* The published information is based on interviews and the state at the time of the project’s implementation (except for certain parts).
Born in 1963 in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. Ever since 1988, Iwai has been an avid creator in a variety of visual fields including TV dramas such as "GHOST SOUP" and "Lunatic Love," music videos, and commercials, with his distinctive style widely recognized as the "Iwai Aesthetic." In 1993, his TV drama "Fireworks, Should We See It from the Side or the Bottom?," broadcast as part of Fuji TV's omnibus drama series "If," received the New Directors Award from the Directors Guild of Japan--an unusual honor for a television drama. Iwai then transitioned into film, releasing his first feature-length movie "Love Letter" in 1995. His representative works include the films "Swallowtail Butterfly," "All About Lily Chou-Chou," "Vampire," "A Bride for Rip Van Winkle," "Last Letter," and the novels "Wallace and Mermaid," "The Watchdog Shelters the Sanctuary," "Late Summer of ZERO," among others. In 2012, he wrote the lyrics for "Flowers Will Bloom," the theme song supporting recovery from the Great East Japan Earthquake, and received the Special Prize of the Tokiko Iwatani Award. In 2015, his first animated feature "The Case of Hana & Alice" was released to critical acclaim worldwide. In 2018, he directed the Chinese film "Last Letter(你好,之華)." In 2023, his music film "Kyrie" was released. In April 2025, "Love Letter [4K Remaster]" was released to commemorate its 30th anniversary, marking Iwai's 30 years as a film director.
As a filmmaker, novelist, and musician, Iwai continues to work across diverse genres both domestically and internationally, maintaining a borderless creative presence.