Born August 19, 1925 in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, Watanabe Chuumei is a composer and arranger who spent around five decades shaping Japanese popular music, film, TV drama, and anime soundtracks.

He studied psychology at the University of Tokyo after graduating from Meiwa High School—an unusual background for a musician that somehow informed his approach to composition. Though he's credited professionally as Watanabe Chuumei, his given name actually reads as Michiaki.

Beyond his work arranging for popular artists, he became prolific in scoring for film, television, and especially anime, where he left a significant mark. His son, Watanabe Toshiyuki, also became a notable composer in film and anime music, continuing the family legacy.