Gosho Aoyama
Encyclopedia
, born on June 21, 1963 in Hokuei
, Tottori Prefecture
, Japan
(formerly Daiei
, Tottori Prefecture
) is a Japan
ese manga artist
. He is best known as the creator of the manga
series Detective Conan (known in the United States
, Canada
, and the United Kingdom
as Case Closed
).
Department Store.
He graduated from high school at Yuraikuei High School. He then went on to study in Nihon University
College of Art in Tokyo
. In winter of 1986, Aoyama joined a comic contest for freshmen students. He won the contest, and it became a stepping-stone for his career as a manga artist and author, as well as a turning point for his life.
on winter of 1987. Shortly after that, another work by Aoyama, Magic Kaito
, was published on the same magazine.
In the early 1990s, another story done by Aoyama named Yaiba
came out; the manga series was released in 24 volumes. Later, he would release other manga series in volumes (tankōbon
), such as Third Baseman No.4, Gosho Aoyama's Collection of Short Stories, and Detective Conan.
for shōnen
for the Yaiba manga series. He would then go on to win the same award for a second time in 2001, this time for Detective Conan.
Additionally, his hometown Hokuei has done several machi okoshi (town revitalization) projects in honor of his contribution as a manga artist and resident of the town. The first projects were the Conan Bridge across the Yura River and the Conan statues in the town; both of these structures pay tribute to Conan Edogawa, Aoyama's most popular character from Detective Conan. On March 18, 2007, the Gosho Aoyama Manga Factory, a museum that celebrates Aoyama's career as a manga artist, was opened in the same town.
, a singer and voice actress who gave the voice of Conan in the original Japanese anime adaptation of Aoyama's Detective Conan. On December 10, 2007, the two were divorced.
Yaiba
(1988–1993)
(1993)
(1988–2007)
Gosho Aoyama's Collection of Short Stories
- (1994–present)
- (2007)
Hokuei, Tottori
is a town located in Tōhaku District, Tottori, Japan. Bordering it are Kotoura to the west, Kurayoshi to the south and Yurihama to the east.As of May 1, 2008, the town has an estimated population of 15,622 and a density of 273 persons per km²...
, Tottori Prefecture
Tottori Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region. The capital is the city of Tottori. It is the least populous prefecture in Japan.- History :Before the Meiji Restoration, Tottori encompassed the old provinces of Hōki and Inaba...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
(formerly Daiei
Daiei, Tottori
was a town located in Tōhaku District, Tottori, Japan.On October 1, 2005, Daiei was merged with the town of Hōjō, also from Tōhaku District, to form the new town of Hokuei....
, Tottori Prefecture
Tottori Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region. The capital is the city of Tottori. It is the least populous prefecture in Japan.- History :Before the Meiji Restoration, Tottori encompassed the old provinces of Hōki and Inaba...
) is a Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese manga artist
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...
. He is best known as the creator of the manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
series Detective Conan (known in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, and the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
as Case Closed
Case Closed
Case Closed, known as in Japan, is a Japanese detective manga series written and illustrated by Gosho Aoyama. The series is serialized in Shogakukan's Weekly Shōnen Sunday since February 2, 1994, and has been collected in 73 tankōbon volumes as of September 2011...
).
Educational background
Aoyama was talented in drawing even at an early age. When he was in Grade 1 in elementary school, his painting of "Yukiai War" won a competition and was displayed at the Tottori DaimaruDaimaru
is a Japanese department stores chain, principally located in the Kansai region of Japan. The chain is operated by Daimaru Matsuzakaya Department Stores, a subsidiary of J. Front Retailing...
Department Store.
He graduated from high school at Yuraikuei High School. He then went on to study in Nihon University
Nihon University
Nihon University is the largest university in Japan. Akiyoshi Yamada, the minister of justice, founded Nihon Law School in October 1889....
College of Art in 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...
. In winter of 1986, Aoyama joined a comic contest for freshmen students. He won the contest, and it became a stepping-stone for his career as a manga artist and author, as well as a turning point for his life.
Manga career
Aoyama made his debut as a manga artist with the work Chotto Matte which was published in the weekly magazine Shōnen SundayShonen Sunday
, first published on March 17, 1959, is a weekly shōnen manga magazine published in Japan by Shogakukan. Contrary to its title, Weekly Shōnen Sunday issues are released on Wednesdays.- History :...
on winter of 1987. Shortly after that, another work by Aoyama, Magic Kaito
Magic Kaito
is a shōnen manga series written and illustrated by Gosho Aoyama, about a thief named . Aoyama stopped work on the manga after three volumes because he started Detective Conan , which was an instant hit, and where a version of Kaitou Kid and some related characters makes occasional appearances...
, was published on the same magazine.
In the early 1990s, another story done by Aoyama named Yaiba
Yaiba
Yaiba, also known as , is a shōnen manga series by Gosho Aoyama. It ran in Shogakukan's Weekly Shōnen Sunday from issue 39 of 1988 to issue 50 of 1993, collected in 24 tankōbon volumes. It also came in 12 double volumes...
came out; the manga series was released in 24 volumes. Later, he would release other manga series in volumes (tankōbon
Tankobon
, with a literal meaning close to "independently appearing book", is the Japanese term for a book that is complete in itself and is not part of a series , though the manga industry uses it for volumes which may be in a series...
), such as Third Baseman No.4, Gosho Aoyama's Collection of Short Stories, and Detective Conan.
Awards and recognition
Aoyama has won two awards for his work as a manga artist. In 1992, he won the Shogakukan Manga AwardShogakukan 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:...
for shōnen
Shonen
The term refers to manga marketed to a male audience aged roughly 10 and up. The Kanji characters literally mean "few" and "year", respectively, where the characters generally mean "comic"...
for the Yaiba manga series. He would then go on to win the same award for a second time in 2001, this time for Detective Conan.
Additionally, his hometown Hokuei has done several machi okoshi (town revitalization) projects in honor of his contribution as a manga artist and resident of the town. The first projects were the Conan Bridge across the Yura River and the Conan statues in the town; both of these structures pay tribute to Conan Edogawa, Aoyama's most popular character from Detective Conan. On March 18, 2007, the Gosho Aoyama Manga Factory, a museum that celebrates Aoyama's career as a manga artist, was opened in the same town.
Personal life
On May 5, 2005, he was married to Minami TakayamaMinami Takayama
is a popular Japanese singer and voice actress. She was married to manga artist Gosho Aoyama on May 5, 2005 but they divorced on December 10, 2007. Minami is also a member of the pop group Two-Mix, and a part of DoCo when it was active....
, a singer and voice actress who gave the voice of Conan in the original Japanese anime adaptation of Aoyama's Detective Conan. On December 10, 2007, the two were divorced.
Manga works
(1987)- This is Aoyama's first manga story. It was published in Shōnen Sunday. It tells the story of a boy genius named Yutaka Takai, whose time machineTime travelTime travel is the concept of moving between different points in time in a manner analogous to moving between different points in space. Time travel could hypothetically involve moving backward in time to a moment earlier than the starting point, or forward to the future of that point without the...
jetpack sends his love interest through time for two years.
Yaiba
Yaiba
Yaiba, also known as , is a shōnen manga series by Gosho Aoyama. It ran in Shogakukan's Weekly Shōnen Sunday from issue 39 of 1988 to issue 50 of 1993, collected in 24 tankōbon volumes. It also came in 12 double volumes...
(1988–1993)
- It is a 24-volume manga series about the adventures of a young samurai named Yaiba Kurogane. It was later adapted into a 52-episode anime series.
(1993)
- It is a one-volume manga that tells the story of a boy named Shigeo Nagashima, a mediocre baseball player on his high school team. One day, he buys a magical bat from a sporting goods store that allows him to hit every pitch. However, he has to pay the mysterious store for each pitch he hits.
(1988–2007)
- It is a four-volume manga series that tells the comical adventures of Kaitou Kid, a gentleman thief who often uses his skills in magic and disguise in every robbery he commits. The first three volumes of the manga series was originally released in 1988-1994; the fourth volume was released in February 2007. Although the manga series is on hold, Kaitou Kid still appears regularly in Detective Conan, another manga series by Aoyama.
Gosho Aoyama's Collection of Short Stories
- Various short works written over the years:
-
- Wait a Minute
-
- (1994–present)
- It is an ongoing manga series that tells the story of a genius high school detective who one day is turned into a young boy by mysterious men. While trying to track down these men, he often encounters complicated mysteries, most of which only he can solve. This series is Aoyama's most well-known creation.
- (2007)
- This is a one-shot mangaMangaManga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
about a girl named , who can read people's minds when she looks them in the eyes.