Akio Watanabe

Akio Watanabe (渡辺 明夫, Watanabe Akio, born July 27, 1969) is a Japanese animator, illustrator, character designer, supervisor, director, dōjin artist and a member of the circle Pokopii (ぽこぴー).^[1][2] His pseudonym is Poyoyon♥Rock (ぽよよん♥ろっく). He worked with Akiyuki Shinbo at Shaft. His representative works include key animation for Popotan, and character design for Nurse Witch Komugi, The SoulTaker and Monogatari.

Akio Watanabe
Born	(1969-07-27) July 27, 1969 (age 55) Tokyo, Japan
Nationality	Japanese
Other names	Poyoyon♥Rock
Occupation(s)	Animator Character Designer
Employer(s)	Studio Hibari (former) Frontwing (current)

Filmography

Under the name Akio Watanabe

Anime

• Etotama (original character design)^[3]
• Fireworks (character design)^[4]
• Grisaia: Phantom Trigger the Animation (character designer, chief animation director)^[5]
• Higurashi When They Cry - Gou and Sotsu (character design)
• Hoshizora Kiseki (director, script, character design, storyboard, animation direction, color design)
• Magical Kanan (character design)
• Monogatari (chief animation director, character design)^[6]
• Nurse Witch Komugi (character design)
• Pretty Rhythm: Aurora Dream (original character design)
• Rumble Garanndoll (original character design)^[7]
• The SoulTaker (character design)
• Starship Girl Yamamoto Yohko (character design)
• The World God Only Knows (character design)
• Zaregoto (character design)^[8]

Computer games

• The Fruit of Grisaia (character design)
• L no Kisetsu
• Missing Blue
• With Me Every Time (animation director, character design)

Others

• Hoshiiro Drop (cover art)^[9]
• 22/7 (original character design for Yuki Tojo)
• PeroPero☆Teacher (Director, Character Design)

Under the name Poyoyon♥Rock

Anime

• Djibril – The Devil Angel (episode 2 opening movie)
• Netrun-mon
• Popotan (character design)

Computer games

• Akiba's Trip: Undead & Undressed (character design)
• Angels in the Court
• Let's Fish! Hooked On
• Popotan
• To Heart 2 (opening movie)
• Queen's Blade: Spiral Chaos (character design; for some characters)
• Queen's Gate: Spiral Chaos (character design; for some characters)

Trading card

• Aquarian Age

Others

• "Akiba Kei SNS 'Filn'" Mascot characters Fil and Fal
• "Moe Loan" Ron-tan (Livedoor Credit)
• Saitama O157 prevention campaign poster

References

1. 伊藤真広、村中宣彦（編）、2006、「【プロ作家】→【同人名義】データベース」、『ゲームラボ特別編集「現代視覚文化研究」』、三才ブックス ISBN 4-86199-061-0 p. 191
2. "ろっくのおへや". poyo.chu.jp. Archived from the original on 24 June 2013. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
3. Loo, Egan (December 27, 2020). "New Etotama Anime's 1st Teasers Reveal Cast, Staff, Story, Spring Net Debut". Anime News Network. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
4. "Japanese Film 'Fireworks' Finds Distributors Around the World". Variety. July 26, 2017. Retrieved March 18, 2018.
5. "Grisaia: Phantom Trigger Anime's Promo Video Reveals January 2025 Debut". Anime News Network. 2024-09-27. Retrieved 2024-09-27.
6. 「渡辺あきお☓桃井はるこ対談」 『Rolling Stone (ローリング・ストーン) 日本版 2013年 05月号』 セブン&アイ出版 pp.44-47
7. Hodgkins, Crystalyn (April 2, 2021). "Masaomi Andō, Lerche Reveal Original Anime Project Gyakuten Sekai no Denchi Shōjo". Anime News Network. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
8. Green, Scott (August 26, 2016). "'Zaregoto' OVA Cast, Staff, Themes and Character Designs Published". Crunchyroll. Retrieved March 18, 2018.
9. "星色ガールドロップ コミックアンソロジー｜書籍｜竹書房 -TAKESHOBO-". www.takeshobo.co.jp. Retrieved 2020-01-06.

External links

• Akio Watanabe on Twitter
• Poyoyon♥Rock on Pixiv
• Sukumizu Pettan (in Japanese)
• Akio Watanabe at Anime News Network's encyclopedia