Masayuki Yoshihara is an animator born 1968 in Japan. He joined Studio Live after graduating. When working on The Hakkenden, he met Kenji Kamiyama, who was working as art director on the title.
In 2001 Yoshihara joined newly established P.A.Works. He kept working with Kamiyama on several I.G titles, like the Ghost in the Shell: SAC series, afterwards.