In 2009, Naoko Yamada made her debut as a director after being selected to direct the TV series K-On! The series became a nationwide sensation and a social phenomenon, and in 2011, she helmed her first feature with the film version of K-On!, which while a limited release grossed over 1.9 billion yen at the box office and was nominated for Best Animation Film of the Year Award at the 35th Japan Academy Film Prize. She continued to blaze a new trail with her follow-up directorial features Tamako Market and A Silent Voice, which became a hit with 1.77 million admissions and a box office gross of over 2.3 billion yen. The title was nominated for Best Animation Film of the Year Award at the 40th Japan Academy Film Prize, and was selected for the competition section of the Annecy International Animation Film Festival. She is one of the most highly acclaimed female directors in the Japanese animation industry thanks to her visual sensibilities, vivid depiction of ordinary life, and strong, detailed direction.