Atsuko Watanabe
Description
Atsuko Watanabe is a Japanese animator, character designer, and manga artist known for her work across several anime productions and as the creator of the original manga Piace: Watashi no Italian. Born on December 2, 1983, in Tokyo, she graduated from the Toei Animation Research Institute. For a number of years, she was affiliated with the animation studio Studio Live before becoming a freelance artist. She is also a member of the Japanese Animation Creators Association (JAniCA). Watanabe is known to use the pen names Nab_At and Nabeatsu for her creative work, with the former being the name under which she publishes her manga.
Her career in the anime industry is extensive, with numerous credits as a character designer and animation supervisor. Before creating her own manga, she contributed to a wide range of television series in these roles. Notable character design credits include GA Geijutsuka Art Design Class in 2009, Cat God in 2011, and Hanayamata in 2014. Her portfolio as a character designer also includes works such as Arakawa Under the Bridge, The Qwaser of Stigmata, Heavy Object, and Tokyo Ravens.
Watanabe is the original creator of the manga series Piacevole! (stylized as Piace: Watashi no Italian). The series began serialization on October 11, 2013, on the Comico manga website and app, which is operated by NHN comico. The manga is published in compiled tankōbon volumes by Earth Star Entertainment under the title Piace: Watashi no Italian. The story follows a high school girl named Morina Nanase who begins working at an Italian restaurant called Trattoria Festa, where she encounters a cast of unique characters and grows through her experiences with Italian cuisine.
The success of the manga led to an anime adaptation, which was announced in mid-2016. The anime, also titled Piace: Watashi no Italian, was directed by Hiroaki Sakurai and produced by the animation studio Zero-G. It aired as a television series from January 11 to March 29, 2017, consisting of 12 short episodes, each approximately four minutes long. In addition to being the original creator, Watanabe was also directly involved in the anime's production as the character designer, a role she has held on many of her previous projects.
Her artistic identity is closely tied to her dual roles as both a character designer for existing properties and as an original creator. The adaptation of Piacevole! represents a significant moment in her career where her own original work was brought to the screen, with her continuing to shape its visual identity through her character designs. Her work on the series is noted for its focus on slice-of-life storytelling and the theme of personal growth through culinary experiences. Her broader body of work as a character designer has contributed to the visual style of numerous anime series spanning different genres over more than a decade.
Her career in the anime industry is extensive, with numerous credits as a character designer and animation supervisor. Before creating her own manga, she contributed to a wide range of television series in these roles. Notable character design credits include GA Geijutsuka Art Design Class in 2009, Cat God in 2011, and Hanayamata in 2014. Her portfolio as a character designer also includes works such as Arakawa Under the Bridge, The Qwaser of Stigmata, Heavy Object, and Tokyo Ravens.
Watanabe is the original creator of the manga series Piacevole! (stylized as Piace: Watashi no Italian). The series began serialization on October 11, 2013, on the Comico manga website and app, which is operated by NHN comico. The manga is published in compiled tankōbon volumes by Earth Star Entertainment under the title Piace: Watashi no Italian. The story follows a high school girl named Morina Nanase who begins working at an Italian restaurant called Trattoria Festa, where she encounters a cast of unique characters and grows through her experiences with Italian cuisine.
The success of the manga led to an anime adaptation, which was announced in mid-2016. The anime, also titled Piace: Watashi no Italian, was directed by Hiroaki Sakurai and produced by the animation studio Zero-G. It aired as a television series from January 11 to March 29, 2017, consisting of 12 short episodes, each approximately four minutes long. In addition to being the original creator, Watanabe was also directly involved in the anime's production as the character designer, a role she has held on many of her previous projects.
Her artistic identity is closely tied to her dual roles as both a character designer for existing properties and as an original creator. The adaptation of Piacevole! represents a significant moment in her career where her own original work was brought to the screen, with her continuing to shape its visual identity through her character designs. Her work on the series is noted for its focus on slice-of-life storytelling and the theme of personal growth through culinary experiences. Her broader body of work as a character designer has contributed to the visual style of numerous anime series spanning different genres over more than a decade.
Works
- Topics: Anime overview