Junko Mizuno
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese
manga artist.
Mizuno's drawing style, which mixes childish sweetness and cuteness with blood
and terror has been termed a Gothic kawaii
or kawaii
noir style. In addition to her comics, she designs T-shirt
s, calendar
s, postcard
s, and other collectibles. Some of Junko Mizuno's designs were used in the documentary series Japanorama
, which aired on BBC
.
Mizuno has participated in the Angoulême International Comics Festival
.
Last Gasp
and Viz Comics are the English-language publishers of her work.
Some of Mizuno's recent work was on display at the Merry Karnowsky
Gallery in Los Angeles, in an exhibit titled Heart Throb (March 10 to April 7, 2007, with new work by Miss Van
and Aiko Nakagawa), and at Gallery Nucleus in Alhambra
, California
in an exhibit titled Tender Succubus (October 6 to October 27 with work by Mizna Wada and Alayna Magnan
).
Mizuno provides the art that accompanies the horoscopes in Shojo Beat
magazine.
flair, and a sizable proportion of her published work is colored, rather than the black and white format typical of most Japanese comics.
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
manga artist.
Mizuno's drawing style, which mixes childish sweetness and cuteness with blood
Blood
Blood is a specialized bodily fluid in animals that delivers necessary substances such as nutrients and oxygen to the cells and transports metabolic waste products away from those same cells....
and terror has been termed a Gothic kawaii
Anime and manga terminology
Anime and manga fans outside of Japan have adopted many Japanese words and phrases. Some of these words have been misinterpreted, reinterpreted or undergone significant change in meaning...
or kawaii
Cuteness in Japanese culture
Since the 1970s, cuteness, in Japanese the noun , has become a prominent aspect of Japanese popular culture, entertainment, clothing, food, toys, personal appearance, behavior, and mannerisms...
noir style. In addition to her comics, she designs T-shirt
T-shirt
A T-shirt is a style of shirt. A T-shirt is buttonless and collarless, with short sleeves and frequently a round neck line....
s, calendar
Calendar
A calendar is a system of organizing days for social, religious, commercial, or administrative purposes. This is done by giving names to periods of time, typically days, weeks, months, and years. The name given to each day is known as a date. Periods in a calendar are usually, though not...
s, postcard
Postcard
A postcard or post card is a rectangular piece of thick paper or thin cardboard intended for writing and mailing without an envelope....
s, and other collectibles. Some of Junko Mizuno's designs were used in the documentary series Japanorama
Japanorama
Japanorama was a series of documentaries presented by Jonathan Ross, exploring various facets of popular culture and trends of modern-day Japan....
, which aired on BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
.
Mizuno has participated in the Angoulême International Comics Festival
Angoulême International Comics Festival
The Angoulême International Comics Festival is the largest comics festival in Europe. It has occurred every year since 1974 in Angoulême, France, in the month of January.The four-day festival is notable for awarding several prestigious prizes in cartooning...
.
Last Gasp
Last Gasp
Last Gasp is a book and underground comix publisher and distributor based in San Francisco, California.- History :Founded in 1970 by Ron Turner to publish the ecologically-themed comics magazine Slow Death Funnies, followed by the all-female anthology It Ain't Me Babe, Last Gasp soon became a major...
and Viz Comics are the English-language publishers of her work.
Some of Mizuno's recent work was on display at the Merry Karnowsky
Merry Karnowsky
Merry Akane Karnowsky is a Los Angeles art dealer and gallerist of Japanese and Polish-German ancestry.Merry Karnowsky was born in Eastern Washington State and educated at Pitzer College - Claremont, California...
Gallery in Los Angeles, in an exhibit titled Heart Throb (March 10 to April 7, 2007, with new work by Miss Van
Miss Van
Miss Van, Vanessa Alice Bensimon , born in 1973 in Toulouse, France, is considered one of the best known painters of the graffiti scene. She started wall painting in the streets of Toulouse at the age of 18. Her drawings are of sloe-eyed women, covering a varied array of female forms and expressing...
and Aiko Nakagawa), and at Gallery Nucleus in Alhambra
Alhambra
The Alhambra , the complete form of which was Calat Alhambra , is a palace and fortress complex located in the Granada, Andalusia, Spain...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
in an exhibit titled Tender Succubus (October 6 to October 27 with work by Mizna Wada and Alayna Magnan
Alayna Magnan
Alayna Magnan is a Los Angeles pin-up artist who paints her fashion and comic inspired pin-up girls with watercolors and bold ink lines. Her paintings and illustrations are named "Sexy Ink Girls". Her pin up girl images are also on apparel and other products that are sold in stores.- Sources...
).
Mizuno provides the art that accompanies the horoscopes in Shojo Beat
Shojo Beat
Shojo Beat is a shōjo manga magazine formerly published in North America by Viz Media. Released in June 2005 as a sister magazine to Shonen Jump, it featured serialized chapters from six manga series, as well as articles on Japanese culture, manga, anime, fashion and beauty...
magazine.
Art style
Mizuno has stated that her work is influenced by shōjo manga works; this influence is exhibited through her use of bright colorization and the large eyes she provides for her characters Her art has a decidedly pop-art and psychedelicPsychedelic
The term psychedelic is derived from the Greek words ψυχή and δηλοῦν , translating to "soul-manifesting". A psychedelic experience is characterized by the striking perception of aspects of one's mind previously unknown, or by the creative exuberance of the mind liberated from its ostensibly...
flair, and a sizable proportion of her published work is colored, rather than the black and white format typical of most Japanese comics.
Works
- CinderallaCinderallaCinderalla is a manga series, published by Koushinsya in 1995; later an English version was released by Viz Media in 2002. It is a book written and illustrated by Junko Mizuno, and is one in a line of her new version on old fairy tales. Her new ones include: Hansel & Gretel, Princess Mermaid, and...
, (Koushinsya, 1995); English ed. Viz, (2002). - "The Life of Momongo," story by Norimizu Ameya, Comic Cue, (East Press, 1998); reprinted in Chikao Shiratori, (ed.), Secret Comics Japan, (Viz, 2000).
- Pure TrancePure Tranceis a manga by the Japanese artist Junko Mizuno published in 1998. Her first full-length manga story, it was created for the Pure Trance techno compilation CD series...
, (East Press [Tokyo], 1998); English ed. Last Gasp, (2005). - Hansel & Gretel, (Koushinsya, 2000); English ed. Viz, (2003).
- Junko Mizuno's Hell Babies, (Kenichi Kawai/Pan-Exotica, 2001).
- Princess Mermaid, (Bunkasha, 2002); English ed. Viz, (2003).
- Collector's File 002: Junko Mizuno's Illustration Book, (Viz, 2003).
- Little Fluffy Gigolo PeluLittle Fluffy Gigolo Peluis a three tankōbon manga series written and illustrated by Junko Mizuno and published by Enterbrain. The series has been licensed in North America and France where the first volume received mostly positive reviews.-Story:...
, (Enterbrain, 2003-2005); English ed. Last Gasp (2009-).