Toshihiro Kawamoto

is a Japanese animator. He is the co-founder and director of the anime studio Bones. He was the character designer and animation director of Cowboy Bebop.

Biography Early period Born in Mie Prefecture, upon graduating from high school, Kawamoto was first employed in the making and designing of precision machinery. During this early period, he became interested in becoming an animator due to the ongoing Macross series, Yoshiyuki Tomino's Mobile Suit Gundam and Gainax's amateur Daikon films. In particular, Yoshikazu Yasuhiko's character designs were a major influence. While designing the characters for Bebop, Kawamoto modeled the character of Ed on composer Yoko Kanno, Spike Spiegel on Arsène Lupin III and City Hunter, and Ein on a friend's dog, from a suggestion by writer Keiko Nobumoto.

In 1998, he co-founded Bones with fellow Sunrise staff members Masahiko Minami and Hiroshi Ōsaka. He has recently provided the character designs for Wolf's Rain and Tenpō Ibun Ayakashi Ayashi, and the key animation to series such as Eureka Seven, Witch Hunter Robin, Sword of the Stranger, Fullmetal Alchemist, Ouran High School Host Club and Michiko to Hatchin.