Naoki Urasawa
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese manga artist.
with a degree in economics
. In 2008, Urasawa had a guest teaching post at Nagoya Zokei University
, where he taught classes on manga.
debut with Return in 1981. Three of his series have been adapted into anime
: Yawara! A Fashionable Judo Girl
(1986–1993), Master Keaton
(1988–1994), and Monster
(1994–2001). Arguably his most notable work, 20th Century Boys
(2000–2006), was made into a three-part movie series, which were released in 2008 and 2009. He has received the Shogakukan Manga Award
three times, the Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize twice, and the Kodansha Manga Award
once. As a storyteller, his most distinctive characteristics are his dense, multi-layered, interconnecting narratives, his mastery of suspense, clever homages to classic manga & anime and a frequent use of German
characters and settings.
In 2008 the winner of the Pulitzer Prize
for fiction Junot Diaz
praised Monster series and added that "Urasawa is a national treasure in Japan." In December 2009 8th Viz Media released his Monster Box Set 1.
Yawara! A Fashionable Judo Girl
: Urasawa's first official work and real breakthrough; published from 1986 to 1993 (serialized in Big Comic Spirits
, 1987–93), this manga has 29 volumes in total. This judo
romance comedy is about a female judo champion who wants to have fun just like other girls, but her strict grandfather wants her to win in tournaments. Yawara! won the 35th Shogakukan Manga Award
for general manga in 1990.
Pineapple ARMY
: Published by Shogakukan
from 1986 to 1988, this is a side-work produced alongside Yawara!. Pineapple ARMY is composed of 10 volumes in total. The story was written by Kazuya Kudou and the artwork is Urasawa's. The plot is about an ex-military man who trains others to defend themselves on the condition that he never gets involved... but eventually he always does.
Dancing Policeman: Published by Shogakukan in 1987. This manga is only one volume.
Master Keaton
: Just after Pineapple ARMY and while writing Yawara!, Urasawa began one of his most famous works, Master Keaton. Master Keaton was published from 1988 to 1994 (serialized in Big Comic Original
, 1988–94), and consists of 18 volumes in total. Hokusei Katsushika worked with Urasawa on it. The story revolves around a boy born to an English
woman of noble birth and a Japanese zoologist
. After his parents' divorce at the age of 5, Keaton moves to England with his mother. As an adult, he studies archeology at Oxford University, where he meets his future wife with whom he has a daughter (Yuriko). However, they too divorce after five years. Meanwhile, Keaton works as an operative/detective for Lloyd's of London
where he is known for his abilities he acquired as a master sergeant in the SAS
, as a veteran of the Falklands War
, and as one of the members of the Iran Embassy incident. These experiences help him carry out his dangerous work as an insurance investigator. Although he works at Lloyds, his dream is to excavate an ancient civilization in a Danube
basin.
NASA: Short story collection published in one volume by Shogakukan in 1988. A fantasy about a middle-aged office worker who trains every day in order to become Japan's first astronaut. This work also includes earlier short stories.
Happy!
: Just after Yawara!, Urasawa began writing Happy!, which began in 1993 and ended in 1999. Happy! consists of 23 volumes in total. The copy from the back of the first tankōbon
reads: "Miyuki Umino was a senior in high-school. Although Miyuki, her two younger brothers and her younger sister were poor, they were happy living together. But, one day all of a sudden her older brother's debt of 250 million yen fell upon them. To pay back the debt Miyuki quit school. What was the incredible choice she took to do this?".
Monster
: In 1994, after finishing Master Keaton, Urasawa began writing the manga which would become his most famous work: Monster. He wrote Monster alongside Happy!, with Monster ending in 2001. Monster consists of 18 volumes in total and was serialized in Big Comic
(1995–2001). Monster is licensed by Viz Media
. The final volume was released in December 2008. Monster won the Shogakukan Manga Award
for general manga in 2001. The story revolves around Kenzo Tenma, a Japanese surgeon living in Germany whose life enters in turmoil after getting himself involved with Johan Liebert, one of his former patients who is revealed to be a dangerous psychopath.
Jigoro!: Short story collection published in one volume by Shogakukan in 1994. It features four stories about Jigorou, Yawara's grandfather (from Yawara!) during his younger years. It also includes a samurai and a baseball story not related to Yawara!.
20th Century Boys
(Nijusseiki Shōnen): In 1999, after finishing Happy!, Urasawa began the all-popular 20th Century Boys. He wrote 20th Century Boys alongside Monster for two years, Monster ending in 2001. Urasawa has finished the series after 22 volumes. The concluding chapters were released under the title 21st Century Boys. It was licensed by Viz, however, at Urasawa's request, its release was rescheduled until after Monster finished its English serialization due to the change in his art style over time. Publication in the US began in February 2009. 20th Century Boys won Kodansha Manga Award
for general manga in 2001, an Excellence Prize at the 2002 Japan Media Arts Festival
, and the Shogakukan Manga Award
for general manga in 2003.
PLUTO
: Beginning in late 2003, PLUTO is a more realistic retelling of a famous story by the late Osamu Tezuka
. Its story is based on a story arc of the original Astro Boy manga by Tezuka, "Chijō saidai no ROBOTTO" ("The World's Strongest Robot"). Pluto received an Excellence Prize at the 2005 Japan Media Arts Festival
and the 2005 Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize Grand Prize. The series ended in early 2009, at 8 volumes. "PLUTO" was also licensed by Viz for English language release, and published in 2009-2010.
Billy Bat
: Thriller manga started in October 2008 that follows Japanese-American comic book artist Kevin Yamagata as he draws the popular detective series "Billy Bat". When he learns he may have unconsciously copied the character from an image he saw while serving in occupied Japan, he returns to Japan to get permission to use Billy Bat from its original creator. Upon arriving there, however, he becomes embroiled in a web of murder, cover-ups, and prophecy that all leads back to Billy Bat.
Mangari Michi: Gag manga featuring the two manga artists that appeared in 20th Century Boys. Started in July 2009.
Early life
He graduated from Meisei UniversityMeisei University
is a private university in Tokyo, Japan. The school's two campuses are in Hino and Ōme. It also offers correspondence courses which it introduced in 1967.-History:...
with a degree in economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
. In 2008, Urasawa had a guest teaching post at Nagoya Zokei University
Nagoya Zokei University
is a private university in Komaki, Aichi, Japan. The predecessor of the school was founded in 1967, and it was opened as a university in 2003....
, where he taught classes on manga.
Manga career
He made his professional 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...
debut with Return in 1981. Three of his series have been adapted into 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....
: Yawara! A Fashionable Judo Girl
Yawara! A Fashionable Judo Girl
YAWARA!, also known as Yawara! A Fashionable Judo Girl, is a Japanese manga series by Naoki Urasawa which ran in Big Comic Spirits from 1986 to 1993...
(1986–1993), Master Keaton
Master Keaton
is a Japanese manga series created by Hokusei Katsushika and Naoki Urasawa. It was serialized in Big Comic Original between 1988 and 1994 and ran for 18 volumes . An anime adaptation of the series aired between 1998 and 1999 in Japan on Nippon Television...
(1988–1994), and Monster
Monster (manga)
is a seinen manga written and illustrated by Naoki Urasawa, published by Shogakukan in Big Comic Original between 1994 and 2001, and reprinted in 18 tankōbon volumes. It was adapted by Madhouse as a 74-episode anime TV series, which aired on NTV from April 7, 2004 to September 28, 2005...
(1994–2001). Arguably his most notable work, 20th Century Boys
20th Century Boys
is a science fiction-mystery manga created by Naoki Urasawa. It won the 2001 Kodansha Manga Award in the General category, an Excellence Prize at the 2002 Japan Media Arts Festival, and the 2003 Shogakukan Manga Award in the General category. The last two volumes of the story were serialized under...
(2000–2006), was made into a three-part movie series, which were released in 2008 and 2009. He has received the 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:...
three times, the Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize twice, and the Kodansha Manga Award
Kodansha Manga Award
is an annual award for serialized manga published in the previous year, sponsored by the publisher Kodansha. It is currently awarded in four categories: children's, shōnen, shōjo, and general. The awards began in 1977, initially with categories for shōnen and shōjo. The first award for the...
once. As a storyteller, his most distinctive characteristics are his dense, multi-layered, interconnecting narratives, his mastery of suspense, clever homages to classic manga & anime and a frequent use of German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
characters and settings.
In 2008 the winner of the Pulitzer Prize
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
for fiction Junot Diaz
Junot Díaz
Junot Díaz is a Dominican-American writer and creative writing professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology . Central to Díaz's work is the immigrant experience...
praised Monster series and added that "Urasawa is a national treasure in Japan." In December 2009 8th Viz Media released his Monster Box Set 1.
Music career
As a hobby Urasawa is also the vocalist and guitarist of a rock band. He released his debut single Tsuki ga Tottemo... in 2008 and his debut album Half Century Man in 2009.Works
Beta!!: He made his professional debut in 1983 with Beta!!, a gag one-shot.Yawara! A Fashionable Judo Girl
Yawara! A Fashionable Judo Girl
YAWARA!, also known as Yawara! A Fashionable Judo Girl, is a Japanese manga series by Naoki Urasawa which ran in Big Comic Spirits from 1986 to 1993...
: Urasawa's first official work and real breakthrough; published from 1986 to 1993 (serialized in Big Comic Spirits
Big Comic Spirits
is a weekly Japanese seinen manga magazine published by Shogakukan and aimed at males 20–25 years old. It originally launched on October 14, 1980. The culture of food, sports, love relationships, and business provide the themes for its featured series, which often question conventional values...
, 1987–93), this manga has 29 volumes in total. This judo
Judo
is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
romance comedy is about a female judo champion who wants to have fun just like other girls, but her strict grandfather wants her to win in tournaments. Yawara! won the 35th 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:...
for general manga in 1990.
Pineapple ARMY
Pineapple Army
is a Japanese manga series written by Kazuya Kudo and illustrated by Naoki Urasawa. It was originally serialized in Shogakukan's Big Comic Original from 1986 to 1988. The individual volumes were published in 8 tankōbon by Shogakukan. The manga is licensed in France by Glénat, in Spain by Planeta...
: Published by Shogakukan
Shogakukan
is a Japanese publisher of dictionaries, literature, manga, non-fiction, DVDs, and other media in Japan.Shogakukan founded Shueisha which founded Hakusensha. These are three separate companies, but are together called the Hitotsubashi Group, one of the largest publishing groups in Japan...
from 1986 to 1988, this is a side-work produced alongside Yawara!. Pineapple ARMY is composed of 10 volumes in total. The story was written by Kazuya Kudou and the artwork is Urasawa's. The plot is about an ex-military man who trains others to defend themselves on the condition that he never gets involved... but eventually he always does.
Dancing Policeman: Published by Shogakukan in 1987. This manga is only one volume.
Master Keaton
Master Keaton
is a Japanese manga series created by Hokusei Katsushika and Naoki Urasawa. It was serialized in Big Comic Original between 1988 and 1994 and ran for 18 volumes . An anime adaptation of the series aired between 1998 and 1999 in Japan on Nippon Television...
: Just after Pineapple ARMY and while writing Yawara!, Urasawa began one of his most famous works, Master Keaton. Master Keaton was published from 1988 to 1994 (serialized in Big Comic Original
Big Comic Original
is a Japanese seinen manga magazine published by Shogakukan, aimed at an older adult and mostly male audience. It is a sister magazine to Big Comic, the biggest difference being that it goes on sale twice a month in the weeks Big Comic doesn't. Cover artwork usually features a dog or cat, and a haiku...
, 1988–94), and consists of 18 volumes in total. Hokusei Katsushika worked with Urasawa on it. The story revolves around a boy born to an English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
woman of noble birth and a Japanese zoologist
Zoology
Zoology |zoölogy]]), is the branch of biology that relates to the animal kingdom, including the structure, embryology, evolution, classification, habits, and distribution of all animals, both living and extinct...
. After his parents' divorce at the age of 5, Keaton moves to England with his mother. As an adult, he studies archeology at Oxford University, where he meets his future wife with whom he has a daughter (Yuriko). However, they too divorce after five years. Meanwhile, Keaton works as an operative/detective for Lloyd's of London
Lloyd's of London
Lloyd's, also known as Lloyd's of London, is a British insurance and reinsurance market. It serves as a partially mutualised marketplace where multiple financial backers, underwriters, or members, whether individuals or corporations, come together to pool and spread risk...
where he is known for his abilities he acquired as a master sergeant in the SAS
Special Air Service
Special Air Service or SAS is a corps of the British Army constituted on 31 May 1950. They are part of the United Kingdom Special Forces and have served as a model for the special forces of many other countries all over the world...
, as a veteran of the Falklands War
Falklands War
The Falklands War , also called the Falklands Conflict or Falklands Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the disputed Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands...
, and as one of the members of the Iran Embassy incident. These experiences help him carry out his dangerous work as an insurance investigator. Although he works at Lloyds, his dream is to excavate an ancient civilization in a Danube
Danube
The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
basin.
NASA: Short story collection published in one volume by Shogakukan in 1988. A fantasy about a middle-aged office worker who trains every day in order to become Japan's first astronaut. This work also includes earlier short stories.
Happy!
Happy!
is a sports manga written and illustrated by Naoki Urasawa. It was published in Big Comic Spirits from 1993 till 1999.The story is about a teenage heroine who embarks on a career as a professional tennis player to repay an enormous debt incurred by her brother to Yakuza loan sharks, with the...
: Just after Yawara!, Urasawa began writing Happy!, which began in 1993 and ended in 1999. Happy! consists of 23 volumes in total. The copy from the back of the first 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...
reads: "Miyuki Umino was a senior in high-school. Although Miyuki, her two younger brothers and her younger sister were poor, they were happy living together. But, one day all of a sudden her older brother's debt of 250 million yen fell upon them. To pay back the debt Miyuki quit school. What was the incredible choice she took to do this?".
Monster
Monster (manga)
is a seinen manga written and illustrated by Naoki Urasawa, published by Shogakukan in Big Comic Original between 1994 and 2001, and reprinted in 18 tankōbon volumes. It was adapted by Madhouse as a 74-episode anime TV series, which aired on NTV from April 7, 2004 to September 28, 2005...
: In 1994, after finishing Master Keaton, Urasawa began writing the manga which would become his most famous work: Monster. He wrote Monster alongside Happy!, with Monster ending in 2001. Monster consists of 18 volumes in total and was serialized in Big Comic
Big Comic
is a semimonthly seinen manga magazine published since 1968-02-29 by Shogakukan in Japan. It was originally launched as a monthly magazine, but switched to twice monthly on the 10th and 25th beginning in April 1968. It is paired with sister magazine Big Comic Original, going on sale in the weeks...
(1995–2001). Monster is licensed by Viz Media
VIZ Media
VIZ Media, LLC, headquartered in San Francisco, is an anime, manga, and Japanese entertainment company. It was founded in 1986 as VIZ LLC. In 2005, VIZ LLC and ShoPro Entertainment merged to form the current VIZ Media LLC, which is jointly owned by Japanese publishers Shogakukan and Shueisha, and...
. The final volume was released in December 2008. Monster won the 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:...
for general manga in 2001. The story revolves around Kenzo Tenma, a Japanese surgeon living in Germany whose life enters in turmoil after getting himself involved with Johan Liebert, one of his former patients who is revealed to be a dangerous psychopath.
Jigoro!: Short story collection published in one volume by Shogakukan in 1994. It features four stories about Jigorou, Yawara's grandfather (from Yawara!) during his younger years. It also includes a samurai and a baseball story not related to Yawara!.
20th Century Boys
20th Century Boys
is a science fiction-mystery manga created by Naoki Urasawa. It won the 2001 Kodansha Manga Award in the General category, an Excellence Prize at the 2002 Japan Media Arts Festival, and the 2003 Shogakukan Manga Award in the General category. The last two volumes of the story were serialized under...
(Nijusseiki Shōnen): In 1999, after finishing Happy!, Urasawa began the all-popular 20th Century Boys. He wrote 20th Century Boys alongside Monster for two years, Monster ending in 2001. Urasawa has finished the series after 22 volumes. The concluding chapters were released under the title 21st Century Boys. It was licensed by Viz, however, at Urasawa's request, its release was rescheduled until after Monster finished its English serialization due to the change in his art style over time. Publication in the US began in February 2009. 20th Century Boys won Kodansha Manga Award
Kodansha Manga Award
is an annual award for serialized manga published in the previous year, sponsored by the publisher Kodansha. It is currently awarded in four categories: children's, shōnen, shōjo, and general. The awards began in 1977, initially with categories for shōnen and shōjo. The first award for the...
for general manga in 2001, an Excellence Prize at the 2002 Japan Media Arts Festival
Japan Media Arts Festival
The Japan Media Arts Festival is an annual festival held by Japan's Agency for Cultural Affairs since 1997. The festival for a nominal year was usually held during February or March next year, rather than at the end of the nominal year. For instance, the 2010 Japan Media Arts Festival, where...
, and the 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:...
for general manga in 2003.
PLUTO
Pluto (manga)
is a manga series by Naoki Urasawa published in Shogakukan's Big Comic Original from 2003 to 2009. It has been licensed for release in English by Viz Media, under the name Pluto: Urasawa x Tezuka. Takashi Nagasaki is credited as the series' co-author...
: Beginning in late 2003, PLUTO is a more realistic retelling of a famous story by the late Osamu Tezuka
Osamu Tezuka
was a Japanese cartoonist, manga artist, animator, producer, activist and medical doctor, although he never practiced medicine. Born in Osaka Prefecture, he is best known as the creator of Astro Boy, Kimba the White Lion and Black Jack...
. Its story is based on a story arc of the original Astro Boy manga by Tezuka, "Chijō saidai no ROBOTTO" ("The World's Strongest Robot"). Pluto received an Excellence Prize at the 2005 Japan Media Arts Festival
Japan Media Arts Festival
The Japan Media Arts Festival is an annual festival held by Japan's Agency for Cultural Affairs since 1997. The festival for a nominal year was usually held during February or March next year, rather than at the end of the nominal year. For instance, the 2010 Japan Media Arts Festival, where...
and the 2005 Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize Grand Prize. The series ended in early 2009, at 8 volumes. "PLUTO" was also licensed by Viz for English language release, and published in 2009-2010.
Billy Bat
Billy Bat
is an ongoing Japanese seinen thriller manga series written by Naoki Urasawa and Takashi Nagasaki and illustrated by Urasawa. The series was announced in issue 45 of the Japanese manga anthology Weekly Morning in 2008, and its first chapter was released in the next issue of Morning on October 16,...
: Thriller manga started in October 2008 that follows Japanese-American comic book artist Kevin Yamagata as he draws the popular detective series "Billy Bat". When he learns he may have unconsciously copied the character from an image he saw while serving in occupied Japan, he returns to Japan to get permission to use Billy Bat from its original creator. Upon arriving there, however, he becomes embroiled in a web of murder, cover-ups, and prophecy that all leads back to Billy Bat.
Mangari Michi: Gag manga featuring the two manga artists that appeared in 20th Century Boys. Started in July 2009.
Awards
- Début ; Return (1981)
- New Manga Artist Award of Shogakukan in 1982
- 1990 (35th) 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:...
(for Yawara!) - 1997 (1st) Japan Media Arts FestivalJapan Media Arts FestivalThe Japan Media Arts Festival is an annual festival held by Japan's Agency for Cultural Affairs since 1997. The festival for a nominal year was usually held during February or March next year, rather than at the end of the nominal year. For instance, the 2010 Japan Media Arts Festival, where...
, Excellence Prize (for Monster) - 1999 (3rd) Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize, Grand Prize (for Monster)
- 2001 (46th) 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:...
(for Monster) - 2001 Kodansha Manga AwardKodansha Manga Awardis an annual award for serialized manga published in the previous year, sponsored by the publisher Kodansha. It is currently awarded in four categories: children's, shōnen, shōjo, and general. The awards began in 1977, initially with categories for shōnen and shōjo. The first award for the...
(for 20th Century Boys) - 2002 (6th) Japan Media Arts FestivalJapan Media Arts FestivalThe Japan Media Arts Festival is an annual festival held by Japan's Agency for Cultural Affairs since 1997. The festival for a nominal year was usually held during February or March next year, rather than at the end of the nominal year. For instance, the 2010 Japan Media Arts Festival, where...
, Excellence Prize (for 20th Century Boys) - 2003 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:...
(for 20th Century Boys) - 2004 Angoulême International Comics Festival Prize for a SeriesAngoulême International Comics Festival Prize for a SeriesThis Prize for a Series is awarded to comics authors at the Angoulême International Comics Festival since 2004.As is the customary practice in Wikipedia for listing awards such as Oscar results, the winner of the award for that year is listed first, the others listed below are the nominees.* 2004:...
(for 20th Century Boys) - 2005 (9th) Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize, Grand Prize (for Pluto)