Yamazaki made his debut as a film director in 2000 with Juvenile. His film Always: Sunset on Third Street (2005) won 12 awards, including Best Picture and Best Director, at the 29th Japan Academy Film Prize. Most recently, he wrote, directed, and led the visual effects team for Godzilla Minus One (2023), becoming the first Japanese film to win the Academy Award® for Best Visual Effects at the 96th Academy Awards.
