Masamune Shirow
Encyclopedia
is an internationally renowned manga
artist, born on November 23, 1961.
Masamune Shirow is a pen name
, based on a famous swordsmith, Masamune
. He is best known for the manga Ghost in the Shell
, which has since been turned into two theatrical anime
movies, two anime TV series, an anime TV movie, and several video games. Shirow is also known for creating erotic art.
Born in the Hyōgo Prefecture
capital city of Kobe, he studied oil painting at Osaka University of Arts
. While in college, he developed an interest in manga, which led him to create his own complete work, Black Magic
, which was published in the manga fanzine
Atlas. His work caught the eye of Seishinsha President Harumichi Aoki, who offered to publish him.
The result was Appleseed, a full volume of densely-plotted drama taking place in an ambiguous future. The story was a sensation, and won the 1986 Seiun Award
for Best Manga. After a professional reprint of Black Magic
and a second volume of Appleseed, he released Dominion in 1986. Two more volumes of Appleseed followed before he began work on Ghost in the Shell
.
In 2007, he collaborated again with Production I.G to co-create the original concept for the anime
television series Shinreigari/Ghost Hound, Production I.G's 20th year anniversary project.
A further original collaboration with Production I.G began airing in April, 2008, titled Real Drive
.
Ghost in the Shell
is a famous anime in the West based on his work, hence his popularity. Many people mistake him for the creator of the original anime movie, but he had no major role in its production. Mamoru Oshii
directed both movies, which were adaptations of several chapters of the original manga put to film. However, he did play a role in the development of the TV anime series Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
.
or poster book format. The following is an incomplete list.
and poster books by manga
artist Masamune Shirow. The name comes from the fact that the women depicted often look "greased".
The first series of Galgrease booklets included four issues each in the following settings:
The second series included another run of 12 booklets in the following worlds:
After each regular series, there were one or more bonus poster books that revisited the existing characters and settings.
main source: shirowledge
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...
artist, born on November 23, 1961.
Masamune Shirow is a pen name
Pen name
A pen name, nom de plume, or literary double, is a pseudonym adopted by an author. A pen name may be used to make the author's name more distinctive, to disguise his or her gender, to distance an author from some or all of his or her works, to protect the author from retribution for his or her...
, based on a famous swordsmith, Masamune
Masamune
, also known as , is widely recognized as Japan's greatest swordsmith. As no exact dates are known for Masamune's life, he has reached an almost legendary status. It is generally agreed that he made most of his swords in the late 13th and early 14th centuries, 1288–1328. He created swords, known as...
. He is best known for the manga Ghost in the Shell
Ghost in the Shell (manga)
is a Japanese science fiction manga created by Masamune Shirow originally released in 8 separate issues. He followed it up by Ghost in the Shell 2: Man/Machine Interface and Ghost in the Shell 1.5: Human Error Processor....
, which has since been turned into two theatrical 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....
movies, two anime TV series, an anime TV movie, and several video games. Shirow is also known for creating erotic art.
Born in the Hyōgo Prefecture
Hyogo Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region on Honshū island. The capital is Kobe.The prefecture's name was previously alternately spelled as Hiogo.- History :...
capital city of Kobe, he studied oil painting at Osaka University of Arts
Osaka University of Arts
is a private arts university located in Kanan, Minamikawachi District, Osaka Prefecture, Japan. The university was founded in 1945 as , changing its name to in 1957, and then to in 1964...
. While in college, he developed an interest in manga, which led him to create his own complete work, Black Magic
Black Magic M-66
is a cyberpunk manga written and illustrated by Masamune Shirow. It was first published as a dōjinshi in 1983, and was later reprinted in tankōbon format by Seishinsha in 1985....
, which was published in the manga fanzine
Fanzine
A fanzine is a nonprofessional and nonofficial publication produced by fans of a particular cultural phenomenon for the pleasure of others who share their interest...
Atlas. His work caught the eye of Seishinsha President Harumichi Aoki, who offered to publish him.
The result was Appleseed, a full volume of densely-plotted drama taking place in an ambiguous future. The story was a sensation, and won the 1986 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...
for Best Manga. After a professional reprint of Black Magic
Black Magic M-66
is a cyberpunk manga written and illustrated by Masamune Shirow. It was first published as a dōjinshi in 1983, and was later reprinted in tankōbon format by Seishinsha in 1985....
and a second volume of Appleseed, he released Dominion in 1986. Two more volumes of Appleseed followed before he began work on Ghost in the Shell
Ghost in the Shell
is a Japanese multimedia franchise composed of manga, animated films, anime series, video games and novels. It focuses on the activities of the counter-terrorist organization Public Security Section 9 in a futuristic, cyberpunk Japan ....
.
In 2007, he collaborated again with Production I.G to co-create the original concept for the 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....
television series Shinreigari/Ghost Hound, Production I.G's 20th year anniversary project.
A further original collaboration with Production I.G began airing in April, 2008, titled Real Drive
Real Drive
is an anime TV series, created by Production I.G and Masamune Shirow. Real Drive is produced in collaboration with broadcaster Nippon Television , and premiered in Japan on NTV on 8 April 2008.-Storyline and setting:...
.
Fame
Shirow is a world-famous illustrator. Indeed, for a time, he was more popular outside of Japan than inside. He was chosen as an early author to bring to the West because of many stylistic similarities between his work and traditional American comics.Ghost in the Shell
Ghost in the Shell
is a Japanese multimedia franchise composed of manga, animated films, anime series, video games and novels. It focuses on the activities of the counter-terrorist organization Public Security Section 9 in a futuristic, cyberpunk Japan ....
is a famous anime in the West based on his work, hence his popularity. Many people mistake him for the creator of the original anime movie, but he had no major role in its production. Mamoru Oshii
Mamoru Oshii
Mamoru Oshii is a Japanese filmmaker, television director, and writer. Famous for his philosophy-oriented storytelling, Oshii has directed a number of popular anime, including Urusei Yatsura 2: Beautiful Dreamer, Ghost in the Shell, and Patlabor 2...
directed both movies, which were adaptations of several chapters of the original manga put to film. However, he did play a role in the development of the TV anime series Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
is an anime television series produced by Production I.G and based on Masamune Shirow's manga Ghost in the Shell. It was written and directed by Kenji Kamiyama, with original character design by Hajime Shimomura and a soundtrack by Yoko Kanno...
.
Art books
A substantial amount of Shirow's work has been released in artbookArtbook
An art book may mean a conventional book on art or art history, or an artist's book, which is a work of art in the form of a book, usually produced in a small limited edition, often not just using normal printing techniques. The term might also cover graphic novels, books of anime and other types...
or poster book format. The following is an incomplete list.
- Intron Depot 1Intron Depot 1Intron Depot 1 is a collection of Masamune Shirow's full color works. The volume itself is 148 210 mm x 285 mm pages. It encompasses 226 illustrations from 1981 to 1991, 193 of which are in full color. It is a wide ranging collection, as one might expect from a work surveying 10 years...
(1992) (science fiction-themed color illustration artbook collecting his work from 1981 to 1991) - Intron Depot 2 - Blades (1998) (fantasy-themed color illustration artbook featuring female characters with armor and edged weapons)
- Cybergirls Portfolio (2000)
- Intron Depot 3 - Ballistics (2003) (military-themed color illustration and CG artbook featuring female characters with guns)
- Intron Depot 4 - Bullets (2004) (color illustration artbook collecting his work between 1995 to 1999)
- Pieces 1 (2009) - Premium Gallery
- Pieces 2 (2010) - Phantom Cats
- Pieces 3 (2010) - Wild Wet Quest
- Pieces 4 (2010) - Hell Hound 01
- Pieces 5 (2011) - Hell Hound 02
- Pieces 6 (2011) - Hell Cat
Galgrease
Galgrease (published in Uppers Magazine, 2002) is the collected name of several erotic mangaManga
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...
and poster books by 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...
artist Masamune Shirow. The name comes from the fact that the women depicted often look "greased".
The first series of Galgrease booklets included four issues each in the following settings:
- Wild Wet West (Wild West-themed)
- Hellhound (Horror-themed)
- Galhound (Near-future science fictionScience fictionScience 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...
-themed)
The second series included another run of 12 booklets in the following worlds:
- Wild Wet Quest (A Tomb RaiderTomb RaiderTomb Raider is an action-adventure video game developed by Core Design and published by Eidos Interactive. It was originally released in 1996 for the Sega Saturn, with MS-DOS and PlayStation versions following shortly thereafter...
or Indiana JonesIndiana JonesColonel Henry Walton "Indiana" Jones, Jr., Ph.D. is a fictional character and the protagonist of the Indiana Jones franchise. George Lucas and Steven Spielberg created the character in homage to the action heroes of 1930s film serials...
-style sequel to Wild Wet West) - Hellcat (Pirate-themed)
- Galhound 2 (Near-future science fictionScience fictionScience 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...
-themed)
After each regular series, there were one or more bonus poster books that revisited the existing characters and settings.
Minor works
- Areopagus Arther (1980), published in ATLAS (fanzine)
- Yellow Hawk (1981), published in ATLAS (fanzine)
- Colosseum Pick (1982), published in Funya (fanzine)
- Pursuit (Manga) (1982), published in Kintalion (fanzine)
- Opional Orientation (1984), published in ATLAS (fanzine)
- Battle on Mechanism (1984), published in ATLAS (fanzine)
- Metamorphosis in Amazoness (1984), published in ATLAS (fanzine)
- Arice in Jargon (1984), published in ATLAS (fanzine)
- Bike Nut (1985), published in Dorothy (fanzine)
- Gun Dancing (1986), published in Young Magazine Kaizokuban
- Pile Up (manga) (two parts) (1987), published in Young Magazine Kaizokuban
- Colosseum Pick (1990), published in Comic Fusion Atpas (fanzine)
- Neuro Hard - The planet of a bee (two parts in 1992, four in 1993, four in 1994), published in Comic Dragon
main source: shirowledge
Other
- design of the MAPP1-SM mouse series (2002, commissioned by Elecom)
Film
- Ghost in the ShellGhost in the Shell (film)"See You Everyday" is different from the rest of the soundtrack, being a pop song sung in Cantonese by Fang Ka Wing. It can be faintly heard playing in the marketplace scene, when Batou is hunting the ghost-hacked puppet....
(1995) by Mamoru OshiiMamoru OshiiMamoru Oshii is a Japanese filmmaker, television director, and writer. Famous for his philosophy-oriented storytelling, Oshii has directed a number of popular anime, including Urusei Yatsura 2: Beautiful Dreamer, Ghost in the Shell, and Patlabor 2... - Ghost in the Shell 2: InnocenceGhost in the Shell 2: InnocenceGhost in the Shell 2: Innocence, known simply as in japan, is a 2004 science fiction film and sequel to the anime film, Ghost in the Shell. Released in Japan on March 6, 2004, with an U.S. release on September 17, 2004, Innocence had a production budget of approximately $20 million...
(2004) by Mamoru OshiiMamoru OshiiMamoru Oshii is a Japanese filmmaker, television director, and writer. Famous for his philosophy-oriented storytelling, Oshii has directed a number of popular anime, including Urusei Yatsura 2: Beautiful Dreamer, Ghost in the Shell, and Patlabor 2... - Appleseed by Shinji AramakiShinji Aramakiis a Japanese anime director and mechanical designer, born in Fukuoka Prefecture. He was a member of Artmic.He is noted for work on powered exoskeletons and his mecha and CG design on several anime series.-As director:...
- Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. Solid State SocietyGhost in the Shell: S.A.C. Solid State Societyis an OVA and part of the Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex series based on Masamune Shirow's manga Ghost in the Shell. It was produced by Production I.G and directed by Kenji Kamiyama....
(2006) by Kenji KamiyamaKenji Kamiyama, born on March 20, 1966 in Saitama Prefecture, Japan, is a Japanese anime director. He has worked regularly with the anime studio and production enterprise, Production I.G, such as his work on Jin-Roh, Patlabor, Blood: The Last Vampire, and for whom he has directed the Ghost in the Shell: Stand... - Appleseed Ex MachinaAppleseed Ex MachinaAppleseed Ex Machina is a 2007 Japanese animated CG film and is the sequel to the 2004 Appleseed film, similarly directed by Shinji Aramaki, and was produced by Hong Kong director and producer John Woo. It was released on October 20, 2007 in Japan and made its American premiere at the Jules Verne...
(2007) by Shinji AramakiShinji Aramakiis a Japanese anime director and mechanical designer, born in Fukuoka Prefecture. He was a member of Artmic.He is noted for work on powered exoskeletons and his mecha and CG design on several anime series.-As director:...
and John WooJohn WooJohn Woo Yu-Sen SBS is a Hong Kong-based film director and producer. Recognized for his stylised films of highly choreographed action sequences, Mexican standoffs, and use of slow-motion, Woo has directed several notable Hong Kong action films, among them, A Better Tomorrow, The Killer, Hard...
OVAs
- Black Magic M-66Black Magic M-66is a cyberpunk manga written and illustrated by Masamune Shirow. It was first published as a dōjinshi in 1983, and was later reprinted in tankōbon format by Seishinsha in 1985....
(1987) by Hiroyuki Kitakubo and Masamune Shirow (this is the only anime Shirow played a direct role in the production of) - Appleseed (OVA)Appleseed (OVA)is a cyberpunk-style anime OVA that takes place in the future. The anime, produced by Bandai Visual in 1988, is an adaptation of the manga, Appleseed created by Masamune Shirow. The anime departs from the manga's storyline and primarily has only the setting and characters in common...
(1988) by Kazuyoshi Katayama - Dominion Tank Police (1988) by Takaaki Ishiyama and Kôichi Mashimo
- New Dominion Tank Police (1990) by Noboru Furuse and Junichi Sakai
- Landlock (anime) (1995) by Yasuhiro Matsumura (character and mecha designs only)
- Gundress (1999) by Junichi Sakai (character and mecha designs only)
- Tank S.W.A.T. 01 (2006) by Romanov Higa
Television
- Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone ComplexGhost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complexis an anime television series produced by Production I.G and based on Masamune Shirow's manga Ghost in the Shell. It was written and directed by Kenji Kamiyama, with original character design by Hajime Shimomura and a soundtrack by Yoko Kanno...
(2003) by Kenji KamiyamaKenji Kamiyama, born on March 20, 1966 in Saitama Prefecture, Japan, is a Japanese anime director. He has worked regularly with the anime studio and production enterprise, Production I.G, such as his work on Jin-Roh, Patlabor, Blood: The Last Vampire, and for whom he has directed the Ghost in the Shell: Stand...
(26 25-minute episodes; also called Alone on Earth or GitS:SAC) - Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. 2nd GIGGhost in the Shell: S.A.C. 2nd GIGis the second season of the anime series Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, based on Masamune Shirow's manga Ghost in the Shell. It was written and directed by Kenji Kamiyama, with original character design by Hajime Shimomura and a soundtrack by Yoko Kanno...
(2004) by Kenji KamiyamaKenji Kamiyama, born on March 20, 1966 in Saitama Prefecture, Japan, is a Japanese anime director. He has worked regularly with the anime studio and production enterprise, Production I.G, such as his work on Jin-Roh, Patlabor, Blood: The Last Vampire, and for whom he has directed the Ghost in the Shell: Stand...
(26 25-minute episodes; second season of GitS:SAC) - Shinreigari/Ghost Hound (2007); original concept in collaboration with Production I.G
- Real DriveReal Driveis an anime TV series, created by Production I.G and Masamune Shirow. Real Drive is produced in collaboration with broadcaster Nippon Television , and premiered in Japan on NTV on 8 April 2008.-Storyline and setting:...
(2008); original concept in collaboration with Production I.G
PlayStation
- Ghost in the ShellGhost in the Shell (video game)Ghost in the Shell is a 1997 video game for the PlayStation game console, and draws on both the animated cyberpunk film of the same name and the manga by Masamune Shirow in its style, environments, and characters.-Plot:...
- Yarudora Series Vol. 3: Sampaguita
- Project Horned Owl
PlayStation 2
- Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone ComplexGhost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (video game)Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex is the title of a pair of video games based on the cyberpunk anime of the same name, a third person action game, released for the PlayStation 2, and a first-person shooter game, released for the PlayStation Portable.-PS2 game:The games take place in the year...
- Appleseed EX (Japan only release)
PlayStation Portable
- Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex