Ayumu Watanabe

Ayumu Watanabe (渡辺 歩, Watanabe Ayumu, born September 3, 1966) is a Japanese animation director. After joining Shin-Ei Animation, he directed multiple Doraemon animated films. As a freelancer, he also worked on numerous animated adaptations such as Space Brothers, After the Rain, and Komi Can't Communicate.

Biography

Ayumu Watanabe was born in Tokyo on September 3, 1966. He started his career in 1986 when he joined Studio Mates as a key animator. Two years later, Watanabe moved to Shin-Ei Animation, where he worked on the animated adaptation of the Doraemon comic series, as well as direct multiple anime films in the franchise.^[1][2] As a freelancer, he also directed numerous animated adaptations such as Space Brothers,^[3] After the Rain,^[4] and Komi Can't Communicate.^[5] He also worked with Studio 4°C on the films Children of the Sea and Fortune Favors Lady Nikuko.^[6][7]

Works

TV series

• Atashin'chi (2002; storyboards)^[8]
• Space Brothers (2012–2014; director)^[3]
• Mysterious Girlfriend X (2012; director)^[9]
• Danchi Tomoo (2013–2015; director)^[10]
• If Her Flag Breaks (2014; director)^[11]
• Ace Attorney (2016–2019; director)^[12][13]
• After the Rain (2018; director)^[4]
• Gurazeni (2018; director)^[14]
• Major 2nd (2018–2020; director)^[15][16]
• Komi Can't Communicate (2021–2022; chief director)^[5][17]
• Summer Time Rendering (2022; director)^[18]
• You Are Ms. Servant (2024; director)^[19]
• Ganglion (2025; director)^[20]
• Akane-banashi (2026; director)^[21]
• Witch Hat Atelier (2026; director)^[22]

Films

Feature films

• Doraemon: Nobita and the Windmasters (2003; chief animation director)^[1]
• Doraemon: Nobita in the Wan-Nyan Spacetime Odyssey (2004; assistant director, chief animation director)^[1]
• Doraemon: Nobita's Dinosaur 2006 (2006; director, screenplay)^[2]
• Doraemon: Nobita and the Green Giant Legend (2008; director)^[23]
• Space Brothers #0 (2014; director)^[24]
• Children of the Sea (2019; director)^[6]
• Fortune Favors Lady Nikuko (2021; director)^[7]
• Freedom in the Sky (TBA; director)^[25]

Short films

• Doraemon: Doraemon Comes Back (1998; director, animation director)^[1]
• Doraemon: Nobita's the Night Before a Wedding (1999; director, animation director)^[1]
• Doraemon: A Grandmother's Recollections (2000; director, animation director)^[1]
• Doraemon: Ganbare! Gian!! (2001; director)^[26]
• Doraemon: Boku no Umareta Hi (2002; director)^[27]
• Pa-Pa-Pa the Movie: Perman (2003; director, screenplay)^[1]
• Pa-Pa-Pa the Movie: Perman: Tako de Pon! Ashi wa Pon! (2004; director)^[28]
• Ōkii Ichinensei to Chiisana Ninensei (2014; director)^[29]

OVAs

• Magical Princess Minky Momo: A Duo of Sincerity Toward a Dream of Longing (2026; director)^[30]

Awards and nominations

References

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