An action recognition apparatus acquires image data and outputs action information representing an action content of a human captured in the image data. The action recognition apparatus includes a face-portion specifying section, an acquisition section, a specifying section, and an information output section. The face-portion specifying section specifies a first image region including a face portion of the human from the image data. The acquisition section acquires skin-color information peculiar to the human from pixel values of the first image region. The specifying section specifies at least one second image region including a predetermined portion of a body of the human from the image data except for the first image region based on the skin-color information. The information output section outputs the action information representing the action content of the human based on position relation between the specified first image region and the specified second image region.