Akio Watanabe

Akio Watanabe (渡辺明夫) was born in 1969. Pseudonym Poyoyon Rock(ぽよよん♥ろっく). Also a member of the dōjinshi circle Pokopii(ぽこぴー).

Character designer from Studio Hibari influenced by Masaki Takei, Mutsumi Inomata, Kazuto Nakazawa, and Kenichiro Katsura. His designs stand out for their slender forms, ruddy cheeks, white facial highlights, slightly wide faces, and erotic undertones. Often in his illustrations he puts his characters into an exaggerated, provocative contrapposto. Majority of his jobs comes from harem anime, eroge, and infrequently hentai, where sensuousness and the ability to create several distinct bishoujo girls is valued above all¹.

Known for his collaborations with Akiyuki Shinbo: Watanabe did character designs on Shinbo’s The SoulTaker, Blame!, and Starship Girl Yamamoto Yohko and Shinbo disciple Tatsuya Oishi’s Bakemonogatari (he also animated the infamous opening pantsu shot from episode 1). Watanabe was also responsible for character designs on the harem shows Grisaia and The World God Only Knows¹.

Twitter - SakugaBooru - Japanese Wiki Page

Works

• Uchuusen Sagittarius(1986~1987/TV)

1. In-betweens.

• Bikkuriman(1987~1989/TV)

1. In-betweens: #17, #20, #23, #29, #62, #69.

• Majo no Takkyuubin(1989/Movie)

1. In-betweens.

• Shin Bikkuriman(1989~1990/TV)

1. Key Animator: #46, #58.
2. In-betweens: #1, #8, #28.

• Momotarou Densetsu(1989~1990/TV)

1. Key Animator: #40, #42.
2. In-betweens: #6.

• Shin Karate Jigoku-hen(1990/OVA)

1. In-betweens: #2.

• Magical☆Taruruuto-kun(1990~1992/TV)

1. Key Animator: #2, #8, #14, #21, #26, #29, #32, #50, #56, #62, #68, #87.

• Magical★Taruruuto-kun: Moeru! Yuujou no Mahou Taisen(1991/Movie)

1. Key Animator.

• Daisougen no Chiisana Tenshi: Bush Baby(1992/TV)

1. Key Animator: #15.

• Magical★Taruruuto-kun: Sukisuki Takoyaki!(1992/Movie)

1. Key Animator.

• Super Bikkuriman(1992~1993/TV)

1. Animation Director: #9, #17, #24, #33.
2. Key Animator: #9, #17, #24.

• Mikan Enikki(1992~1993/TV)

1. Animation Director: #14, #23, #27.
2. Key Animator: #14, #23, #27, #29.

• Wakakusa Monogatari: Nan to Jo-sensei(1993/TV)

1. In-betweens: #3.

• NG Knight Ramune & 40 DX: Wakuwaku Jikuu - Honoo no Daisousasen(1993/OVA)

1. Key Animator: #2.

• Muka Muka Paradise(1993~1994/TV)

1. Animation Director: #3, #8, #13, #24, #30, #42, #47.
2. Key Animator: #3, #8, #18, #24, #30.

• Crying Freeman(1988~1994/OVA)

1. Key Animator: #6.

• Nana Toshi Monogatari: Hokkyokukai Sensen(1994/OVA)

1. Layout: #1.
2. Key Animator: #1.

• GS Mikami: Gokuraku Daisakusen!!(1994/Movie)

1. Key Animator.

• Grappler Baki(1994/OVA)

1. Key Animator.

• Macross 7(1994~1995/TV)

1. Key Animator: #6, #12.

• Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon S(1994~1995/TV)

1. Key Animator: #31, #35.

• Street Fighter II V(1995/TV)

1. Animation Director: #8, #14, #20, #25.

• Hajimari no Boukensha-tachi: Legend of Crystania(1995/Movie)

1. Key Animator.

• 3x3 Eyes: Seima Densetsu(1995~1996/OVA)

1. Key Animator: #2, #3.

• Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon SuperS: Sailor 9 Senshi Shuuketsu! Black Dream Hole no Kiseki(1995/Movie)

1. Key Animator.

• Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon SuperS(1995~1996/TV)

1. Key Animator: #38.

• Legend of Crystania(1996~1997/OVA)

1. Animation Director: #1.

• Saber Marionette J(1996~1997/TV)

1. Animation Director: #10, #18.
2. Key Animator: #10.
3. In-betweens: #10.

• Mahou Shoujo Meruru(1998/OVA)

1. Character Designs.

• Master of Monsters: Disciples of Gaia(1997/Game)

1. Animation Director: OP.
2. Key Animator: OP.

• Pendant(1997~1998/OVA)

1. Character Designs.
2. General Animation Director: #3.
3. Animation Director: #1.
4. Key Animator: #1.

• Zutto Issho(1998/Game)

1. Character Designs.
2. Animation Director: OP.
3. Key Animator: OP.

• Lord Monarch Shin Gaia Oukoku ki(1998/Game)

1. Animation Director: OP.
2. Key Animator: OP.

• Soreyuke! Uchuu Senkan Yamamoto Yohko(1999/TV)

1. Character Designs.
2. Animation Director: #5, #15, #26.
3. Key Animator: #2~#7, #15, #25.
4. Ending Animation.
5. Eye-catch.

• L no Kisetsu 〜A piece of memories〜(1999/Game)

1. Character Designs.
2. Animation Director: OP.
3. Key Animator: OP.

• Coat no naka no Tenshi tachi(1999/Game)

1. Key Animator.

• Seraphim Call(1999/TV)

1. Animation Director: #11.
2. Key Animator: OP.

• Di Gi Charat(1999/TV)

1. Key Animator.

• Angel Sanctuary(2000/OVA)

1. Key Animator:#1.

• Street Fighter Zero The Animation(2000/OVA)

1. Key Animator: #2.

• Coat no naka no Tenshi tachi: Tadaima Gasshuku chuu(Game)

1. Key Animator.

• Tatsunoko Fight(2000/Game)

1. Key Animator.

• The Soul Taker(2001/TV)

1. Character Designs.
2. Animation Director: #1, #13, OP.
3. Key Animator: #13.

• Missing Blue(Game)

1. Character Designs.

• The SoulTaker: Tamashii-gari - Komugi Daisakusen(2001/SP)

1. Animation Director: #1, #2, #3.
2. Key Animator: #1, #3.

• Final Fantasy: Unlimited(2001~2002/TV)

1. Key Animator: #16.

• Ou Dorobou Jing(2002/TV)

1. Key Animator: #2.

• Nurse Witch Komugi-chan Magikarte(2002~2004/OVA)

1. Character Designs.
2. Character Supervision: #2.5
3. OP Animation: #1~#3.

• Princess Tutu(2002~2003/TV)

1. Key Animator: #2, #26.

• Diji Karat Deji-Communication -デ・ジ・キャラット　でじこミュニケーション-(2002/Game)

1. Key Animator.

• Popotan(2003/Game)

1. Key Animator.

• Blame!(2003/ONA)

1. Key Animator: #1.

• Kiddy Grade(2002~2003/TV)

1. Eye-catch: #16.

• Popotan Fan Disc: Issho ni A-SO-BO(2003/Game)

1. Key Animator.

• Popotan(2003/TV)

1. Character Draft.

• Popotan DVD-ROM Ver.(Game)

1. OP Animation.
2. Key Animator.

• Kimi ga Nozomu Eien(2003~2004/TV)

1. Key Animator: #12.

• Diji Karat Deji-Communication -デ・ジ・キャラット　でじこミュニケーション- 2(Game)

1. Key Animator.

• Cossette no Shouzou(2004/OVA)

1. Key Animator: #2.

• Itsuka Furu Yuki(2004/Game)

1. Character Designs(PEN NAME).
2. Key Animator(PEN NAME).

• Nurse Witch Komugi-chan Magikarte Z(2004~2005/OVA)

1. Key Animator: ED.

• Netrun-mon the Movie(2004/OVA)

1. Character Designs.
2. General Animation Director.

• To Heart 2(2004/Game)

1. Storyboard.
2. Episode Director.
3. Animation Director.
4. Key Animator.

• Magical Canan(2005/TV)

1. Character Designs.

• Djibril – The Devil Angel Episode 2(2004/Game)

1. OP Animation.

• Hoshizora Kiseki(2006/ONA)

1. Director.
2. Character Designs.
3. Storyboard.
4. Episode Director.
5. Animation Director.
6. Key Animator.
7. Color Setting.

• Higurashi no Naku Koro ni(2006/TV)

1. Key Animator: #23.

• Shiokaze no Kieru Umi ni(2007/Game)

1. Key Animator.

• Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei(2007/TV)

1. Key Animator: OP(#4~).

• Kimi ga Nozomu Eien: Ayu Mayu Gekijou(2006~2007/ONA)

1. Storyboard: #5.
2. Episode Director: #5.
3. Animation Director: #5.

• Gamers CM

1. Character Designs.
2. General Animation Director.

• ef: A Tale of Memories.(2007/TV)

1. ED Illustration: #4.

• Bakemonogatari(2009/TV)

1. Character Designs.
2. General Animation Director.
3. Animation Director: OP1, OP3, OP4, #1, #2(Joint), #8, #10(Home Video Ver.), #11(Joint), #12, #13(Joint), #14(Joint), #15(Joint).
4. Key Animator: OP5, #1, #11, #12, #15.
5. Sponsor Back-Illustration -提供バックイラスト-: #15.

• Fight Ippatsu! Juuden-chan!!(2009/TV)

1. Key Animator: #5.

• Kami nomi zo Shiru Sekai(2010/TV)

1. Character Designs.
2. Animation Director Cooperation: #1.

• Djibril – The Devil Angel 4(2010/Game)

1. OP Animation.

• Pretty Rhythm: Aurora Dream(2011/TV)

1. Character Draft.
2. Animation Director: ED3.
3. Key Animator: ED3.

• Kami nomi zo Shiru Sekai II(2011/TV)

1. Character Designs.

• Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko(2011/TV)

1. Key Animator: ED.

• Dororon Enma-kun Meeramera(2011/TV)

1. Key Animator: #4.

• A-Channel(2011/TV)

1. Key Animator: #10.

• Fairy Tail(2011/OVA)

1. Storyboard: OAD ED Animaiton.
2. Episode Director: OAD ED Animation.
3. Animation: OAD ED Animation.

• Carnival Phantasm(2011/OVA)

1. Special Illustration: "Special Season".

• Grisaia no Kajitsu(2011/Game)

1. Storyboard: OP.
2. Key Animator: OP.
3. Episode Director: OP.
4. Character Designs(Joint).

• Bullet Soul(2011/Game)

1. Character Designs.

• Nisemonogatari(2012/TV)

1. Character Designs.
2. General Animation Director.
3. Animation Director: OP1, #11(Joint).
4. ED Illustration: #7.
5. Sponsor Back-Illustration -提供バックイラスト-: #11.

• Pretty Rhythm: Dear My Future(2012/TV)

1. Character Draft.

• Grisaia no Meikyuu(2012/Game)

1. Character Designs(Joint).
2. Key Animator.

• Haitai Nanafa(2012/TV)

1. End Card Design.

• Wooser no Sono Higurashi(2012/TV)

1. Character Designs: #6, #10.

• Nekomonogatari: Kuro(2012/TV)

1. Character Designs.
2. General Animation Director(Joint).
3. Key Animator: OP, #4.

• Bakemonogatari Protable(2012/Game)

1. Package Illustration.

• Grisaia no Rakuen(2013/Game)

1. Character Designs(Joint).
2. Key Animator.

• Mnonogatari Series Second Season(2013/TV)

1. Character Designs.
2. General Animation Director(Joint).
3. Animation Director: OP.
4. Ending Illustration: #4.

• Kami nomi zo Shiru Sekai Megami Hen(2013/TV)

1. Character Designs.

• Nisekoi(2014/TV)

1. End-card: #13.

• Akiba's Trip2(2014/Game)

1. Character Designs.

• PeroPero☆Teacher(2014/OVA)

1. Character Designs.
2. General Supervision.

• PriPara(2014~2017/TV)

1. Key Animator: OP1, OP2, OP4~8.

• Hanamonogatari(2014/TV)

1. Character Designs.
2. General Animation Director(Joint).
3. Animation Director: ED(Joint).

• Grisaia no Kajitsu(2014/TV)

1. Character Designs.
2. General Animation Director(Joint): #1~#13.
3. Animation Director: OP(Joint), ED(#5 - Joint).
4. Key Animator: OP.

• Okitegami Kyouko no Bibouroku × Monogatari Collaboration CM

1. Animation.

• Tsukimonogatari(2014/TV)

1. Character Designs.
2. General Animation Director.

• PriPara: Mi~nna Atsumare! Prism☆Tours(2015/Movie)

1. Character Draft(Joint).

• Etotama(2015/TV)

1. Character Draft for Adult Chcaracters.

• Grisaia no Meikyuu: Caprice no Mayu 0(2015/TVSP)

1. Character Draft(Joint).
2. Character Designs.
3. General Animation Director(Joint).

• Grisaia no Rakuen(2015/TV)

1. Character Draft(Joint).
2. Character Designs.
3. General Animation Director: #1(Joint), #2(Joint).

• Koyomimonogatari(2016/ONA)

1. Character Designs.
2. General Animation Director(Joint).

• Kizumonogatari(2016~2017/Movies)

1. Character Designs(Joint): #1, #2, #3.

• Ange Vierge(2016/TV)

1. Character Draft(Joint).

• Kubikiri Cycle: Aoiro Savant to Zaregototsukai(2016~2017/OVA)

1. Character Designs.
2. General Animation Director.
3. Animation Director: OP.

• Grisaia Phantom Trigger(2017/Game)

1. Key Animator: Vol.1, Vol.2.
2. Character Designs: Vol.1, Vol.2.

• Onsen Musume(2017/Publicity Project)

1. Character Draft: "Sukunahiko".

• Uchiage Hanabi, Shita kara Miru ka? Yoko kara Miru ka?(2017/Movie)

1. Character Designs.
2. Animation Director(Joint).

• 3-gatsu no Lion 2nd Season(2017/TV)

1. Endcard-Illustration: #35.

• Fate/EXTRA Last Encore(2018/TV)

1. Key Animator: #9.

• Momoiro Closet(2018/Game)

1. Frill-Lace Design -フリル・レース-.

• Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card-hen(2018/TV)

1. Key Animator: #22.

• Zoku Owarimonogatari(2018/TV)

1. Character Designs.
2. General Animation Director.

• Grisaia Phantom Trigger(2019/Movie)

1. Character Designs.
2. General Animation Director.
3. Animation Director.

• Magia Record: Mahou Shoujo Madoka☆Magica Gaiden(2017/Game)

1. Character Designs(Joint).