Hideaki Anno, born 22 May 1960 in Ube, Yamaguchi, Japan, is a Japanese animation and film director. Anno is best known for his work on the popular anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion. His style has come to be defined by the touches of superflatism and postmodernism that he injects into his work, as well as the thorough portrayal of characters' thoughts and emotions, often through unconventional sequences incorporating psychoanalysis and emotional deconstruction of these characters. He married comics artist Moyoco Anno in 2002.

Anime directed by Anno that have won the Animage Anime Grand Prix award have been Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water in 1990, Neon Genesis Evangelion in 1995 and 1996, and The End of Evangelion in 1997.

Is rumored to have made the film End of Evangelion (1997) and its incredibly symbolic, ambiguous finale as revenge against the fans of the television series "Neon Genesis Evangelion" (1995) who complained about the series's ending too much.

Anno, in the early 90s, went through a major and long bout of depression that lasted about four years. After some major soul searching and a new found self-appreciation, he chronicled his thoughts and revelations through the character of Shinji Ikari in Neon Genesis Evangelion, as well as many of the other characters. Evangelion is one of the single most personal stories told in anime. The ending of episodes 25 and 26 that take place in Shinji's mind, mirror Anno's thought process near the end of his depression. Many fans who watched the show for the action were very disappointed by the psychological ending and mailed Anno many death threats (a few of which flash across the screen in End of Evangelion) who maintained that he thought the ending was perfect. At an anime convention in America, he had an interpreter and a Q & A session in which one fan expressed their disappointment. Anno took the microphone and said in straight English "Too bad."

He is a vegetarian, like his characters Nadia and Rei Ayanami.