Fujio Akatsuka
Encyclopedia
was a pioneer Japanese artist of comical manga
known as the Gag Manga King. His name at birth is 赤塚 藤雄, whose Japanese pronunciation is the same as 赤塚 不二夫.
He was born in Rehe, Manchuria
, the son of a Japanese military police
officer. After World War II
, he grew up in Niigata Prefecture
and Nara Prefecture
. When he was 19, he moved to Tokyo
.
While working at a chemical factory, he drew many manga. After that, Tokiwa-so
accepted him. He started his career as a shōjo
artist, but in 1958, his Nama-chan (ナマちゃん) became a hit, so he became a specialist in comic manga. He won the Shogakukan Manga Award
in 1964 for Osomatsu-kun
and the Bungeishunjū Manga Award
in 1971 for Tensai Bakabon
. He is said to have been influenced by Buster Keaton
and MAD magazine.
In 1965, Akatsuka established his own company "Fujio Productions Ltd.".
In 2000, he drew manga in braille
for the blind.
Many of his manga featured supporting characters who ended up becoming more popular and more associated with their series than the main character, such as Papa (Tensai Bakabon), Iyami, Chibita (Osomatsu-kun), and Nyarome (Mōretsu Atarō
).
In April 2002 he was hospitalized for intra-axial hematoma
and was said to frequently be in a persistent vegetative state
from 2004 until his death. In July 2006, his second wife Machiko, who had been nursing him, suddenly died from a subarachnoid hemorrhage
. On August 2, 2008, he died of pneumonia
at a hospital in Bunkyō, Tokyo
.
Mangaka
is the Japanese word for a comic artist or cartoonist. Outside of Japan, manga usually refers to a Japanese comic book and mangaka refers to the author of the manga, who is usually Japanese...
known as the Gag Manga King. His name at birth is 赤塚 藤雄, whose Japanese pronunciation is the same as 赤塚 不二夫.
He was born in Rehe, Manchuria
Manchuria
Manchuria is a historical name given to a large geographic region in northeast Asia. Depending on the definition of its extent, Manchuria usually falls entirely within the People's Republic of China, or is sometimes divided between China and Russia. The region is commonly referred to as Northeast...
, the son of a Japanese military police
Kempeitai
The was the military police arm of the Imperial Japanese Army from 1881 to 1945. It was not an English-style military police, but a French-style gendarmerie...
officer. After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he grew up in Niigata Prefecture
Niigata Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Honshū on the coast of the Sea of Japan. The capital is the city of Niigata. The name "Niigata" literally means "new lagoon".- History :...
and Nara Prefecture
Nara Prefecture
is a prefecture in the Kansai region on Honshū Island, Japan. The capital is the city of Nara.-History:The present-day Nara Prefecture was created in 1887, making it independent of Osaka Prefecture....
. When he was 19, he moved to Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
.
While working at a chemical factory, he drew many manga. After that, Tokiwa-so
Tokiwa-so
was an apartment where Osamu Tezuka and many young manga artists once lived before they became famous. Tokiwa-sō was a small, inexpensive apartment in Toshima-ku, Tokyo. Residents included Shotaro Ishinomori, Fujio Akatsuka, Fujiko Fujio, Yoshiharu Tsuge...
accepted him. He started his career as a shōjo
Shojo
The term refers to manga marketed to a female audience roughly between the ages of 10-18. The name romanizes the Japanese 少女 , literally: "little female". Shōjo manga covers many subjects in a variety of narrative and graphic styles, from historical drama to science fiction — often with a strong...
artist, but in 1958, his Nama-chan (ナマちゃん) became a hit, so he became a specialist in comic manga. He won the Shogakukan Manga Award
Shogakukan Manga Award
The is one of Japan's major manga awards, sponsored by Shogakukan Publishing. It has been awarded annually for serialized manga since 1955 and features candidates from a number of publishers.The current award categories are:...
in 1964 for Osomatsu-kun
Osomatsu-kun
is a manga series by Fujio Akatsuka which ran in Shōnen Sunday from 1962 to 1969. It has been adapted into two different anime series of the same name, the first in 1966, produced by Studio Zero, and the second in 1988, produced by Pierrot and aired across Japan on Fuji Television and the anime...
and the Bungeishunjū Manga Award
Bungeishunju Manga Award
The was an annual award established in 1955 and given out by Bungeishunjū in Japan for gag, yonkoma, one-panel, and satirical manga. The award was also given out for works considered the magnum opus of manga creators....
in 1971 for Tensai Bakabon
Tensai Bakabon
is a manga and anime series created by Fujio Akatsuka which began publication on April 9, 1967 in Weekly Shōnen Magazine. It is about the misadventures of a dim-witted boy and his insane father, the latter of whom eventually becomes the central character.-Characters:-Anime:Four anime series have...
. He is said to have been influenced by Buster Keaton
Buster Keaton
Joseph Frank "Buster" Keaton was an American comic actor, filmmaker, producer and writer. He was best known for his silent films, in which his trademark was physical comedy with a consistently stoic, deadpan expression, earning him the nickname "The Great Stone Face".Keaton was recognized as the...
and MAD magazine.
In 1965, Akatsuka established his own company "Fujio Productions Ltd.".
In 2000, he drew manga in braille
Braille
The Braille system is a method that is widely used by blind people to read and write, and was the first digital form of writing.Braille was devised in 1825 by Louis Braille, a blind Frenchman. Each Braille character, or cell, is made up of six dot positions, arranged in a rectangle containing two...
for the blind.
Many of his manga featured supporting characters who ended up becoming more popular and more associated with their series than the main character, such as Papa (Tensai Bakabon), Iyami, Chibita (Osomatsu-kun), and Nyarome (Mōretsu Atarō
Mōretsu Atarō
' is a gag manga by Fujio Akatsuka. It was serialized from 1967 to 1970 in Weekly Shōnen Sunday. Two anime adaptations were produced for TV Asahi ....
).
In April 2002 he was hospitalized for intra-axial hematoma
Intra-axial hematoma
A cerebral hemorrhage or hemorrhage is a subtype of intracranial hemorrhage that occurs within the brain tissue itself. Intracerebral hemorrhage can be caused by brain trauma, or it can occur spontaneously in hemorrhagic stroke...
and was said to frequently be in a persistent vegetative state
Persistent vegetative state
A persistent vegetative state is a disorder of consciousness in which patients with severe brain damage are in a state of partial arousal rather than true awareness. It is a diagnosis of some uncertainty in that it deals with a syndrome. After four weeks in a vegetative state , the patient is...
from 2004 until his death. In July 2006, his second wife Machiko, who had been nursing him, suddenly died from a subarachnoid hemorrhage
Subarachnoid hemorrhage
A subarachnoid hemorrhage , or subarachnoid haemorrhage in British English, is bleeding into the subarachnoid space—the area between the arachnoid membrane and the pia mater surrounding the brain...
. On August 2, 2008, he died of pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
at a hospital in Bunkyō, Tokyo
Bunkyo, Tokyo
is one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. Situated in the middle of the ward area, Bunkyō is a residential and educational center. Beginning in the Meiji period, literati like Natsume Sōseki, as well as scholars and politicians have lived there...
.
Assistants
- Kunio Hase
- Mitsutoshi FuruyaMitsutoshi Furuyais a Japanese manga artist. He made his debut as a manga artist in 1955 with kashi-hon manga. He started as an assistant of Osamu Tezuka in 1958, but is primarily known for starting out as an assistant of Fujio Akatsuka five years later...
- Kenichiro Takai
- Takao Yokoyama
- Ken'ichi Kitami
- Kazuyoshi Torii
- Yoshiko Tsuchida
- Tsutomu AdachiTsutomu Adachiwas a Japanese manga artist born in Isesaki City, Gunma Prefecture, Japan, and the older brother of Mitsuru Adachi. Tsutomu was an assistant Fujio Akatsuka, and was known as one of the "Four Protegés of Akatsuka"...
- Don Sasaki
- Shohei Kizaki
- Keiji Terashi
- Kawaguti Masashi
- Koji Oikawa
- Kiri Mitsunori
- Kondo Yosuke
- Shiiya Mitsunori
- Yumi Nakano
- Yuki Hiroyo
- Akira SaitoAkira SaitoAkira Saito is a former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer from Japan. He enjoyed his best season in 1995 when he finished the season in fourth place in the 125cc world championship.- References :...
- Jinichi Tokisato
External links
- Fujio Productions (Japanese & English)
- Fujio Akatsuka Official Site (Japanese)