Ishikura began his career in the industry in 2000 as a production assistant for Invincible King Tri-Zenon under E&G Films, and made his debut as an episode director with the 18th episode of Shingu: Secret of the Stellar Wars.[1] For the next several years, he worked mainly as a freelance director. In 2007, Ishikura had his first job with Shaft as an episode director and storyboard artist for Hidamari Sketch.[2] Ishikura was working with a subcontracting studio when they asked him to choose one of their projects to work on.[3] Ishikura chose Hidamari Sketch as he had seen director Akiyuki Shinbo's previous works including Pani Poni Dash!, which was a type of project he was interested in working on.[3] According to him, Ishikura often got in trouble in his previous works for including too many parodies to other works; but for Hidamari Sketch, director Shinbo and the staff gave him the okay to do such.[4] For the next 5 years, Ishikura worked mainly with Shaft, and made his series directorial debut with Natsu no Arashi! Akinai-chū (under Shinbo's general direction).[5] The following year, he directed the third season to the Hidamari Sketch franchise with Shinbo,[6] but he started to work less with Shaft. Following his mainstay departure from Shaft, Ishikura dirercted Da Capo III (2013) at studio Actas, but mainly based himself out of Studio Deen, where he directed both Sakura Trick (2014) and a short Ongaku Shōjo (2015) film.[7][8] He stopped series directing for the time and focused mainly on episode directing and storyboarding until 2025 with the release of I'm a Noble on the Brink of Ruin, So I Might as Well Try Mastering Magic.[9]
Works
Television
In "Director(s)" column highlights Ishikura's directorial works.
^Invincible King Tri-Zenon (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episodes 1, 13. 制作進行 - 石倉賢一 [Assistant production manager - Kenichi Ishikura]
^Cyborg 009: The Cyborg Soldier (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episode 50. 演出 - 石倉賢一 [Episode director - Kenichi Ishikura]
^Aquarian Age: Sign for Evolution (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episode 4. 演出 - 石倉賢一 [Episode director - Kenichi Ishikura]
^Shrine of the Morning Mist (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episodes 10–12. 演出 - 石倉賢一 [Episode director - Kenichi Ishikura]
^L/R: Licensed by Royalty (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episode 7. 演出 - 石倉賢一 [Episode director - Kenichi Ishikura]
^Shadow Star (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episode 3. 演出 - 石倉賢一 [Episode director - Kenichi Ishikura]
^Mermaid Melody Pichi Pichi Pitch (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episodes 16, 22, 27, 33, 43, 52. 演出 - 石倉賢一 [Episode director - Kenichi Ishikura]
^Mermaid Melody Pichi Pichi Pitch (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episodes 33, 52. 絵コンテ - 石倉賢一 [Storyboard artist - Kenichi Ishikura]
^Mermaid Melody Pichi Pichi Pitch Pure (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episodes 6, 12, 18, 24, 30, 36. 演出 - 石倉賢一 [Episode director - Kenichi Ishikura]
^Tsuki wa Higashi ni Hi wa Nishi ni (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episode 5. 演出 - 石倉賢一 [Episode director - Kenichi Ishikura]
^To Heart: Remember My Memories (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episode 12. 演出 - 石倉賢一 [Episode director - Kenichi Ishikura]
^Gun Sword (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episode 12. 演出 - 石倉賢一 [Episode director - Kenichi Ishikura]
^Petopeto-san (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episode 4. 演出 - 石倉賢一 [Episode director - Kenichi Ishikura]
^Paradise Kiss (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episodes 3, 5. 演出 - 石倉賢一 [Episode director - Kenichi Ishikura]
^Sugar Sugar Rune (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episode 47. 演出 - 石倉賢一 [Episode director - Kenichi Ishikura]
^Amaenaide yo!! Katsu!! (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episodes 6, 11. 演出 - 石倉賢一 [Episode director - Kenichi Ishikura]
^Tactical Roar (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episodes 1, 3. 演出 - 石倉賢一 [Episode director - Kenichi Ishikura]
^Love Get Chu: Miracle Seiyū Hakusho (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episodes 8, 25. 演出 - 石倉賢一 [Episode director - Kenichi Ishikura]
^Love Get Chu: Miracle Seiyū Hakusho (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episode 25. 絵コンテ - 石倉賢一 [Storyboard artist - Kenichi Ishikura]
^Yume Tsukai (in Japanese). Event occurs at opening credits. 助監督 - 石倉賢一 [Assistant director - Kenichi Ishikura]
^Night Head Genesis (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episode 6. 演出 - 石倉賢一 [Episode director - Kenichi Ishikura]
^Tokimeki Memorial Only Love (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episodes 2, 9. 演出 - 石倉賢一 [Episode director - Kenichi Ishikura]
^Hidamari Sketch (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episode 9. 絵コンテ - 石倉賢一 [Storyboard artist - Kenichi Ishikura]
^Kaze no Stigma (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episode 13. 演出 - 石倉賢一 [Episode director - Kenichi Ishikura]
^Nagasarete Airantō (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episode 22. 演出 - 石倉賢一 [Episode director - Kenichi Ishikura]
^Ef: A Tale of Memories (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episode 10. 絵コンテ / 演出 - 石倉賢一 [Storyboard artist / Episode director - Kenichi Ishikura]
^Hidamari Sketch x 365 (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episode 6. 絵コンテ - 石倉賢一 [Storyboard artist - Kenichi Ishikura]
^Hidamari Sketch x 365 (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episodes 6, 12. 演出 - 石倉賢一 [Episode director - Kenichi Ishikura]
^Ef: A Tale of Melodies (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episode 9. 演出 - 石倉賢一 [Episode director - Kenichi Ishikura]
^Hidamari Sketch x 365 Specials (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episode 2. 絵コンテ / 演出 - 石倉賢一 [Storyboard artist / Episode director - Kenichi Ishikura]
^Natsu no Arashi! (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episodes 4, 8. 絵コンテ / 演出 - 石倉賢一 [Storyboard artist / Episode director - Kenichi Ishikura]
^Maria Holic (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episode 5. 絵コンテ - 石倉賢一 [Storyboard artist - Kenichi Ishikura]
^Maria Holic (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episodes 5, 9. 演出 - 石倉賢一 [Episode director - Kenichi Ishikura]
^Natsu no Arashi! Akinai-chū (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episode 8. 絵コンテ - 石倉賢一 [Storyboard artist - Kenichi Ishikura]
^Natsu no Arashi! Akinai-chū (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episodes 2, 8, 13. 演出 - 石倉賢一 [Episode director - Kenichi Ishikura]
^Natsu no Arashi! Akinai-chū (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits list 3. EDディレクター - 石倉賢一 [ED Director - Kenichi Ishikura]
^Hidamari Sketch x Hoshimittsu (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episode 12. 演出 - 石倉賢一 [Episode director - Kenichi Ishikura]
^Sorcerous Stabber Orphen (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episodes 6, 11. 絵コンテ - 石倉賢一 [Storyboard artist - Kenichi Ishikura]
^Tamayomi (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episodes 5, 10. 絵コンテ - 石倉賢一 [Storyboard artist - Kenichi Ishikura]
^STORY - 第十話「回復術士は、可憐な一輪の花になる!」 [STORY - Episode 10 "The Healer Becomes a Single, Lovely Flower!"]. Redo of Healer (in Japanese). Retrieved March 17, 2021.
^I've Been Killing Slimes for 300 Years and Maxed Out My Level (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits; episodes 3, 8. 絵コンテ - 石倉賢一 [Storyboard artist - Kenichi Ishikura]
^Mahou Sensei Negima! Anime Finale (in Japanese). Event occurs at ending credits. 副監督 / 絵コンテ - 石倉賢一 [Assistant director / Storyboard artist - Kenichi Ishikura]