{{Short description|Japanese musician (1963–2021)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}} {{Infobox musical artist | image = ZentaroWatanabe.png | caption = Zentaro Watanabe as a member of Shijin no Chi in 1990 | name = Zentaro Watanabe | native_name = 渡辺善太郎 | alias = Atami | birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1963|8|9}}<ref name="Powerbox">{{cite web | url=http://www.powerbox.co.jp/profile/watanabe.html |script-title=ja:渡辺善太郎 | publisher=Power Box |language=ja | accessdate=28 July 2021}}</ref> | death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|2021|7|22|1963|8|9}}<ref name="Nikkan">{{cite web | url=https://www.nikkansports.com/entertainment/news/202107270001092.html |script-title=ja: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 | publisher=Nikkan Sports |language=ja | date=27 July 2021 | accessdate=28 July 2021}}</ref> | origin = Kurashiki, Japan | genre = | occupation = Singer, producer | past_member_of = {{Flat list| *Shijin no Chi *Oh! Penelope *Atami }} | years_active = 1986–2021 | label = Epic Records Japan, Avex Trax, Rainbow Entertainment, Toy's Factory | website = }}
{{Nihongo|'''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.<ref name="Nikkan"/><ref name="Powerbox">{{cite web | url=http://www.powerbox.co.jp/profile/watanabe.html |script-title=ja:渡辺善太郎 | publisher=Power Box |language=ja | accessdate=28 July 2021}}</ref> By 1993, the three-person unit had released five studio albums.<ref name="Powerbox"/> In March 1994, Watanabe retooled the group as a duo, creating Oh! Penelope with Shijin no Chi's vocalist Mutsuji Tsuji.<ref name="Powerbox"/> Oh! Penelope's mini album ''Photograph'' (1995) was one of the first enhanced CDs released in Japan.<ref name="Powerbox"/> After releasing their debut full-length album ''Milk & Cookies'' in March 1997, the band disbanded by June.<ref name="Rainbow-E">{{cite web |url=http://www.rainbow-e.co.jp/p/creativeroom/cr-watanabe/ |title=CREATIVE ROOM 渡辺 善太郎 |publisher=Rainbow Entertainment |language=ja |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110104002423/http://www.rainbow-e.co.jp/p/creativeroom/cr-watanabe/ |archivedate=4 January 2011 |accessdate=28 July 2021 |url-status=dead}}</ref> 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).<ref name="Nikkan"/>
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.<ref name="Rainbow-E"/><ref name="Nikkan"/> Atami's self-titled debut album released in February 2001.<ref name="Powerbox"/> 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''.<ref name="Rainbow-E"/> In March, the second Atami album was released.<ref name="Rainbow-E"/>
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).<ref name="Rainbow">{{cite web |url=http://rainbow-e.co.jp/creater/zentaro_watanabe/ |title=CREATOR 渡辺 善太郎 |publisher=Rainbow Entertainment |language=ja |accessdate=28 July 2021}}</ref> In 2012, Watanabe worked as the music producer for the NHK drama ''Hatsukoi'',<ref name="Nikkan"/> and in 2013 for the anime ''Nagi-Asu: A Lull in the Sea''.
After a long period of illness, Watanabe died from pancreatic cancer on 22 July 2021. His death was announced five days later by the Japan Federation of Music Producers.<ref name="Nikkan"/>
== Atami discography ==
===Studio albums=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |+ List of albums, with selected chart positions |- ! style="width:12em;" rowspan="1"| Title ! style="width:16em;" rowspan="1"| Album details |- ! scope="row" | ''Atami'' | * Released: 15 February 2001<ref name="Oricon">{{cite web | title=atamiの作品 |trans-title=Atami Products | url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/27114/products/ | work=Oricon | accessdate=28 July 2021}}</ref> * Label: Avex Trax * Formats: CD, digital download, LP |- ! scope="row" | ''Doppler'' | * Released: 27 March 2002<ref name="Oricon"/> * Label: Cutting Edge * Formats: CD, digital download |}
=== Compilation albums === {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |- ! style="width:12em;" rowspan="1"| Title ! style="width:16em;" rowspan="1"| Album details |- ! scope="row" | ''Best'' | * Released: 9 February 2018<ref name="Oricon"/> * Label: Cutting Edge * Formats: CD, digital download |}
=== Singles === {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |+ List of singles, with selected chart positions |- ! scope="col" rowspan="1" style="width:16em;" | Title ! scope="col" rowspan="1" | Year ! scope="col" rowspan="1" | Album |- ! scope="row" | "Nightingale"<ref name="Powerbox"/><br/>{{small|(featuring Bice)}} | rowspan="2"|2000 | rowspan="3"|''Atami'' |- ! scope="row" | {{nihongo|"August"|八月|Hachigatsu}}<ref name="Powerbox"/><br/>{{small|(featuring Miho Hatori)}} |- ! scope="row" | "Mica"<ref name="Powerbox"/><br/>{{small|(featuring Chara)}} | 2001 |- ! scope="row" | "Under the Sun"<ref name="Powerbox"/><br/>{{small|(featuring Bonnie Pink)}} | 2002 | ''Doppler'' |}
== Production discography == {{main|Zentaro Watanabe production discography}}
== References == {{Reflist}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Watanabe Zentaro}} Category:1963 births Category:2021 deaths Category:20th-century Japanese guitarists Category:21st-century Japanese guitarists Category:Deaths from pancreatic cancer Category:Japanese electronic musicians Category:Japanese film score composers Category:Japanese male film score composers Category:Japanese music arrangers Category:Japanese television composers Category:Japanese male television composers Category:Musicians from Okayama Prefecture