Manga Artists, Mangakas
List activity
231 views
• 5 this weekCreate a new list
List your movie, TV & celebrity picks.
264 people
- Writer
- Animation Department
- Costume Designer
Akira Toriyama is a Japanese manga writer, manga artist, and character designer for video games. He has been a working artist since 1978. In manga, he is better known for creating the science fiction comedy series "Dr. Slump" (1980-1984) and the martial-arts-themed series "Dragon Ball" (1984-1995). "Dragon Ball" has been adapted into four animated series: "Dragon Ball" (1986-1989), "Dragon Ball Z" (1989-1996), "Dragon Ball GT" (1996-1997), and "Dragon Ball Super" (2015-2018). Toriyama has provided character designs for several of the adaptations. As a video game designer, Toriyama is primarily known for co-creating the long-running series "Dragon Quest" (1986-). He has continued to work in most of the series' games. Toriyama's works are credited with boosting the popularity of Japanese animation in the Western world. In 2019, Toriyama was named as a Chevalier (knight) of the "Ordre des Arts et des Lettres" ("Order of the Arts and the Letters") by France. It is a French order of merit, awarded to writers and artists.
During the 20th century, Nagoya became a center for automotive, Several manufacturing companies of the industry have their headquarters in Nagoya. By 1961, Toriyama started drawing pictures of animals and vehicles as a hobby. He was reportedly inspired by the animated film "One Hundred and One Dalmatians"(1961), as he was impressed by the film's art style.
During his elementary school years, Toriyama has access to the manga collection owned by the older brother of a friend. He was fascinated by the science fiction series "Astro Boy" (1952-1968), which featured the adventures of a sentient android with superpowers. During his middle school years, Toriyama was increasingly fascinated with live-action film and television. He was a fan of the tokusatsu series (science fantasy series, using special effects) "Ultraman" (1966-1967). The series focused on the adventures of a gigantic superhero, who regularly defended the Earth from aliens and monsters. He also enjoyed kaiju films (films about giant monsters). His favorite film series was "Gamera" (1965-2006), which featured the adventures of a fire-breathing turtle.
Toriyama attended a high school which focused on teaching creative design to its students. Against the wishes of his parents, he decided to not pursue a college education. Shortly after graduating high school, Toriyama used his art skills to get hired at an advertising agency in Nagoya. He spend several years in designing posters, but was increasingly fed up with his job. He was repeatedly reprimanded for dressing casually at work. He quit his job at age 23, and started considering a professional career as a manga artist.
Trying to get an entry into the manga industry, Toriyama created a manga story which parodied the recent film "Star Wars" (1977). He submitted the story to a contest organized by the magazine "Weekly Shonen Jump", hoping to win the magazine's "Newcomer Award". The story was rejected because it was a derivative work, and the contest was for original works. But magazine editor Kazuhiko Torishima (1952-) liked Toriyama's art style. He encouraged him to send more original material to the magazine.
Toriyama's first published work was the story "Wonder Island" (1978). It featured a kamikaze pilot who had been stranded on an island for 35 years, and was trying to find a way to escape. The story came last in a popularity contest, disappointing Toriyama. The sequel "Wonder Island 2" (1979) focused on the police searching for a missing criminal. It parodied elements from the film "Dirty Harry" (1971). This story was also considered a flop. Most of Toriyama's early stories failed to impress his readers. He had more success with "Tomato the Cutesy Gumshoe" (1979), a story about a rookie detective. It was his first work featuring a female lead, and was well-liked by the readers.
Toriyama decided to use a female lead in next major effort. The result was the best-selling series "Dr. Slump". (1980-1984) It focused on Arale Norimaki, a sentient robot in the form of a little girl. She had superhuman strength, but her naivety and inexperience landed her in trouble. The series also featured a cast of eccentric supporting characters. Among them was the shape-shifting superhero Suppaman, a parody version of Superman who was depicted as a pompous buffoon. The series became one of the most popular manga of its era, and received an animated adaption (which lasted from 1981 to 1986). Toriyama wanted to end the series after its first six months, but his publisher insisted that the story should be continued. In 1981, Toriyama won a "Shogakukan Manga Award" for his work on "Dr. Slump".
Despite his success with a long-term series in the early 1980s, Toriyama continued to regularly submit one-shot stories for publication. He was frustrated when several of these stories met with lukewarm response by his readers. At about this point in his career, he created his own artist's studio, under the name "Bird Studio". The name was a pun on his own last name, as "tori" means "bird". He started employing assistants to work on the background details of his stories.
Kazuhiko Torishima (Toriyama's editor) noted that Toriyama enjoyed viewing kung fu films, but had never used martial arts elements in his stories. He suggested that Toriyama should try creating a kung-fu manga. Toriyama responded by creating the two-part story "Dragon Boy" (1983). It depicted a young martial artist who escorts a princess on a return journey to her home country. The story was warmly received, and Toriyama would later incorporate aspects of this story in "Dragon Ball".
In 1984, Toriyama finally concluded the "Dr. Slump". He had to promise his editor and publisher that he would soon start work on a replacement series. This new series was "Dragon Ball", which lasted for 11 years. Toriyama produced 519 chapters of the manga, which were collected into 42 volumes. The story focused on the life of martial artist Son Goku from childhood to adulthood, and gradually introduced the character's wife and descendants. The series gained in popularity due to its large cast of colorful characters, and its exciting use of combat scenes. Toriyama reportedly used Jackie Chan's films as the main inspiration for the fighting scenes.
Despite a busy working schedule due to long-term commitment to "Dragon Ball", Toriyama continued submitting one-shot stories for publication. In 1986, he was recruited as a character designer for the role-playing video game "Dragon Quest". He later admitted that he had never even heard of role-playing games before being offered the job, and he was not certain what the demands of the job were. He was created as the co-creator of the game, and the initial game launched a long-running franchise. Based on this success, Toriyama was later hired as a character designer on the role-playing game "Chrono Trigger" (1995) and on the fighting games "Tobal No. 1" (1996) and "Tobal 2" (1997).
Until the late 1980s, Toriyama had never worked in animation. His first substantial effort in the field was the animated film "Kosuke & Rikimaru: The Dragon of Konpei Island" (1988). He wrote the initial concept for the film, he co-wrote its screenplay, and designed all of its characters.
In 1995, Toriyama decided to conclude the "Dragon Ball" manga with a low-key ending. Son Goku left the planet Earth to serve as the mentor to a reincarnated former foe, leaving room for a new generation of heroes. Toriyama wanted to imply that the story would continue, though he had no actual intention to write a sequel at that point. When the animated series "Dragon Ball GT" (1996-1997) was conceived as a sequel, Toriyama was hired as a character designer. For the following few years, Toriyama primarily produced short-lived manga series. Among them were "Cowa!"(1997-1998), "Kajika" (1998), and "Sand Land" (2000). In 2002, Toriyama made a promotional visit to the United States, as a number of his works were about to be reprinted in the American magazine "Shonen Jump".
In 2005, Toriyama served as the main designer of an electric car for CQ Motors. It was not a commercial success, with only 9 vehicles being produced. In 2006, Toriyama and Eiichiro Oda created the crossover story "Cross Epoch". It featured characters from "Dragon Ball" co-existing with fantasy characters from the series "One Piece" (1997-). Also in 2006, Toriyama served as a character designer for the video game "Blue Dragon". The story featured a small group of heroes trying to stop the villain Nene's efforts to massacre villagers.
In 2009, Toriyama was credited as both a creative consultant and an executive producer for the live-action film "Dragonball Evolution". He reportedly cautioned the film's producers that the film's script was "bland" and uninteresting, but his suggestions to alter the script were ignored. The film was a commercial flop. Also in 2009, Toriyama created a promotional manga for the environmental organization "Rural Society Project". In 2011, Toriyama helped raise awareness for the victims of the Tohoku earthquake and the subsequent tsunami.
From 2012 to 2013, Toriyama was part of the film crew for the animated feature film "Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods" (2013). It was the first theatrical animated film based on "Dragon Ball" since 1996. In the film, the god Beerus threatens to destroy the planet Earth. He only backs down when one of the heroes achieves godhood. Also in 2013, a touring exhibition displayed Toriyama's manga manuscripts from "Dragon Ball".
Toriyama served as the main screenwriter for the animated film "Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection F" (2015). The film featured the resurrection of the long-dead villain Frieza, who tries to improve his skills before seeking revenge. Toriyama continued to work on the film's sequels until 2022. He also provided the scripts for the sequel manga "Dragon Ball Super" (2015-), though the artwork was provided by the younger artist Toyotarou (1978-). There were 18 volumes of the manga published between 2016 and 2022.
By 2022, Toriyama was 67-years-old. He has been married to the retired manga artist Yoshimi Kato since 1982, and they have two adult children. He works from his home studio in Kiyosu, and reportedly lives a reclusive life. He rarely appears in public or offers interviews. He has never retired, and seems to have no intention to do so.
Akira Toriyama died at the age of 68 on march 1, 2024.- Writer
- Director
- Animation Department
Katsuhiro Ôtomo is a Japanese manga artist, screenwriter and film director. He is best known as the creator of the manga Akira and its animated film adaptation.
In 1979, after writing multiple short-stories for the magazine Action, Otomo created his first science-fiction work, titled Fireball. Although the manga was never completed, it is regarded as a milestone in Otomo's career as it contained many of the same themes he would explore in his later. In 1982, Otomo made his anime debut, working as character designer for the animated film Harmagedon. The next year, Otomo began work on a manga which would become his most acclaimed and famous work: Akira. It took eight years to complete and would eventually culminate in 2000 pages of artwork. While the serialization of Akira was taking place, Otomo decided to animate it into a feature film, although the manga was yet to be finished. In 1988, the animated film Akira was released.
Otomo became the fourth manga artist ever inducted into the American Eisner Award Hall of Fame in 2012, and was awarded the Purple Medal of Honor from the Japanese government in 2013.- Writer
- Director
- Animation Department
Tezuka Osamu was born on November 3, 1928 in Toyonaka, Japan as the first child of Fumiko & Yutaka Tezuka. At 5, he & his family moved to the village of Kohama in Hyogo prefecture (present day city of Takarazuka). When he was 7, he entered Ikeda Elementary School in Osaka. Due to his diminutive stature, he was bullied a lot in school. His mother was a good story teller & would tell stories to him. His father was a big comic & animated movies fan. Therefore, he would do a private showing of movies he bought at his house. This influence would later inspire him to write story length comics that was as exciting as watching a movie. He drew his first comic when he was in 3rd grade titled Bin Bin Namachan, a story of a bald-headed boy that was modeled after himself. During those days, he read comics such as Norakuro & Nakamura Manga Library. He even drew a story about martians called Kaseijin Kuru! He also invented his famous character Hyotantsugi in a work he titled Fuku-chan to Uotsuri. . Another one of his works called Shina no Yoru caused quite a sensation.
His other love in life was insects. He would roam around the fields to study them & he would draw his own encyclopedia. One day, he found an insect named Osamushi, which resembled his name. Therefore, he adopted Osamushi as his pen name. He started to draw using pen & ink as well as write comics when he was 15. He self-published 13 books that year. In 1945, he entered Osaka University's medical division. The following year, he made his professional debut w/ the comic Maachan no nikki-cho in an Osaka children's newspaper. Later that year, he met Nanama Sakai at the Kansai manga club meeting & was asked to draw a feature length cartoon. W/ Sakai as story writer, he published Shin Takarajima the following year, selling 400,000 copies. He then went on to win 1st place at the YMCA for his piano performance. He was also a member of the university's acting club during & dabbled in school plays. What separated him from artists before him was that his comic had a 3-dimensional feel to his pictures & more lively motion to his characters.
In 1950, he began writing Jungle Taitei, which was published in the magazine Manga Shonen. After graduating from Osaka University the following year, he wrote the pilot episode for Tetsuwan Atom titled Atom Taishi, which was featured in the magazine Shounen. In 1952, he passed the exam to become a practicing physician. Atom Taishi ended in March & is renamed Tetsuwan Atom w/ syndication continuing until March 1968. He was in a dilemma as to which profession he would choose as his career: to be a manga artist or a doctor. He consulted his mother about his career choice & she advised him to choose whichever he loved the most. Encouraged by this, he chose manga.
In 1953, he moved to the now legendary Tokiwaso apartment where many young comic talents from all over Japan lived to start their career. Most of them were not only younger, but considered him as their guru, becoming a mentor. In 1959, he married Etsuko Okada. That same year, Tetsuwan Atom airs on Fuji TV featuring live actors. In 1961, he started his own animation production company called Tezuka Osamu Production Animation Department & beginning work on the pilot of animated version of Tetsuwan Atom. On January 1, 1963 Tetsuwan Atom starts airing on Fuji TV & is broadcasted by NBC as Astro Boy in the U.S. the following year. He followed up w/ the animated version of his comic Big X & W 3. In 1965, he created his 1st color anime Jungle Taitei, later airing in the Americas as Kimba the White Lion. His works from late the 60s such as Magma Taishi & 70s such as Mitsume ga tooru & Black Jack aren't as well known outside Japan, but he continued to draw at a prolific pace during those years. In 1972, due to internal strife, Mushi pro disintegrates. He later created another production company named after himself called Tezuka pro. During the 80s his work load slowly declined & he was more of a cultural icon, becoming a guest on many social events & TV interviews. He was also busy running his production company.
In 1988, he felt pain in his abdomen & underwent surgery. Not knowing this was due to stomach cancer as his his physician chose not to reveal his terminal illness, he was heard saying, "This doctor doesn't understand my question" as he asked about his condition. He passed away on February 9, 1989. Magazine headlines read Manga Taitei iku. Now, he's remembered as the greatest manga artist of all time, single-handedly jump starting both genre of modern day manga & anime with many manga artists were influenced by Tezuka's works. He was also 1 of the most prolific artist in the field w/ over 700 stories spanning over 170,000 pages to his credit . His impact on the entire social culture of Japan's also seen as immeasurable as he influenced so many different areas of art & society through his comics. Never in history has a comic artist influenced the society of a single country the way he did. He'll be remembered as the founding father of modern day manga.- Writer
- Additional Crew
- Soundtrack
Naoko Takeuchi was born on 15 March 1967 in Kofu, Japan. She is a writer, known for Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon (2003), Sailor Moon (1992) and Sailor Moon Eternal (2021). She has been married to Yoshihiro Togashi since 6 January 1999. They have two children.- Writer
- Animation Department
- Art Department
Takahashi was born on October 10, 1957 in Niigata, Japan. She displayed no special talent or interest for manga (Japanese comics) while attending Niigata Chuo High School, but while attending Japan Women's University, she enrolled in Gekiga Sonjuku, a manga school founded by Kazuo Koike (artist and writer of the mangas Lone Wolf and Cub, Crying Freeman and Lady Snowblood). His influence in her work is considerable. He stressed the importance of interesting characters in one's manga series. Takahashi took his lessons to heart: her characters often break the stereotypes inhabiting manga at the time. Takahashi takes care to portray her women to be as tough and as intelligent as her men. Almost none of them can be called an out-and-out villain. They often have different motivations and goals which puts them at odds with each other, and from this arises the dramatic tension of her stories, and quite often, the comedy as well.
In 1976 she started publishing short manga. At this point, she needed to make an important decision, continue as a manga artist or make rounds interviewing for a regular job as a Japanese salary person. If she failed in manga, she would have difficulty getting work because companies would often prefer young, fresh graduates. Despite her parents' advice to take the more cautious path, she decided to press on.
Her first manga series was Urusei Yatsura in 1978, published in Weekly Shonen Sunday. It concerns an alien invasion of earth that can only be stopped if the horniest boy in the world manages to catch an alien girl. It eventually became a cultural phenomenon, lasting nine years and spawning a long-running television series, Urusei yatsura (1981). Urusei yatsura (1981)was partly directed by Mamoru Oshii (_"Kôkaku kidôtai" (1995)_, aka Ghost in the Shell). Oshii first rose in prominence thanks to his work in Urusei Yatsura.
Her second manga hit was Maison Ikkoku (1980 to 1987 in Big Comic Spirits). Here, her experiences as a young adult making the rounds of job interviews, plus living in a small apartment while working for a living, became inspiration for her manga. Maison Ikkoku doesn't have any aliens, demons or martial-arts experts, instead it is a simple love triangle between a college student, Godai, his beautiful apartment manager, the young and recently widowed Mrs. Kyoko Otanashi and the rich, handsome tennis coach Shun Mitaka.
Mitaka could have been a typical love rival, rich, handsome but self-centered. Instead, Takahashi actually makes him sympathetic; his love for Kyoko is as sincere as Godai, and he is also a nice guy. In fact it becomes one of the themes of Maison Ikkoku: if all things are equal, if both suitors have good characters and both sincerely loves the woman, then should Kyoko pick the richer suitor? The manga series charts Godai's maturation from callow youth ruled by hormones to a successful, responsible adult.
The complex webs of relationships in Urusei and Maison are her secret recipe for generating endless configurations of conflict and humor. They keep readers waiting eagerly for the next installment at the same time gently remind them that that's how life is like with regards to romance, a tangled free-for-all that, despite its seemingly frightful messiness, Takahashi magically keeps clear and coherent for her readers.
Maison Ikkoku also became the successful anime, Maison Ikkoku (1986). In 1987, Not only did she end her two successful manga, Urusei and Maison, she also did short manga (Mermaid Saga and One-Pound Gospel), and started her third long-run manga series, Ranma 1/2.
In 1987, the manga field was full of martial arts stories, so Takahashi was interested in trying her version of a martial arts manga, however, with a few innovations of her own. Ranma is a martial artist betrothed to a tomboy martial artist, Miss Akane Tendo, and when they marry they will inherit the dojo and the tradition of "Anything Goes" Martial Arts. The big twist is, when Ranma gets wet, he turns into a busty, red-headed girl. Takahashi pokes fun at (and gives homage to) martial arts, boy-girl relationships and other bizarre permutations that can arise from a web formed by a boy/girl, a tomboy girl as well as a menagerie of quirky supporting characters.
Like Urusei and Maison, Ranma became an anime series,Ranma ½ (1989), which lasted from 1989 to 1992. She ended the manga in 1996, and then started her fourth major manga series, Inuyasha.
Inuyasha is set in medieval Japan. A modern schoolgirl, Kagome, is magically transported to the past, and she must help the half-demon Inuyasha collect shards of the powerful Shikon jewel. In this series, the tone is darker and less comedic than her other works. Characters and bystanders often die here and the major characters themselves are frequently in danger. Takahashi also introduces her first purely evil villain, the demon Naraku. Naraku is a kind of Iago to Inuyasha's Othello, letting others do the dirty work for him. Inuyasha became an anime in 2000 (Inuyasha (2000)), lasting until 2004. It has already spawned several films, with the last one released in December, 2004.
In terms of material rewards, Takahashi consistently makes the list of top ten Japanese tax payers from the manga community, an indication of the royalties she receives for her work, both old and new. Her fan base has spilled out of Japan, where she is virtually ubiquitous. She now has devoted followers from Europe, the United States and many fellow Asian nations. Her old work, from Urusei Yatsura up to her short manga up to the anime versions, have been reprinted and translated, finding their way to newer generations of readers and viewers.
However, Takahashi continually keeps busy, meeting her deadlines, creating new manga. She admits she has little time to spend her money, devoting most of her time in her studio drawing and plotting the next installments of her manga, for the sake of her legions of fans worldwide.- Writer
- Director
- Animation Department
Satoshi Kon was born in 1963. He studied at the Musashino College of the Arts. He began his career as a Manga artist. He then moved to animation and worked as a background artist on many films (including Roujin Z (1991) by 'Katsuhiro Otomo'). Then, in 1995, he wrote an episode of the anthology film Memories (1995) (this Episode was "Magnetic Rose"). In 1997, he directed his first feature film: the excellent Perfect Blue (1997). In 2001, he finished work on his second feature film, Millennium Actress (2001) (aka Millennium Actress).- Writer
- Animation Department
- Additional Crew
Keiko Takemiya was born on 13 February 1950 in Tokushima Prefecture, Shikoku, Japan. She is a writer, known for Terra e... (1980), Toward the Terra (2007) and Crusher Joe: The Movie (1983).- Writer
- Animation Department
- Music Department
Shigeru Mizuki was born on 8 March 1922 in Sakaiminato, Japan. He was a writer, known for The Great Yokai War (2005), Gegege no Kitaro (2018) and Gegege no Kitarô (1968). He was married to Nunoe Mura. He died on 30 November 2015 in Tokyo, Japan.- Writer
- Animation Department
- Yoshiharu Tsuge was born in 1937 in Tokyo, Japan. He is a writer, known for Nowhere Man (1991), Gensen-Kan Inn (1993) and Neji-shiki (1998).
- Actor
- Writer
Yoshihiro Tatsumi was born on 10 June 1935 in Osaka, Osaka, Japan. He was an actor and writer, known for Tatsumi (2011), The Fabulous Picture Show (2006) and Manga World (2005). He was married to Eiko. He died on 7 March 2015 in Tokyo, Japan.- Writer
- Music Department
- Actor
Shotaro Ishinomori was born on January 25, 1938 in Tome, Japan as Shotaro Onodera. As 1 of the most prolific comic artist in history, his works encompasses over 770 titles exceeding 128,000 pages. Being 1 of the early pioneers of Japanese manga, he was 1 of the few comic artists whose works has been syndicated overseas along w/ Osamu Tezuka (Astro Boy), Jiro Kuwata (8th Man), Rumiko Takahashi (Inuyasha) & Fujiko Fujio (Obake no Q-taro). He made his debut as a comic artist in 1954 w/ Nikyu Tenshi. His name could be read either as Ishimori or Ishinomori. Although he intended it to be read as Ishinomori, most people read it as Ishimori, which stuck for the next 30 years. In 1956, he moved to Tokyo to live in a now legendary apartment called Tokiwa-so, which housed many of the future comic artists of Japan. He was mentored like so many young comic artists living in there by the late Osamu Tezuka. The 1st episode of Astro Boy was actually penned by Ishinomori because Tezuka was sick at the time. He was writing adventure sci-fi action like many of his colleagues for pre-teen boys in the late 50s & early 60s such as Niichan Sensha, Mutant Sabu & Cyborg 009. He also drew a cartoon version of Toho's movie Matango during this period. In 1966, he won the Kodansha manga award for both works. In 1971, his comic Kamen Rider was syndicated as a TV series, which saw enormous success. The word henshin (the battle cry Kamen Rider shouts before making his transformation) became part of the staple language of youth at the time. He followed up on his success w/ Kamen Rider II, Kamen Rider V3, Kamen Rider Black, Inazuman & Kikaida, who all transformed their appearances before battle. In 1975, he co-created the Go Rangers, the 1st Super Sentai series. A later Super Sentai, Zyuranger, became popular in the U.S. in the 90s as Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. In 1986, he officially changed his pen name to Shotaro Ishinomori to celebrate his 30th year as a comic artist. It was also the name he intended for himself to begin w/. During his later years, he was penning many comics for adults that depicted society from his view as a comic artist. He passed away at 60 in 1998 from heart failure. He'll be remembered as 1 of the founding fathers of manga.- Art Department
- Writer
- Actor
Jirô Taniguchi was born on 12 August 1947 in Tottori, Japan. He was a writer and actor, known for The Solitary Gourmet (2012), Everest: The Summit of the Gods (2016) and The Summit of the Gods (2021). He died on 11 February 2017.- Writer
- Director
- Art Department
Leiji Matsumoto was born on 25 January 1938 in Fukuoka, Japan. He was a writer and director, known for Captain Harlock and the Queen of a Thousand Years (1985), Space Battleship Yamato (1974) and Farewell to Space Battleship Yamato: Warriors of Love (1978). He was married to Miyako Maki. He died on 13 February 2023 in Tokyo, Japan.- Writer
- Soundtrack
Inio Asano is known for Soranin (2010), A Girl on the Shore (2021) and Dead Dead Demon's Dededede Destruction Zenpen (2024).- Writer
- Animation Department
- Soundtrack
Naoki Urasawa was born on 2 January 1960 in Fuchu, Japan. He is a writer, known for 20th Century Boys 1: Beginning of the End (2008), Pluto (2023) and Master Keaton (1998).- Writer
- Animation Department
- Actor
Being influenced by the works of manga (Japanese comic-book) pioneer Osamu Tezuka, Go Nagai aspired to be a manga artist himself. After graduating from high school, he became an assistant for manga writer/artist Shotaro Ishinomori, and then made his debut with the comic-book "Meakashi Pori Kichi" (published in the November 1967 issue of Bokura Magazine). His turning point came in 1968, with the controversial comic-book "Harenchi Gakuen" ("Shameless High School"), which not only became a huge success, but singlehandedly revolutionized the manga industry. The comic was also so controversial that the conservative Parent/Teacher Associations in Japan had publicly burned some copies! In 1969, Nagai began work on what would be his life's work; The year 1971 saw publication of his comic-book, "Devil King Dante," about a demon awakening in the present to destroy mankind, as it was influenced by an evil alien called "God" in prehistoric times. The following year saw what would be perhaps Nagai's best works, and since then, he had formed his own company Dynamic Productions. His "Dante" comic forshadowed its more popular incarnation, "Devil-Man," which soon had its own anime series in 1972. Then came his classic comic-book/anime series, "Mazinger Z," which started the "Super Robot" wave in Japan, and became influental to just about any giant robot you've ever seen, from Mobile Suit Gundam (1979) to Beast King GoLion (1981) (better known to US fans as Voltron)! His other giant robot works included "Getter Robo" in 1974 (the first heroic giant robot to combine from individual vehichles), and the "Mazinger Z" follow-ups "Great Mazinger" and "UFO Robo Grendizer." He is also best known for creating perverse, sex-oriented parodies, his most memorable being another 1972 vintage, "Cutey Honey," about an android girl named Honey Kisaragi, who fights monsters and demons, and also has the power to change into different clothes, most prominently from her blonde-haired Kisaragi persona to her red-haired, super-suited Cutey Honey persona! Nagai created a similar superheroine called "Kekkou Kamen," a spoof of Japan's pioneer TV superhero show, _"Gekkou kamen" (1958)_. Whereas Gekkou Kamen was a man wearing a white costume, cape, mask and turban, Kekkou Kamen was a girl who wore only a mask, an occasional cape, gloves, boots, thin scarf, and nothing else! Nagai's Dynamic Productions split from Toei Animation around 1981, so he was given more creative freedom, thus producing his own shows, such as a 2-part OVA (Original Video Animation - a term for anime made exclusively direct-to-video) remake of "Devilman" in 1987, and more recently, sequels to "Cutey Honey," "Getter Robo," and "Mazinger Z." His work, particularly "Devilman," is also appreciated by heavy metal rock bands!- Writer
- Soundtrack
Kazuo Koike was born on 8 May 1936 in Akita, Japan. He was a writer, known for Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003), Lady Snowblood (1973) and Shogun Assassin (1980). He died on 17 April 2019 in Japan.- Writer
- Director
- Actor
Junji Ito was born on 31 July 1963 in Gifu, Japan. He is a writer and director, known for Tomio (2011), Death Stranding (2019) and Partition (2000). He has been married to Ayako Ishiguro since 2006. They have two children.- Writer
- Actor
- Director
Kazuo Umezu was born on 3 September 1936 in Koyasan, Wakayama, Japan. He is a writer and actor, known for Mother (2014), The Snake Girl and the Silver-Haired Witch (1968) and Drifting School (1995).- Animation Department
- Writer
- Art Department
Hayao Miyazaki is one of Japan's greatest animation directors. The entertaining plots, compelling characters, and breathtaking visuals in his films have earned him international renown from critics as well as public recognition within Japan.
Miyazaki started his career in 1963 as an animator at the studio Toei Douga studio, and was subsequently involved in many early classics of Japanese animation. From the beginning, he commanded attention with his incredible drawing ability and the seemingly endless stream of movie ideas he proposed.
In 1971, he moved to the A Pro studio with Isao Takahata. In 1973, he moved to Nippon Animation, where he was heavily involved in the World Masterpiece Theater TV animation series for the next 5 years. In 1978, he directed his first TV series, Future Boy Conan (1978). Then, he moved to Tokyo Movie Shinsha in 1979 to direct his first movie, the classic Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro (1979). In 1984, he released Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984), which was based on the manga of the same title he had started 2 years before. The success of the film led to the establishment of a new animation studio, Studio Ghibli. Since then, he has since directed, written, and produced many other films with Takahata. More recently, he has produced with Toshio Suzuki. All enjoyed critical and box office success, in particular Princess Mononoke (1997). It received the Japanese equivalent of the Academy Award for Best Film and was the highest-grossing (about USD $150 million) domestic film in Japan's history at the time of its release.
In addition to animation, he also draws manga. His major work was Nausicaä, an epic tale he worked on intermittently from 1982 to 1984 while he was busy making animated films. Another manga Hikotei Jidai, later evolved into Porco Rosso (1992).- Goseki Kojima was born on 11 November 1928 in Yokkaichi, Mie, Japan. He was a writer, known for Shogun Assassin (1980), Bohachi Bushido: Code of the Forgotten Eight (1973) and Lone Wolf and Cub: Sword of Vengeance (1972). He died on 5 January 2000 in Tokyo, Japan.
- Writer
- Art Department
- Producer
Suehiro Maruo is known for Midori (1992), Midori: The Camellia Girl (2016) and MGMT: Little Dark Age (2017).- Director
- Writer
- Editor
Shintaro Kago is known for Hopscotch (2022) and Shintarou Kago Anime Sakuhin Shuu (2008).- Writer
Ai Yazawa was born on 7 March 1967 in Osaka, Japan. She is a writer, known for Nana (2005), Last Quarter (2004) and Paradise Kiss (2011).- Writer
- Actress
Kiriko Nananan is known for Strawberry Shortcakes (2006), Blue (2002) and Pumpkin and Mayonnaise (2017).- Writer
- Animation Department
Moto Hagio was born on 12 May 1949 in Omuta, Fukuoka, Japan. She is a writer, known for They Were Eleven (1986), Illusion of Gaia (1993) and Stranger: bakemono ga jiken wo abaku (2016).- Writer
- Animation Department
- Additional Crew
Hiromu Arakawa was born on 8 May 1973 in Tokachi, Japan. Hiromu is a writer, known for Fullmetal Alchemist the Movie: Conqueror of Shamballa (2005), Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (2009) and Fullmetal Alchemist (2017).- Writer
- Art Department
- Animation Department
Born in the Hyogo Prefecture capital city of Kobe, he studied oil painting at Osaka University of Arts. While in college, he developed an interest in manga, which led him to create his own complete work, Black Magic, which was published in the manga dojinshi Atlas. His work caught the eye of Seishinsha President Harumichi Aoki, who offered to publish him.
The result was best-selling manga Appleseed, a full volume of densely plotted drama taking place in an ambiguous future. The story was a sensation, and won the 1986 Seiun Award for Best Manga. After a professional reprint of Black Magic and a second volume of Appleseed, he released Dominion in 1986. Two more volumes of Appleseed followed before he began work on Ghost in the Shell.
In 2007, he collaborated again with Production I.G to co-create the original concept for the anime television series Ghost Hound, Production I.G's 20th anniversary project. A further original collaboration with Production I.G began airing in April 2008, titled Real Drive.- Animation Department
- Director
- Writer
Seiichi Hayashi was born on 7 March 1945 in Manchuria, China. He is a director and writer, known for Yoru ni hohoyose (1973), Boku wa tenshi ja naiyo (1977) and Throw Away Your Books, Rally in the Streets (1971).- Machiko Hasegawa was born on 30 January 1920 in Taku, Saga, Japan. She was a writer, known for Sazae-san no dâssen okusamâ (1959), Sazae-san (1956) and New Journey of Yaji and Kita (1952). She died on 27 May 1992 in Tokyo, Japan.
- Nobuaki Minegishi is known for Oldboy (2003).
- Hideo Yamamoto was born on 23 June 1968 in Saitama, Japan. He is a writer, known for Ichi the Killer (2001), Homunculus (2021) and Enjo-kôsai bokumetsu undô (2001).
- Writer
- Art Department
- Writer
- Director
- Animation Department
A Japanese manga artist, best known for the series Banana Fish, who graduated from Musashino Art University. She received an Excellence Award for manga at the Japan Media Arts Festival for Umimachi Diary in 2007, from which a film adaptation titled Our Little Sister was released in 2015. Also, she twice won the Shogakukan Manga Awards for shojo, for Kisshou Tennyo in 1984 and for Yasha in 2002.- Writer
- Additional Crew
- Art Department
Yoshitoki Ôima is known for A Silent Voice: The Movie (2016), Mardock Scramble: The First Compression (2010) and Mardock Scramble: The Third Exhaust (2012).- Dôkuman is known for Â!! Hana no ôendan (1976) and Naniwa yuukyôden (1995).
- Hirohiko Araki was born on 7 June 1960 in Sendai, Miyagi, Japan. He is a writer, known for Kishibe Rohan wa Ugokanai (2020), Thus Spoke Kishibe Rohan (2019) and JJBA Mangabridged: Phantom Blood 1 of 2 (2017).
- J.M. Ken Niimura is known for I Kill Giants (2017).
- Nekojiru was a writer, known for Nekojiru gekijô - jirujiru Original (1999) and Cat Soup (2001). Nekojiru died on 10 May 1998 in Machida, Tokyo, Japan.
- Chiho Saitô is known for Revolutionary Girl Utena: The Movie (1999) and Revolutionary Girl Utena (1997).
- Daisuke Igarashi is known for Little Forest: Summer/Autumn (2014), Little Forest (2018) and Children of the Sea (2019).
- Writer
- Director
Shin Kibayashi is known for Detective School Q (2003), Drops of God (2023) and The Files of the Young Kindaichi 3 (2001).- Shu Okimoto is known for Drops of God (2023) and Kami no Shizuku (2009).
- Yoshihiro Togashi was born on 27 April 1966 in Shinjo, Japan. He is a writer and actor, known for Yu Yu Hakusho: Fight for the Netherworld (1994), Butai Yu Yu Hakusho (2020) and Yu Yu Hakusho (2023). He has been married to Naoko Takeuchi since 6 January 1999. They have two children.
- Writer
- Animation Department
- Art Department
Michitaka Kikuchi was born in 1963 in Iwate, Japan. He is a writer, known for Silent Möbius (1991), Silent Möbius (1998) and Steam Detectives (1998).- Animation Department
- Director
- Writer
Yoshikazu Yasuhiko was born on 9 December 1947 in Engaru, Japan. He is a director and writer, known for Venus Wars (1989), Crusher Joe: The Movie (1983) and Giant Gorg (1984).- Writer
- Animation Department
- Art Department
- Born Suzuki Junko in Minato ward, Tokyo, Sugiura Hinako was raised in a traditional family and enrolled in Nihon University to study design before abandoning school to formally study and research Japanese history. This period would later aid her historically accurate manga about Japan. At age twenty two and in 1980 she managed to get her story Tsugen Muro No Ume ('Trends And Artificial Beauty') printed in the manga magazine Garo. Her work was steeped in the tradition of Edo era artisans about whom she created. She won the Japan Cartoonists' Association Award in 1984. She became known for her work and published several more tomes, but opted to retire from that world in 1993 and focus on her research into Japanese history in general and the Edo period in particular She would write books on the subject and appear in the media as a subject matter expert. Author Aramata Hiroshi married and divorced her. She would be known for herself observing what she of which spoke including wearing kimono, eating traditional Japanese food items and drinking sake. She died due to throat cancer in 2005. She was forty seven years old. Sugiura's brother holds the rights to her work.
- Shinji Nagashima was born on 8 July 1937 in Tokyo, Japan. Shinji was a writer, known for Kiiroi namida (2007) and Jûdô itchokusen (1969). Shinji died on 10 June 2005 in Tokyo, Japan.
- Writer
- Art Department
Yumura Teruhiko is known for Terry 100 Channels (1985) and Ishoku Manga-shi 33-nen no Kiseki ~ Garo no Jidai o Yomu (1997).- Writer
- Actor
- Animation Department
Motoo Abiko is one half of one of the most prolific comic writing team of Fujiko Fujio whose volume of works are probably only rivaled by the famous American comic writing team of (Stan) Lee, and (Jack) Kirby. He met his future comic drawing partner Hiroshi Fujimoto when he was in fifth grade at an elementary school in his native Toyama. They started to draw comic together (although only as a hobby at the time) which continued for over the next 40 years.
In 1952 they made their comic debut with a comic titled "Tenshi no Tamachan" and two years later they've moved to Tokyo to pursue their professional career. They were mentored briefly by the late Osamu Tezuka (of Astro Boy and Kimba the White Lion fame) after coming to Tokyo like so many young comic artist of the time. Later they recalled seeing a stack of papers few feet high at Tezuka's house which were rejects of his comic pages. Tezuka's standards was so high that even under close inspection they couldn't tell what was wrong with the material. They helped Tezuka pen the last pages of Kimba the White Lion during that period.
In 1956 they formed Shin Manga-To with Fujio Akatsuka, and Ishinomori Shotaro (of Kamen Rider, Kikaida, and Cyborg 009 fame). There were a close knit group of comic writer friends back then who had similar backgrounds of leaving their birth place and coming to Tokyo to start their careers. In the late '50s and early '60s Abiko with Fujimoto mostly penned action adventure comics oriented towards pre-teen boys such as the "Big One", "Silver Cross", and "Umi no Ooji". In 1964 they co-authored "Obake no Q-taro" which later became an animated cartoon series which saw wide spread syndication all over the world including North America, and Hong Kong. They continued their prolific career in the '60s and the '70s by penning other cartoons which saw animated syndication such as Paa Man, Kaibutsu-Kun, and Doraemon. One of their works, Ninja Hattori-kun, became a TV series acted by real live actors.
Later in the 70s Fujiko Fujio started writing comics for adults, often depicting the surreal side of society as fiction which included the return of Obake no Q-Taro to the family of now grown up ex-friend Sho-chan. Q-Taro in this episode finds that reality of society robbed the youthful dreams of his ex-friends and returns to his spiritual world disappointed. They also penned a semi-autobiographical comic of their life and career at that time with Fujimoto being depicted as the somewhat naive main character.
In 1987 Abiko dissolved the partnership with Fujimoto, and for the first time in over 40 years, they decided to pursue their own careers with Fujimoto taking the pen name Fujiko F Fujio, and Abiko taking the pen name Fujiko Fujio (A). While Fujimoto passed away in 1996, Abiko is still active in writing adult-oriented cartoons.- Writer
- Actor
- Director
- Haruko Kashiwagi is known for Bura bura ban ban (2008).
- Writer
- Actor
- Art Department
- Ranjô Miyake is known for Bussen (2013) and Urasawa Naoki no Manben (2014).
- Reiko Shimizu is known for The Top Secret: Murder in Mind (2016), Himitsu: Top Secret - The Revelation (2008) and Urasawa Naoki no Manben (2014).
- Actor
- Writer
- Director
- Director
- Actor
- Writer
Takashi Nemoto is known for Garo Video 6: Isn't it cold? (1996), Ninkyô hiroku ningengari (2006) and Kami-sama no ui yatsu (2001).- Michio Hisauchi is known for Pleasure Campus, Secret Games (1980), Rihatuten aruji no kanashimi (2002) and Main Theme (1984).
- Kotobuki Shiriagari is known for Mayonaka no Yaji-san Kita-san (2005), Cutie Honey (2004) and Quiet room ni yôkoso (2007).
- Actor
- Director
Tomorô Taguchi was born on 30 November 1957 in Tokyo, Japan. He is an actor and director, known for Non-Stop (1996), Aiden & Titi (2003) and Tetto Musashino-sen (1997).- Writer
- Animation Department
Kaiji Kawaguchi is known for The Silent Service (2023), Aircraft Carrier Ibuki (2019) and Taiyô no Mokushiroku (2006).- Actor
- Writer
Tadao Tsuge was born in 1941 in Japan. He is an actor and writer, known for Burai heiya (1995), Nariyuki na tamashii (2016) and Miyoko (2009).- Kazumi Yamashita is known for Like Angels (2003), Tensai Yanagisawa kyouju no seikatsu (2002) and Urasawa Naoki no Manben (2014).
- Mariko Iwadate is known for Christmas in January (1991).
- Riyoko Ikeda was born on 18 December 1947 in Osaka, Japan. She is a writer, known for Lady Oscar (1979), The Rose of Versailles (1979) and The Rose of Versailles (2008).
- Writer
- Art Department
- Director
Akiko Higashimura is known for Gourmet Detective Goro Akechi (2020), Princess Jellyfish (2014) and Princess Jellyfish (2018).- Kazuhiro Fujita is known for Karakuri Circus (2018), Sunday vs Magazine: Shuuketsu! Choujou Daikessen! (2009) and Puppet Princess (2000).
- Writer
- Actor
Takao Saitô was born on 3 November 1936 in Wakayama, Japan. He was a writer and actor, known for Golgo 13 (1973), Kage gari (1972) and Golgo 13. He died on 24 September 2021 in Japan.- Writer
- Actor
Kengo Hanazawa is known for I Am a Hero (2015), Boys on the Run (2010) and I Am a Hero: Hajimari no hi (2016).- Writer
- Director
Atsushi Kaneko was born in 1966 in Yamagata, Japan. He is a writer and director, known for Ranpo jigoku (2005), EVOL (2023) and Soil (2010).- Art Department
- Writer
- Animation Department
Ikegami Ryouichi is a Japanese manga artist who usually works as an illustrator in collaboration with a writer. He is best known for series such as 'Crying Freeman' (1986-1988), written by Kazuo Koike, and 'Heat' (1999-2004), written by Buronson (Yoshiyuki Okamura). The latter won the 2001 Shogakukan Manga Award for general manga. Ikegami has worked on several popular series, such as 'Mai, the Psychic Girl' with writer Kudou Kazuya, 'Crying Freeman', with writer Koike Kazuo, as well as 'Sanctuary' with "Heat"'s with writer Fumimura Shou. He also wrote and drew 'Spider-Man: The Manga', a manga version of 'Spider-Man'. Yoshihide Fujiwara is a former assistant of Ikegami's. Ryouichi Ikegami began drawing his first comic series at age 17. Despite his age, his first two collaborative efforts (1973's 'AIUEO Boy' with Kazuo Koike and 1974's 'Gallant Gang' ("Otoko Gumi") with Tetsu Kariya) proved so popular they set the pattern for what would turn out to be one of the manga world's biggest success stories. Although many of his earlier works were written and drawn solo, nowadays Ikegami works almost exclusively with collaborators and shows no signs of stopping. He was an assistant to manga artist Mizuki Shigeru in 1966. He became a professor at the Osaka University of Arts in 2005. Ikegami received the Fauves d'Honneur at the 2023 Angoulême International Comics Festival.- Writer
- Producer
- Director
Tsutomu Takahashi was born on 20 September 1965 in Tokyo, Japan. He is a writer and producer, known for Sky High (2002), Alive (2002) and LoveDeath (2006).- Writer
- Additional Crew
Tsutomu Nihei is known for Blame! (2017), Knights of Sidonia (2014) and Kaina of the Great Snow Sea: Star Sage (2023).- Writer
- Actor
- Director
- Takumi Nagayasu is known for Ai to makoto (2012), Doctor Mack (1995) and The Legend of Love & Sincerity (1974).
- Animation Department
Tokumi Nagayasu is known for Akira (1988).- Writer
- Actor
- Producer
Fujio Akatsuka was born on 14 September 1935 in Manchuria, China. He was a writer and actor, known for Kôkôsei burai hikae (1972), Eiga Osomatsusan (2022) and Lupin the Third: Strange Psychokinetic Strategy (1974). He was married to Machiko. He died on 2 August 2008 in Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan.- Writer
- Animation Department
Nao Iwamoto is known for Gold Kingdom and Water Kingdom (2023).- Shin'ichi Sugimura is known for Dias Police: Dirty Yellow Boys (2016), OLDK. (2004) and Migi muke hidari! Jieitai he ikô (1995).
- Writer
- Art Department
Yukinobu Hoshino is a Japanese manga artist. He was born in Kushiro, Hokkaidô and dropped out of Aichi Prefectural University of Fine Arts and Music mid-semester from the fine arts department. He made his debut in 1975 with Kotetsu no Queen and with Harukanaru Asa won the Tezuka prize for an outstanding manga. On 1976, he wrote Blue City for Shukan Shonen Jump. He won an Excellence Prize at the 2008 Japan Media Arts Festival for Munakata Kyouju Ikouroku.
Initially, his artistic style was similar to that of Mikiya Mochizuki and had humoristic touches, but moved on to the gekiga style. He is known for using the gekiga style to create detailed and serious science fiction stories based on American and European SF novels but creating a completely different storyline. He had also drawn various works based on ancient and pre-historic histories. Amongst other things, he is known for his graphic novel series, 2001 Nights.- Writer
- Music Department
- Art Department
Kentarou Miura was born in Chiba City, Japan, in 1966.
While attending college at Nihon University, in 1988, Miura debuted a 48-page manga known as Berserk Prototype, an introduction to the current Berserk fantasy world. It went on to win Miura a prize from the Comi Manga School. In 1989, after receiving a doctorate degree, Kentarou started a project titled King of Wolves based on a script by Buronson, writer of Hokuto no Ken (Fist Of The North Star).
In 1990, the first volume Berserk was released with a relatively limited success. Miura again collaborated with Buronson on manga entitled "Japan". Miura's fame grew after Berserk began "The Golden Age" story arc and the huge success of this masterpiece made of him one of the most prominent contemporary manga artists.
At this time, Miura dedicates himself solely to be working on Berserk. He has indicated, however, that he intends to publish more manga in the future. The Berserk manga has spanned 35 volumes with no end in sight.
In 1997, Miura supervised the production of 25 anime episodes of Berserk that aired in the same year on NTV. Various art books and supplemental materials by Miura based on Berserk are also released.
The series has also spawned a whole host of merchandise, both official and fan-made, ranging from statues, action figures to key rings, video games, and a trading card game. In 2002, Kentaro Miura received the second place in the Tezuka Osamu (Astro Boy) Cultural Prize of Excellence for Berserk.- Writer
- Producer
- Art Department
Tetsuo Hara was born on 2 September 1961 in Tokyo, Japan. He is a writer and producer, known for Fist of the North Star (1984), Fist of the North Star (1995) and Bei dou zhi quan (1986).- Writer
- Producer
Buronson was born on 16 June 1947 in Nagano, Japan. Buronson is a writer and producer, known for Fist of the North Star (1984), Fist of the North Star (1995) and Legend of Fist of the North Star (1993).- Yasutaka Nagai was born on 10 March 1941 in Shanghai, China. He is a writer, known for Battle Hawk (1976), Keiho (1999) and Kenpô dai 39 jô: Furasshu bakku (2001).
- Hiroshi Koenji is known for Legendary Panty Mask (1991).
- Writer
- Animation Department
Ken Ishikawa was born on 28 June 1948 in Karasuyama, Tochigi, Japan [now Nasukarasuyama, Tochigi, Japan]. He was a writer, known for Getter Robo, Battle Hawk (1976) and Getter Robo (1974). He died on 15 November 2006 in Tochigi, Japan.- Keiko Nishi is known for Only the Cat Knows (2019) and Her Granddaughter (2014).
- Fusako Kuramochi is known for A Gentle Breeze in the Village (2007) and A-Girl (1993).
- Writer
- Animation Department
- Director
Takehiko Inoue is known for The First Slam Dunk (2022), Jump Super Stars (2005) and Slam Dunk: Zenkoku Seiha da! Sakuragi Hanamichi (1994).- Writer
- Animation Department
- Producer
A Famous Japanese manga artist. He is best known for his manga series Bleach, which has sold over 120 million copies as of 2018.
Kubo was born on June 26, 1977 in Hiroshima Prefecture, where his father worked as a town council member. In elementary school, he had already decided to become a manga artist, due to reading the manga Saint Seiya.
His first one-shot was "Ultra Unholy Hearted Machine", written for the Weekly Shonen Jump in 1996. Then He wrote his first manga Zombiepowder, which was also published in Weekly Shonen Jump in 1999. It ran a short 27 chapters before being canceled in 2000. According to the author's commentary, Kubo was in a state of severe emotional trauma when he wrote it.
His next series, Bleach, about a high school student who becomes a shinigami and fights creatures known as Hollows, began running in the same magazine in 2001. Kubo initially expected the series' serialization to continue no longer than five years. The original story concept was submitted to Weekly Shonen Jump shortly after the cancellation of Zombiepowder, but was rejected. Akira Toriyama, creator of Dragon Ball, saw the story and wrote a letter of encouragement to Kubo.
Bleach Manga ran for 15 years of serialization and reached over 686 chapters from 2001 to 2016. Additionally, an anime adaptation of the series was broadcast in TV Tokyo for 8 years from 2004 to 2012, spanning over 366 episodes. The manga was named a winner of the Shogakukan Manga Award for its category in 2004.
Kubo and Makoto Matsubara have co-authored two novelizations of the Bleach series, which were published by Shueisha under their Jump Books label.
The first Bleach movie was released in Japan on December 16, 2006, followed by a second movie on December 22, 2007, a third on December 13, 2008, and a fourth on December 4, 2010.
Kubo also appeared in the episode 112 of the Japanese radio program of Bleach B-Station. In that program, Kubo was interviewed by Masakazu Morita, voice actor of Ichigo Kurosaki, the main character of Bleach, and answered several questions from fans.
On July 26, 2008, Kubo went to the United States for the first time and made an appearance at the San Diego Comic-Con International.
Kubo provided character designs for Madhouse's anime adaptations of Ango Sakaguchi's Sakura no Mori no Mankai no Shita, Ryunosuke Akutagawa's The Spider's Thread, and Hell Screen by Ryunosuke Akutagawa, which are parts of the Aoi Bungaku series.