Shinichiro Watanabe is the director of such anime works as Macross Plus (1994), Escaflowne (1996), and, his most well known work, Cowboy Bebop (1998). He is also the director of the new animated version of the Matrix, Animatrix. Nearly all of Watanabe's work is done through Studio Sunrise.
Recently, Watanabe, as well as Yoko Kanno (the composer for Cowboy Bebop), and Toshiro Kawamoto (the character designer of Cowboy Bebop) were welcomed to a packed screening of the Cowboy Bebop movie ("Knockin' on Heaven's Door" in Japan, but simply "Cowboy Bebop: The Movie") in Times Square. Also, while in New York, Watanabe, Kanno, and Kawamoto were guests of honor at the New York Anime Expo.