Kensuke Tanabe

{{short description|Japanese video game designer, producer and director}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2021}}

{{Infobox person

|name=Kensuke Tanabe

|image=Kensuke Tanabe at E3 2013 crop 2.jpg

|caption=Tanabe at E3 2013

|native_name = 田邊 賢輔

|native_name_lang = ja

|birth_date={{Birth date and age|1963|01|26}}

|birth_place=Ikeda, Osaka, Japan{{cite web |url=http://press.nintendo.com/E32010/bios/Tanabe_FINAL.pdf |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/5wAuwzIG7?url=http://primeblue.pr.funpic.de/text/Tanabe_FINAL.pdf |title=Biographical Information: Kensuke Tanabe |date=June 2010 |publisher=Nintendo of America, Inc |archive-date=February 1, 2011 |url-status=dead }}

| notable_works = Super Mario
The Legend of Zelda
Metroid Prime
Chibi-Robo!

|alma_mater=Osaka University of Arts

|occupation=Video game producer, designer

|employer=Nintendo

|years_active = 1986–present

|title = Manager at Nintendo SPD Production Group No. 3 (2004–2015)
Manager at Nintendo EPD Production Group No. 6 (2015–2019)
Senior Officer at Nintendo EPD (2019–present)

}}

{{nihongo|Kensuke Tanabe|田邊 賢輔|Tanabe Kensuke|born January 26, 1963}}{{cite book |title=Nintendo Official Guide Book – The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening |script-chapter=ja:「ゼルダの伝説 夢をみる島」開発スタッフ名鑑 |language=ja |page=120 |date=July 1993 |isbn=4-09-102448-3 |publisher=Shogakukan Inc}} is a Japanese video game producer and designer working for Nintendo, where he currently is Senior Officer at Nintendo EPD.

After he had graduated from the Visual Concept Planning Department of Osaka University of Arts, he decided to enter the video game industry, and joined Nintendo in April 1986.{{cite web|url=http://www.gpara.com/contents/creator/bn_101.htm |script-title=ja:クリエイターズファイル 第101回 |date=February 10, 2003 |language=ja |work=Gpara.com |access-date=January 11, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110930045013/http://www.gpara.com/contents/creator/bn_101.htm |archive-date=September 30, 2011 }}

At first, Tanabe was part of the Entertainment Analysis and Development division. He directed the platform games Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic and Super Mario Bros. 2, and worked on the scripts for the action-adventures The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past and The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening. In 2003, Tanabe moved to the Software Planning and Development division, where he became the manager of Production Group No. 3.{{cite web |url=http://cube.ign.com/articles/514/514185p1.html |title=E3 2004: Metroid Prime 2 Interview |date=May 12, 2004 |work=IGN |publisher=IGN Entertainment, Inc |access-date=January 11, 2011 |archive-date=December 16, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101216061540/http://cube.ign.com/articles/514/514185p1.html |url-status=live }} Since then, he has become a producer, and has managed and overseen the development of externally developed first party Nintendo video games, such as Metroid Prime, Donkey Kong Country, Paper Mario, Chibi-Robo and other series.