Umetsu Yasuomi is an animator, character designer and anime director. After graduating from Chiyoda Institute he joinedTsuchida Production as an in-between animator. Soon after he left the studio and became a freelancer, which he has remained to this day. He has worked on numerousMadhouse productions but is probably most known for his work withARMS. He is often sought after for his uniquely identifiable opening and ending animation sequences, contributing to numerous productions in that capacity since the mid-2000s.

Since the dissolution of ARMS, Umetsu has based his operations fromShaft. He had participated in the studio's works many times already, and was a friend of Shinbo's since the days ofShin Hurricane Polymar. Although he's mentioned a new production in the works, and one of the openings he directed at the studio is specifically credited to "Shaft Umegumi" (シャフト梅組), little else is known about the project. Nonetheless, he contributes to some of Shaft's series now and then, most notably in productions whichMatsumura Kouji, a friend of his from ARMS, is involved.