initial D the Movie Legend 3: Dreamer (2016): Chief Director and Storyboard新劇場版 頭文字[イニシャル]Ｄ Legend 3 －夢現－ (in Japanese). New Initial D the Movie Legend 3: Dreamer. allcinema.net. Retrieved 25 June 2026.

Original video animation (OVA) GREED (1985): Production Management and Animation Dirty Pair: With Love from the Lovely Angels (1987): Assistant Director Ushio & Tora (1993): Storyboard and Unit Director Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team (1996): Unit Director I Dream of Mimi (1997): Director The Silent Service (1997): Storyboard and Unit Director POWER DoLLS: Detachment of Limited Line Service Project Alpha (1998): Director The King of Braves GaoGaiGar Final (2000): Storyboard Code Geass: Akito the Exiled "The Wyvern Divided" (2013): Storyboard Code Geass: Akito the Exiled "The Brightness Falls" (2015): Storyboard New Initial D the Movie Battle Digest (2022): Director新劇場版 頭文字[イニシャル]Ｄ BATTLE DIGEST (in Japanese). New Initial D the Movie Battle Digest. allcinema.net. Retrieved 25 June 2026. Western animation Inspector Gadget (1985): Background Video games Inazuma Eleven Strikers (2011): OP Storyboard and Unit Director Other Metal Armor Dragonar Pachislot Picture Drama Meio Plato/Min (2015): Script and Storyboard

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