Watanabe Shinichiro's Top Movies and New Book Release

Anime director Shinichirō Watanabe has recently released a new book titled Watanabe Shinichiro no Sekai: From Cowboy Bebop to Lazarus Made. This engaging publication offers a deep dive into his work across various anime projects, along with a curated list of his top 100 movies.

Image via Kadokawa

Watanabe's Favorite Movies

At the top of his list is the 1973 classic Enter the Dragon starring Bruce Lee. Interestingly, Watanabe emphasizes his admiration for Bruce Lee himself, rather than just the film.

His second favorite is the 1980 Japanese film The Beast to Die, which he describes as "the most traumatic movie. An unforgettable nightmare." Following that is the 1965 French New Wave film Pierrot le Fou, which he praises for the performances of Jean-Paul Belmondo and Anna Karina, saying they embody the director's ideas.

Watanabe's Top 10 Movies

• Enter the Dragon (1973)
• The Beast to Die (1980)
• Pierrot le Fou (1965)
• Dirty Harry (1971)
• Le Samouraï (1967)
• Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia (1974)
• The Conformist (1970)
• Blade Runner (1982)
• A Better Tomorrow II (1987)
• La Jetée (1962)

About the Book

Watanabe Shinichiro no Sekai was published on June 26, priced at 3,960 yen (around US$27.40). It features a variety of content including project proposals, storyboards, interviews, and behind-the-scenes stories from notable works such as:

• Macross Plus
• Cowboy Bebop
• The Animatrix
• Blade Runner: Black Out 2022
• Carole & Tuesday
• Music video More (feat. Anderson .Paak) by Flying Lotus
• A Girl Meets a Boy and a Robot
• Samurai Champloo
• Baby Blue from Genius Party
• Kids on the Slope
• Space Dandy
• Terror in Resonance
• Lazarus

The book also includes interviews with voice actors Kōichi Yamadera and Megumi Hayashibara.

Sources: Kadokawa, Comic Natalie

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Enjoy exploring Watanabe's cinematic influences and behind-the-scenes insights into his creative world!