, sometimes written as , is a Japanese animator and character designer.
Career Genichirou Abe joined Shaft in 2003 as an in-between animator. Within a year of joining the company, he was promoted to key animator on Tsukuyomi: Moon Phase, the company's first work with its soon-to-be longstanding chief director Akiyuki Shinbo. Since his promotion, Abe has since been an integral part of many of Shaft's productions and an influential animator in the industry and within the company. Director Shin Oonuma mentioned that scenes like the two-minute 'oner' in the 14th episode of Negima!? (2006) are made under the premise that reliable key animators like Abe exist at the studio and can be given the time to work on said cuts. Following his acknowledgement by the directors at the studio, Abe has prominently appeared on a majority of the studio's works in some way or another. Director Naoyuki Tatsuwa apologized to Abe offhandedly during production of Maria Holic (2009) saying that he gave the Abe too much trouble, but continued to entrust him with various work. In the first segment of Katteni Kaizō (2011), Tatsuwa wrote the bare minimum of instructions in his storyboards since he intended to give Abe the scene and wanted him to freely add the details himself.
Puella Magi Madoka Magica chief animation director Junichirou Taniguchi, himself from studio Doga Kobo, was impressed with Abe's work during production of Puella Magi Madoka Magica (2011) episode 10. Abe was later part of the loosely-defined small, elite team of animators that animation producer Yasuhiro Okada entrusted for Puella Magi Madoka Magica: Rebellion (2013) in which Abe key animated a nearly 2-minute long action segment. In 2014, Abe designed the characters for the studio's adaptation of Mekakucity Actors, which to date is his first and only instance participating as a character designer. For a period of time starting that same year, Abe's output in Shaft's productions significantly decreased as he focused on the Kizumonogatari (2016) trilogy, which he later received "main animator" credit for. Aside from the various scenes he was individually responsible for on the films, he was also asked to create the rain patterns that appeared throughout the fight between Koyomi Araragi and Dramaturgy in the second installment (a scene primarily animated by Hiroyuki Ookaji). Following the end of Kizumonogatari, Abe returned to appearing on most of the studio's works up until 2022.
In 2024, he was announced as one of the main animators for Yasuomi Umetsu's film series Virgin Punk (alongside Shinya Takahashi and Maho Kandou) that was nearly 10 years in the making. From the projects inception, Umetsu intended to work both closely and extensively with Abe in order to maximize his talent on cuts of animation that aligned with his style. featuring Yasuomi Umetsu (Director) and Ryuusuke Suzuki ([Animation] Producer) at the Cine Libre Ikebukuro Cine. June 28, 2025, at 2:00 PM. Accordingly, while Kandou worked on the greatest number of cuts by sheer volume on total on the project, Abe contributed the most key animation of all of the participating animators, and was solely responsible for key animating the film's 5-minute intro sequence. Through his extensive work on the project, Umetsu humored that Abe was .
Abe is described as skilled at both effects and character animation, with some analysis on his work also associating him with "complex camerawork."
Works Television series Year Title Director(s) StudioKA Other roles and notes Ref(s)2003Dear BoysSusumu KudouA.C.G.TIn-between animatorKino's JourneyRyūtarō NakamuraA.C.G.TIn-between animatorPopotanShinichiro KimuraShaftIn-between animatorGilgameshGroup TACJapan VistecIn-between animatorMaburahoShinichiro KimuraJ.C.StaffIn-between animator2004Misaki ChroniclesHiroshi NegishiJun TakedaRadixIn-between animatorMassugu ni Ikou.Kiyotaka IsakoYumeta CompanyIn-between animatorThis Ugly yet Beautiful WorldShouji SaekiGainaxShaftIn-between animatorTetsujin 28-gouYasuhiro ImagawaPalm StudioIn-between animatorGakuen AliceTakahiro OmoriGroup TACIn-between animatorUta KataKeiji GotohHal Film MakerIn-between animatorTsukuyomi: Moon PhaseAkiyuki ShinboShaftIn-between animator2nd key animator2005Pani Poni Dash!Akiyuki ShinboShin OonumaShaftChibi character key animatorHe is My MasterShouji SaekiGainaxShaft2006Negima!?Akiyuki ShinboShin OonumaShaft2nd key animator2007Hidamari SketchAkiyuki ShinboRyouki KamitsuboShaftSayonara, Zetsubou-SenseiAkiyuki ShinboShaftExtra animationGurren LagannHiroyuki ImaishiGainaxEf: A Tale of MemoriesShin OonumaShaft2008Zoku Sayonara, Zetsubou-SenseiAkiyuki ShinboYukihiro MiyamotoShaft2nd key animatorHidamari Sketch x 365Akiyuki ShinboShaftEf: A Tale of MelodiesShin OonumaShaft2009Zan Sayonara, Zetsubou-SenseiAkiyuki ShinboYukihiro MiyamotoShaftIn-between animatorMaria HolicAkiyuki ShinboYukihiro MiyamotoShaftNatsu no Arashi!Akiyuki ShinboShin OonumaShaftBakemonogatariAkiyuki ShinboTatsuya OishiShaftAssistant animation directorNatsu no Arashi! Akinai-chuuAkiyuki ShinboShin OonumaKenichi IshikuraShaft2010Naruto ShippudenHayato DatePierrotDance in the Vampire BundAkiyuki ShinboMasahiro SonodaShaftHidamari Sketch x HoshimittsuAkiyuki ShinboKenichi IshikuraShaftArakawa Under the BridgeAkiyuki ShinboYukihiro MiyamotoShaftAnd Yet the Town MovesAkiyuki ShinboShaft2011Puella Magi Madoka MagicaAkiyuki ShinboYukihiro MiyamotoShaftGround Control to Psychoelectric GirlAkiyuki ShinboYukihiro MiyamotoShaft2nd key animator2012NisemonogatariAkiyuki ShinboTomoyuki ItamuraShaftHaiyore! Nyaruko-sanTsuyoshi NagasawaXebecHidamari Sketch x HoneycombAkiyuki ShinboYuki YaseShaftNekomonogatari: BlackAkiyuki ShinboTomoyuki ItamuraShaft2nd key animator2013Sasami-san@GanbaranaiAkiyuki ShinboNaoyuki TatsuwaShaftKey animation assistance2nd key animatorMonogatari Series Second SeasonAkiyuki ShinboTomoyuki ItamuraNaoyuki TatsuwaYuki YaseShaft2014Mekakucity ActorsAkiyuki ShinboYuki YaseShaftCharacter designerAnimation directorAssistant animation director2nd key animatorWizard BarristersYasuomi UmetsuArms2016March Comes In like a LionAkiyuki ShinboKenjirou OkadaShaft2017March Comes In like a Lion 2nd Season2018Fate/Extra: Last EncoreAkiyuki ShinboYukihiro MiyamotoShaft2019Zoku OwarimonogatariAkiyuki ShinboShaft2020Magia RecordDoroinuYukihiro MiyamotoKenjirou OkadaMidori YoshizawaShaftAssault Lily BouquetShouji SaekiHajime OotaniShaft2021Magia Record: The Eve of AwakeningDoroinuYukihiro MiyamotoShaftPretty Boy Detective ClubAkiyuki ShinboHajime OotaniShaft2022Magia Record: Dawn of a Shallow DreamDoroinuYukihiro MiyamotoShaftRWBY: Ice QueendomToshimasa SuzukiKenjirou OkadaShaftLuminous WitchesShouji SaekiShaft2023OnimaiShingo FujiiStudio Bind2025A Ninja and an Assassin Under One RoofYukihiro MiyamotoShaft
OVAs/ONAs Year Title Director(s) StudioKA Other roles and notes Ref(s)2003TemptationJuuhachi MinamizawaArcturusIn-between animator2004AngeliqueAsumi MasekiryouYumeta CompanyIn-between animatorSakura Wars: The New ParisRadixIn-between animator2006Negima! Spring SpecialAkiyuki ShinboShin OonumaShaftNegima! Summer Special2008Goku Sayonara, Zetsubou-SenseiAkiyuki ShinboYukihiro MiyamotoShaft2nd key animator2009Zan Sayonara, Zetsubou-SenseiAkiyuki ShinboYukihiro MiyamotoShaft2nd key animator2011Katteni KaizōAkiyuki ShinboNaoyuki TatsuwaShaftAnimation director2nd key animator2013Hidamari Sketch: Sae & Hiro's Graduation ArcAkiyuki ShinboYuki YaseShaft
Films Year Title Director(s) StudioKAOther roles and notesRef(s)2007Kino's Journey: Country of IllnessRyūtarō NakamuraShaft2012Puella Magi Madoka Magica: BeginningsAkiyuki ShinboYukihiro MiyamotoShaftPuella Magi Madoka Magica: Eternal2013Puella Magi Madoka Magica: Rebellion2016Kizumonogatari I: TekketsuAkiyuki ShinboTatsuya OishiShaftMain animatorKizumonogatari II: Nekketsu2017Kizumonogatari III: ReiketsuFireworksAkiyuki ShinboNobuyuki TakeuchiShaft2019Space Battleship Yamato 2202Nobuyoshi HabaraXebec2025Virgin Punk: Clockwork GirlYasuomi UmetsuShaftMain animator2nd key animator2026Puella Magi Madoka Magica: Walpurgisnacht - RisingAkiyuki ShinboYukihiro MiyamotoShaftMain action animator
Notes Works cited
General notes
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