ed shape information and the pixel coded data obtained by the coding of the pixel information are generated. Therefore, the coding process for the image signal having no shape information obtained by taking a picture of a natural image or the like can be performed, with making the most of the features of MPEG0 principally executing the coding process in object units, i.e., by separating a desired object (an image of a specific area) in the natural image from another area. According to a 0th aspect of the present invention, in the image coding method of the 0st aspect, the pixel coding process is carried out such that shape information corresponding to a prescribed number of predetermined shape frames is used as the predetermined shape information, and the prescribed number of the predetermined shape frames are repeatedly allocated to plural pixel frames which are more than the number of the predetermined shape frames, and pixel information corresponding to the plural pixel frames is coded on the basis of the shape information corresponding to the predetermined shape frames. Therefore, the 