Well, let's see, interesting question.
I definitely feel that the manga artist Go Nagai has had a pretty big impact on me. He created most of the tropes and cliches that countless anime and manga follow, but largely his single biggest contribution to art is the Devilman manga, which was really the first true adult orientated manga, and one that basically opened the doors for the likes of Kenichi Sonoda, Kentaro Miura and even Naoki Urasawa to realise their work in the medium. He really is the second most important author in the history of manga next to Osamu Tezuka, and I prefer his work. The guy has no scruples whatsoever and that is how you get good art
For music, I'd say my favourite song writer is David Defies of Virgin Steele due to the incredibly well written albums he did starting from The Marriage of Heaven & Hell Act I through 5 more albums ending in Visions of Eden. The last one in particular, a concept album with a very unique perspective on the story of Lilith and her role in Genesis is just a work of art lyrically. For those who listen, the first song is good, but the second song is where things really pick up.
For vocalist however, that would be Roy Khan. And in his case, listening is better than me talking:
for movies it would be John Carpenter. I love the vast majority of his movies, and really that's enough.
Surprisingly though I'm an avid reader, there's not really any one writer I hold on a pedestal. Partly that's because i haven't really come close to reading any one writer's full output, and second I guess just because there's so many different kinds of stories and approaches to writing.
so yeah that about does it for me as far as people I can single out for there contributions to art that really, really affected me as an individual.
