Zentaro Watanabe
渡辺善太郎
Zentaro Watanabe as a member of Shijin no Chi in 1990
Zentaro Watanabe as a member of Shijin no Chi in 1990
Background information
Also known asAtami
Born(1963-08-09)9 August 1963[1]
OriginKurashiki, Japan
Died22 July 2021(2021-07-22) (aged 57)[2]
Occupation(s)Singer, producer
Years active1986–2021
LabelsEpic Records Japan, Avex Trax, Rainbow Entertainment, Toy's Factory

Zentaro Watanabe (渡辺 善太郎, Watanabe Zentarō, 9 August 1963 – 22 July 2021), was a Japanese musician and music producer. He debuted as a musician in 1986 as the guitarist for the band Shijin no Chi, later forming the duo Oh! Penelope with former bandmate Mutsuji Tsuji. Since the mid-1990s, Watanabe worked as a music producer, creating songs such as Chara's "Yasashii Kimochi" (1997), Hitomi's "Love 2000" and Ikimonogakari's "Hana wa Sakura Kimi wa Utsukushi" (2008). In 2000, Watanabe launched a solo project entitled Atami.

Biography

Watanabe debuted as a member of the band Shijin no Chi, through Epic Records Japan.[2][1] By 1993, the three-person unit had released five studio albums.[1] In March 1994, Watanabe retooled the group as a duo, creating Oh! Penelope with Shijin no Chi's vocalist Mutsuji Tsuji.[1] Oh! Penelope's mini album Photograph (1995) was one of the first enhanced CDs released in Japan.[1] After releasing their debut full-length album Milk & Cookies in March 1997, the band disbanded by June.[3] After the band's disbandment, Watanabe focused on working as a music producer, producing music such as Chara's "Yasashii Kimochi" (1997) and "70% (Yūgure no Uta)" (1999), Hitomi songs such as "Love 2000" and "Samurai Drive" (2001).[2]

In April 2000, Watanabe began working on Atami (stylised as atami), a solo music project involving guest vocalists, such as Miho Hatori, Chara, Hitomi and Kirinji.[3][2] Atami's delf-titled debut album released in February 2001.[1] In 2002, the band's single "Under the Sun" with Bonnie Pink was used as the theme song for the Yōsuke Kubozuka-starring film Laundry.[3] In March, the second Atami album was released.[3]

In addition to popular music, Watanabe worked as a music producer for the films Laundry (2001), Gravity's Clowns (2009), On Next Sunday (2009) and My Rainy Days (2009).[4] In 2012, Watanabe worked as the music producer for the NHK drama Hatsukoi,[2] and in 2013 for the anime Nagi-Asu: A Lull in the Sea.

After a long period of illness, Watanabe died of pancreatic cancer on 27 July 2021.[2]

Atami discography

Studio albums

List of albums, with selected chart positions
Title Album details
Atami
Doppler
  • Released: 27 March 2002[5]
  • Label: Cutting Edge
  • Formats: CD, digital download

Compilation albums

Title Album details
Best
  • Released: 9 February 2018[5]
  • Label: Cutting Edge
  • Formats: CD, digital download

Singles

List of singles, with selected chart positions
Title Year Album
"Nightingale"[1]
(featuring Bice)		 2000 Atami
"August" (八月, Hachigatsu)[1]
(featuring Miho Hatori)
"Mica"[1]
(featuring Chara)		 2001
"Under the Sun"[1]
(featuring Bonnie Pink)		 2002 Doppler

Production discography

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 渡辺善太郎 (in Japanese). Power Box. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 音楽プロデューサー渡辺善太郎さん死去、いきものがかりなどを手がける (in Japanese). Nikkan Sports. 27 July 2021. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "CREATIVE ROOM 渡辺 善太郎" (in Japanese). Rainbow Entertainment. Archived from the original on 4 January 2011. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
  4. ↑ "CREATOR 渡辺 善太郎" (in Japanese). Rainbow Entertainment. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
  5. 1 2 3 "atamiの作品" [Atami Products]. Oricon. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
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