Hiromu Arakawa
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese manga artist from Hokkaidō
. Her renowned manga, Fullmetal Alchemist
, became a hit both domestically and internationally, and was later adapted into two television anime
series. She often portrays herself as a bespectacled cow.
, Japan, Arakawa was born and raised on a dairy farm with five sisters. Arakawa thought about being a manga artist "since [she] was little" and during her school years, she would often draw on textbooks. After graduating high school, she took oil painting
classes once a month for seven years while working on her family's farm. During this time, she also created dōjinshi
manga with her friends and drew yonkoma
for a magazine.
Arakawa started in the manga industry as an assistant to Hiroyuki Etō, author of Mahōjin Guru Guru
. Her own career began with the publication of Stray Dog in Square Enix
's Monthly Shōnen Gangan
in 1999. Stray Dog won the ninth 21st Century "Shōnen Gangan" Award. She published one chapter of in Monthly Shōnen Gangan in 2000. In July 2001, Arakawa published the first chapter of Fullmetal Alchemist
in Monthly Shōnen Gangan. The series spanned 108, with the last one published in July 2010, and the series collected in twenty-seven volumes. When the studio Bones
adapted it into an anime
series, Arakawa aided them in developing it. However, she later let them work alone in the making of the script so that both manga and anime would have different endings, and to develop the manga further. The series won the 49th Shogakukan Manga Award
in the shōnen
category in 2004. When the second anime adaptation was reaching its ending, Arakawa showed director Yasuhiro Irie
her plans for the manga's ending, making both end in near dates.
She is currently living in Tokyo
and has published three more works, Raiden 18, , and Hero Tales. Arakawa has collaborated with the creation of Hero Tales with Studio Flag under the name of Huang Jin Zhou. In the anime adaptation of the series, Arakawa was responsible for the character designs. She has also drawn the cover from the Japanese edition of the novel The Demon's Lexicon
authored by Sarah Rees Brennan
.
She started a new series called "Silver Spoon" in Shogakukan's Weekly Shonen Sunday. It's her first weekly serialization.
, is the "root of [her] style as an artist". She also learned composition
and drawing during her time as Hiroyuki Etō's assistant. She also cites Rumiko Takahashi
, Shigeru Mizuki
and Kinnikuman
by Yudetamago
as influences and is a fan of Mike Mignola
's work.
Hokkaido
, formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan's second largest island; it is also the largest and northernmost of Japan's 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, although the two islands are connected by the underwater railway Seikan Tunnel...
. Her renowned manga, Fullmetal Alchemist
Fullmetal Alchemist
, is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Hiromu Arakawa. The world of Fullmetal Alchemist is styled after the European Industrial Revolution...
, became a hit both domestically and internationally, and was later adapted into two television anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
series. She often portrays herself as a bespectacled cow.
Biography
Born on May 8, 1973 in Tokachi HokkaidōHokkaido
, formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan's second largest island; it is also the largest and northernmost of Japan's 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, although the two islands are connected by the underwater railway Seikan Tunnel...
, Japan, Arakawa was born and raised on a dairy farm with five sisters. Arakawa thought about being a manga artist "since [she] was little" and during her school years, she would often draw on textbooks. After graduating high school, she took oil painting
Oil painting
Oil painting is the process of painting with pigments that are bound with a medium of drying oil—especially in early modern Europe, linseed oil. Often an oil such as linseed was boiled with a resin such as pine resin or even frankincense; these were called 'varnishes' and were prized for their body...
classes once a month for seven years while working on her family's farm. During this time, she also created dōjinshi
Dojinshi
is the Japanese term for self-published works, usually magazines, manga or novels. Dōjinshi are often the work of amateurs, though some professional artists participate as a way to publish material outside the regular industry. The term dōjinshi is derived from and . Dōjinshi are part of a wider...
manga with her friends and drew yonkoma
Yonkoma
thumb|right|150px|Traditional Yonkoma layout, a comic-strip format, generally consists of gag comic strips within four panels of equal size ordered from top to bottom...
for a magazine.
Arakawa started in the manga industry as an assistant to Hiroyuki Etō, author of Mahōjin Guru Guru
Mahojin Guru Guru
is a manga by Hiroyuki Etō, which was serialized in Enix's Monthly Shōnen Gangan from 1992 to 2003. It was later adapted into an anime series on October 13, 1994....
. Her own career began with the publication of Stray Dog in Square Enix
Square Enix
is a Japanese video game and publishing company best known for its console role-playing game franchises, which include the Final Fantasy series, the Dragon Quest series, and the action-RPG Kingdom Hearts series...
's Monthly Shōnen Gangan
Monthly Shonen Gangan
is a manga imprint of Square Enix . It publishes manga in several magazines aimed at different reader demographic groups in the Japanese market. Its magazines are home to some popular manga series which were adapted into anime series, like Fullmetal Alchemist, Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit,...
in 1999. Stray Dog won the ninth 21st Century "Shōnen Gangan" Award. She published one chapter of in Monthly Shōnen Gangan in 2000. In July 2001, Arakawa published the first chapter of Fullmetal Alchemist
Fullmetal Alchemist
, is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Hiromu Arakawa. The world of Fullmetal Alchemist is styled after the European Industrial Revolution...
in Monthly Shōnen Gangan. The series spanned 108, with the last one published in July 2010, and the series collected in twenty-seven volumes. When the studio Bones
Bones (studio)
is a Japanese anime studio. It has produced numerous series, including RahXephon, Wolf's Rain, Scrapped Princess, Eureka Seven, Angelic Layer, Darker than Black, Soul Eater, Ouran High School Host Club and two adaptions of the Fullmetal Alchemist manga along with Star Driver: Kagayaki no Takuto and...
adapted it into an anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
series, Arakawa aided them in developing it. However, she later let them work alone in the making of the script so that both manga and anime would have different endings, and to develop the manga further. The series won the 49th 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 the 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"...
category in 2004. When the second anime adaptation was reaching its ending, Arakawa showed director Yasuhiro Irie
Yasuhiro Irie
is a Japanese animator, character designer and anime director.-Biography:Beginning his career at Sunrise, he has worked as an animation director and animator on several productions, and made his debut as a director with volumes 2 to 4 of Alien 9 and the 2004 television series Kurau Phantom Memory...
her plans for the manga's ending, making both end in near dates.
She is currently living 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...
and has published three more works, Raiden 18, , and Hero Tales. Arakawa has collaborated with the creation of Hero Tales with Studio Flag under the name of Huang Jin Zhou. In the anime adaptation of the series, Arakawa was responsible for the character designs. She has also drawn the cover from the Japanese edition of the novel The Demon's Lexicon
The Demon's Lexicon
The Demon's Lexicon is a 2009 novel by Irish author Sarah Rees Brennan. It is published by Simon & Schuster, and was released worldwide on June 1, 2009...
authored by Sarah Rees Brennan
Sarah Rees Brennan
Sarah Rees Brennan is an Irish young-adult fantasy author. Her first novel, The Demon's Lexicon, was released June 2009 by Simon & Schuster. Brennan's books are bestsellers in the UK.-Biography:...
.
She started a new series called "Silver Spoon" in Shogakukan's Weekly Shonen Sunday. It's her first weekly serialization.
Works
- Stray Dog (1999) (2000) (2001–2010)
- Raiden 18 (2005) (2006) (2006–2010) (2008) (2011-)
Awards
- 1999: 9th 21st Century Shōnen Gangan Award for Stray Dog
- 2003: 49th Shogakukan Manga AwardShogakukan Manga AwardThe 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:...
, ShōnenShonenThe 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"...
category for Fullmetal Alchemist - 2011: 15th Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize, "New Artist Prize" category.
Influences
Arakawa states that Suihō Tagawa, the author of NorakuroNorakuro
is a Japanese manga series created by Suihō Tagawa. The titular protagonist, Norakuro, or Norakuro-kun, is a black and white dog. The name Norakuro is an abbreviation of and ....
, is the "root of [her] style as an artist". She also learned composition
Composition (visual arts)
In the visual arts – in particular painting, graphic design, photography and sculpture – composition is the placement or arrangement of visual elements or ingredients in a work of art or a photograph, as distinct from the subject of a work...
and drawing during her time as Hiroyuki Etō's assistant. She also cites Rumiko Takahashi
Rumiko Takahashi
is a Japanese manga artist.Takahashi is one of the wealthiest individuals, and the most affluent manga artists in Japan. The manga she creates are popular worldwide, where they have been translated into a variety of languages...
, Shigeru Mizuki
Shigeru Mizuki
is a Japanese manga author, most known for his Japanese horror manga GeGeGe no Kitaro . A specialist in stories of yōkai, he is considered a master of the genre...
and Kinnikuman
Kinnikuman
is a manga created by the duo of Yudetamago , which is composed of Yoshinori Nakai and Takashi Shimada. The manga was published in Shueisha's Weekly Jump, and received the Shogakukan Manga Award for shōnen manga in 1985...
by Yudetamago
Yudetamago
is the pen name of the Japanese manga artists duo consisting of story writer Takashi Shimada and artist Yoshinori Nakai. They are best known for the popular manga Kinnikuman, Ultimate Muscle , and Tatakae!! Ramenman...
as influences and is a fan of Mike Mignola
Mike Mignola
Michael Joseph "Mike" Mignola is an American comic book artist and writer who created the comic book series Hellboy for Dark Horse Comics. He has worked for animation projects such as Atlantis: The Lost Empire and the adaptation of his one shot comic book, The Amazing Screw-On Head.-Career:Mignola...
's work.