Akira Watanabe

Akira Watanabe
Company(ies): Sega of Japan, Sega AM1
Role(s): Designer, Cover artist

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Akira Watanabe (渡辺章) is the man responsible for the artwork seen with a number of Sega games in the late 1980s and early 1990s, most notably that of the original Sonic the Hedgehog and the Zillion anime, the latter of which he also served as director.

He was transferred to the AM1 department following his work on the Mega Drive version of OutRunners, where he served as lead designer for all the projects he was involved in.

Production credits

• Indy 500 (Arcade version) (1995) — Design (as A.Watanabe)
• WaveRunner (1996) — Graphic Design (AM1 Staff) (as A.Watanabe)
• Motor Raid (1997) — Designer
• The House of the Dead 2 (1998/1999/2001) — Designer

Works

• Zillion (Anime) (1987)
• OutRun (Arcade version) (1987)
• Sonic the Hedgehog (Mega Drive Version) (1991)
• Pengo (Game Gear Version) (1991)
• Turbo OutRun (Mega Drive Version) (1992)
• Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Mega Drive Version) (1992)
• OutRunners (Mega Drive Version) (1994)
• Indy 500 (Arcade version) (1995)
• WaveRunner (1996)
• Motor Raid (1997)
• The House of the Dead 2 (Arcade version) (1998)