Shinichirou Watanabe

Most known for directing critically and commercially successful series, Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo.

He is noted for blending together multiple genres in his anime. For example, in Cowboy Bebop, classic cowboy western mixes with '60s/'70s New York City film noir, jazz/blues music, Hong Kong action movies, and to top it off the series is set in space. In his later work, Samurai Champloo, he unites the cultures of Okinawa, hip hop, modern-day Japan, and chanbara.