Wataru Maeda (前田 渡, Maeda Wataru, born in Wakayama Prefecture) is a veteran member and supervisor of Koei's CG division. He is in charge of managing the company's cinematic and graphic design productions.
According to his own account, Maeda comes from a family of creators. His grandfather is a shipwright, and his father is a carpenter. Maeda liked to draw by hand since his childhood and studied at an art college for a textile degree. It was there when he became acquainted with Kou Shibusawa. One day, while he was job hunting, Shibusawa approached him with a sudden offer to join his company. Despite eying a career in the textile industry and being fairly unacquainted with video games at the time, Maeda took a gamble and accepted. When he first visited KOEI's Hiyoshi headquarters, he openly admitted his ignorance of his job and the company to people inquiring.
Maeda believes that it's his job to keep the team positive and motivated for a project. His goal is to have everyone's ideas shine through in a way that makes everyone happy. He reasons that games should be entertaining for everyone, be it the players or the creators.
Works
- WinBack
- Kessen
- Dynasty Warriors series (second to eighth titles, Blast)
- Romance of the Three Kingdoms VII - opening movie designer
- Kessen II - character designer
- Mystic Heroes
- Crimson Sea
- Samurai Warriors series
- Dynasty Tactics 2
- Crimson Sea 2 - character and enemy designer
- Kessen III
- Nobunaga's Ambition: Rise to Power
- WinBack 2: Project Poseidon
- Romance of the Three Kingdoms XI
- Warriors Orochi 2
- Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 2
- TRINITY: Souls of Zill O'll
- Hyrule Warriors
- Angelique Retour
- Warriors All-Stars