Shinichiro Watanabe
Known for
In the credits, Shinichiro Watanabe appears as a director who has spent the career on the production side of the screen. The output is more consistent than it is loud. Of everything credited, 'The Animatrix' traveled the furthest. The list also holds 'Cowboy Bebop: The Movie'. 1995 is the year the credit list begins. By genre, animation leads the record.
Shinichiro Watanabe
13 Directed
14 Series
In the credits, Shinichiro Watanabe appears as a director who has spent the career on the production side of the screen. The output is more consistent than it is loud. Of everything credited, 'The Animatrix' traveled the furthest. The list also holds 'Cowboy Bebop: The Movie'. 1995 is the year the credit list begins. By genre, animation leads the record.
TV Shows
Director
CAROLE & TUESDAY
2019
Director
To Be Hero
2016
Director
Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory
1991
Director
Armor Hunter Merowlink
1988
Director
Dirty Pair OVA
1987
Director
Samurai Champloo
2004
Director
The Vision of Escaflowne
1996
Director
The Animatrix
2003
Director
Kids on the Slope
2012
Director
Terror in Resonance
2014
Director
Genius Party
2007
Full Filmography
Edge of Time
Director
2025
Film
Lazarus
Creator
2025–
TV
TAISU PROJECT
Director
2024
Film
A Girl Meets a Boy and a Robot
Director
2022
Film
CAROLE & TUESDAY
Director · 24 episodes
2019–
TV
Blade Runner: Black Out 2022
Director
2017
Film
To Be Hero
Director · 12 episodes
2016–
TV
Terror in Resonance
Director · 1 episode
2014–
TV
Space Dandy : The Cosmic Compilation
Director
2014
Film
Photos
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Shinichiro Watanabe and where are they from?
Shinichiro Watanabe is 61 years old, born on May 24, 1965 in Kyoto, Japan.
What are the most famous roles of Shinichiro Watanabe?
Shinichiro Watanabe is best known for directing The Animatrix, Cowboy Bebop: The Movie, Blade Runner: Black Out 2022.
How many movies has Shinichiro Watanabe directed?
Over a 31-year career (since 1995), Shinichiro Watanabe has directed or written 13 films and worked on 14 TV shows.
What was Shinichiro Watanabe's first movie?
The career of Shinichiro Watanabe began with Macross Plus: The Movie (1995).
What is Shinichiro Watanabe's most recent movie or series?
Shinichiro Watanabe's most recent release is Edge of Time, which premiered on June 15, 2025.
What TV shows has Shinichiro Watanabe created or directed?
On television, Shinichiro Watanabe has appeared in Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo, Terror in Resonance, The Vision of Escaflowne.
Shinichiro Watanabe
1965-05-24 · Kyoto, Japan
Shinichiro Watanabe (渡辺 信一郎 Watanabe Shin'ichirō, born May 24, 1965) is a Japanese anime television and film director. He is best known for directing the critically acclaimed and commercially successful anime series Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo, and Space Dandy.
Watanabe is known for incorporating multiple genres into his anime creations. In Cowboy Bebop, for example, Watanabe blends classic cowboy western with 1960s/1970s New York City film noir, jazz/blues music, Hong Kong action movies, and sets the entire series in space. In his later work, Samurai Champloo, Watanabe unites the cultures of Okinawa, hip hop, modern-day Japan, and chanbara.