Kenji Tsuruta
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese manga artist
. Among his most famous works is the science fiction
series Spirit of Wonder
, which has been adapted into an anime
series and brought him much acclaim.
authors, such as Robert A. Heinlein
, and manga artists, such as Yukinobu Hoshino
and his manga Sabertooth Tiger, which had inspired him to create manga. He has also cited Tetsuya Chiba
and his manga among his inspirations.
Soon after graduating, he wrote numerous dōjinshi
and was an assistant to numerous manga artists, prior to making his debut as a professional manga artist. In 1986, Tsuruta made his professional debut, authoring his first manga series, the short work, , which was serialized in Kodansha
's Weekly Morning
seinen
magazine, set in a world where the land was sinking into water. Tsuruta has cited that the inspiration to this debut work of his came during a train journey from Tokyo to the ocean at Odawara, during which he had seen numerous rice paddies and thought of the possibility of a train line passing through the ocean, after which he wanted to create a work where he could use this image.
Soon after, Tsuruta authored Spirit of Wonder
, among his most famous works, in which he applied many of his inspirations, which was serialized in Kodansha's seinen magazines Weekly Morning and Afternoon
between 1987 and 1996, and was later adapted into an anime series.
After Spirit of Wonder, Tsuruta wrote short manga works, and also illustrated numerous art books, which were quite successful. In 2002, he provided the character designs for the anime series Abenobashi Mahō Shōtengai and also authored its manga adaptation.
In 2000 and 2001, Tsuruta received the 31st and 32nd Seiun Award
s for outstanding artist of the year. He has also received the Hayakawa Award
for best illustrator, in 2000.
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...
. Among his most famous works is the science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
series Spirit of Wonder
Spirit of Wonder
is a manga series authored by Kenji Tsuruta, originally serialized from 1986 in Kodansha's Morning seinen manga magazine, and later in Afternoon, until 1996....
, which has been adapted 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 and brought him much acclaim.
Profile
During his formative years in university as a student of optical science, Tsuruta, who had initially wanted to be a photographer, had been inspired by the works of numerous science fictionScience fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
authors, such as Robert A. Heinlein
Robert A. Heinlein
Robert Anson Heinlein was an American science fiction writer. Often called the "dean of science fiction writers", he was one of the most influential and controversial authors of the genre. He set a standard for science and engineering plausibility and helped to raise the genre's standards of...
, and manga artists, such as Yukinobu Hoshino
Yukinobu Hoshino
is a Japanese manga artist. He was born in Kushiro, Hokkaidō 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...
and his manga Sabertooth Tiger, which had inspired him to create manga. He has also cited Tetsuya Chiba
Tetsuya Chiba
is a Japanese manga artist famous for his sports stories.He was born in Tokyo, Japan, but lived most of his early childhood in Manchuria when it was still a Japanese colony during the Second Sino-Japanese War. His father was working in a paper factory during that time they lived in China. One of...
and his manga among his inspirations.
Soon after graduating, he wrote numerous 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...
and was an assistant to numerous manga artists, prior to making his debut as a professional manga artist. In 1986, Tsuruta made his professional debut, authoring his first manga series, the short work, , which was serialized in Kodansha
Kodansha
, the largest Japanese publisher, produces the manga magazines Nakayoshi, Afternoon, Evening, and Weekly Shonen Magazine, as well as more literary magazines such as Gunzō, Shūkan Gendai, and the Japanese dictionary Nihongo Daijiten. The company has its headquarters in Bunkyō, Tokyo...
's Weekly Morning
Weekly Morning
is a weekly Japanese seinen manga magazine published by Kodansha, aimed at adult men. It debuted in 1982 as and is also known as simply .- Series running every week :- Series running every other week :...
seinen
Seinen
is a subset of manga that is generally targeted at a 20–30 year old male audience, but the audience can be older with some manga aimed at businessmen well into their 40s. In Japanese, the word Seinen means "young man" or "young men" and is not suggestive of sexual matters...
magazine, set in a world where the land was sinking into water. Tsuruta has cited that the inspiration to this debut work of his came during a train journey from Tokyo to the ocean at Odawara, during which he had seen numerous rice paddies and thought of the possibility of a train line passing through the ocean, after which he wanted to create a work where he could use this image.
Soon after, Tsuruta authored Spirit of Wonder
Spirit of Wonder
is a manga series authored by Kenji Tsuruta, originally serialized from 1986 in Kodansha's Morning seinen manga magazine, and later in Afternoon, until 1996....
, among his most famous works, in which he applied many of his inspirations, which was serialized in Kodansha's seinen magazines Weekly Morning and Afternoon
Afternoon (magazine)
is a Japanese seinen manga magazine published by Kodansha. It is a monthly anthology, and each issue typically has around thirty ongoing stories by various authors and runs about 800 pages...
between 1987 and 1996, and was later adapted into an anime series.
After Spirit of Wonder, Tsuruta wrote short manga works, and also illustrated numerous art books, which were quite successful. In 2002, he provided the character designs for the anime series Abenobashi Mahō Shōtengai and also authored its manga adaptation.
In 2000 and 2001, Tsuruta received the 31st and 32nd Seiun Award
Seiun Award
The is a Japanese science fiction award for the best science fiction published in Japan during the preceding year, as voted by attendees of the Japan Science Fiction Convention. "Seiun" is the Japanese word for "nebula", but the award is not related to the American Nebula Award. It was named after...
s for outstanding artist of the year. He has also received the Hayakawa Award
Hayakawa Award
The Hayakawa's S-F Magazine Reader's Award is an award chosen annually by the readers of Hayakawa's S-F Magazine for the best Japanese short story, illustrator, and foreign short story. The honor has been awarded since 1989...
for best illustrator, in 2000.
Tankōbon
- Spirit of WonderSpirit of Wonderis a manga series authored by Kenji Tsuruta, originally serialized from 1986 in Kodansha's Morning seinen manga magazine, and later in Afternoon, until 1996....
- Abenobashi Mahō Shōtengai (character designs, author of manga)
- Forget-me-not (anthology) (original story: Shinji KajioShinji Kajiois an award winning Japanese author of science fiction and fantasy. The film Yomigaeri is based on a novel by him and he also co-wrote the manga series with Kenji Tsuruta , which was serialized in Monthly Comic Ryu. The manga is based on his short story of the same title, which became the...
)
External links
Scientific Boys Club (certified fansite)- http://replay.waybackmachine.org/20001022104154/http://www.gainax.co.jp/special/tsuruta/tsuruta-e.html