Seizō Watase
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese
manga artist
and illustrator
born 15 February 1945 in Kobe
, Hyōgo Prefecture
, Japan
. Outside of being an illustrator for numerous posters, books, and other works, he is most well known for his dramatic romance manga Heart Cocktail, which had sold over 5 million copies .
He won the 1974 Shogakukan
Big Comic Prize. In 1987, Watase received the Bungeishunjū Manga Award
for his work .
In addition to various exhibits in Japan, Watase held his first major exhibit in the United States at the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center in Los Angeles
, California
in 1998.
. He attended Meiji Gakuen Junior High (a private school), then graduated to the Fukuoka Prefectural Kokura Senior High School before finally graduating from Waseda University
with a degree in law
.
Watase was awarded the 1974 Shogakukan
Big Comic Prize. His Heart Cocktail manga
series, considered to be representative of his work, began publication in Kodansha
's manga magazine Weekly Morning
in 1983. This series ran for six years and was adapted into an anime
TV series aired on NTV
from October 1986 until March 1988. Jazz
and fusion
musician Naoya Matsuoka collaborated with him on the series. The series was also adapted into a two-episode television drama
special in 1986.
After working for over 16 years at Dowa Fire and Marine Insurance Company, he retired in 1985 to work on his manga and illustration. Watase received the Bungeishunjū Manga Award
in 1987 for Phillip, P.I.
, as well as poster and advertising illustration. Some of his manga are also essays or commentary on specific topics.
) (1985, 1 volume, Kadokawa Shoten
) (1985) (1986, 1 volume, Jitsugyo no Nihon Sha
) (1987-, Kobunsha
)
} (1987)
} (1989)
} (1987, 1 volume, Kadokawa Shoten)
Sources:
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
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...
and illustrator
Illustrator
An Illustrator is a narrative artist who specializes in enhancing writing by providing a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the associated text...
born 15 February 1945 in Kobe
Kobe
, pronounced , is the fifth-largest city in Japan and is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture on the southern side of the main island of Honshū, approximately west of Osaka...
, 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 :...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. Outside of being an illustrator for numerous posters, books, and other works, he is most well known for his dramatic romance manga Heart Cocktail, which had sold over 5 million copies .
He won the 1974 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...
Big Comic Prize. In 1987, Watase received the Bungeishunjū Manga Award
Bungeishunju Manga Award
The was an annual award established in 1955 and given out by Bungeishunjū in Japan for gag, yonkoma, one-panel, and satirical manga. The award was also given out for works considered the magnum opus of manga creators....
for his work .
In addition to various exhibits in Japan, Watase held his first major exhibit in the United States at the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, 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 1998.
Biography
From shortly after birth until high school, Watase lived in Kitakyūshū, Fukuoka PrefectureFukuoka Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on Kyūshū Island. The capital is the city of Fukuoka.- History :Fukuoka Prefecture includes the former provinces of Chikugo, Chikuzen, and Buzen....
. He attended Meiji Gakuen Junior High (a private school), then graduated to the Fukuoka Prefectural Kokura Senior High School before finally graduating from Waseda University
Waseda University
, abbreviated as , is one of the most prestigious private universities in Japan and Asia. Its main campuses are located in the northern part of Shinjuku, Tokyo. Founded in 1882 as Tokyo Senmon Gakko, the institution was renamed "Waseda University" in 1902. It is known for its liberal climate...
with a degree in law
Legal education
Legal education is the education of individuals who intend to become legal professionals or those who simply intend to use their law degree to some end, either related to law or business...
.
Watase was awarded the 1974 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...
Big Comic Prize. His Heart Cocktail 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...
series, considered to be representative of his work, began publication 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 manga magazine 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 :...
in 1983. This series ran for six years and was 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....
TV series aired on NTV
Nippon Television
is a television network based in the Shiodome area of Minato, Tokyo, Japan and is controlled by the Yomiuri Shimbun publishing company. Broadcasting terrestrially across Japan, the network is commonly known as , contracted to , and abbreviated as "NTV" or "AX".-Offices:*The Headquarters : 6-1,...
from October 1986 until March 1988. Jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
and fusion
Jazz fusion
Jazz fusion is a musical fusion genre that developed from mixing funk and R&B rhythms and the amplification and electronic effects of rock, complex time signatures derived from non-Western music and extended, typically instrumental compositions with a jazz approach to lengthy group improvisations,...
musician Naoya Matsuoka collaborated with him on the series. The series was also adapted into a two-episode television drama
Japanese television drama
, also called , are a staple of Japanese television and are broadcast daily. All major TV networks in Japan produce a variety of drama series including murder romance, comedy, detective stories, horror, and many others...
special in 1986.
After working for over 16 years at Dowa Fire and Marine Insurance Company, he retired in 1985 to work on his manga and illustration. Watase received the Bungeishunjū Manga Award
Bungeishunju Manga Award
The was an annual award established in 1955 and given out by Bungeishunjū in Japan for gag, yonkoma, one-panel, and satirical manga. The award was also given out for works considered the magnum opus of manga creators....
in 1987 for Phillip, P.I.
Works
Watase has worked in a variety of formats, including manga, book illustration, concept illustrationConcept art
Concept art is a form of illustration where the main goal is to convey a visual representation of a design, idea, and/or mood for use in films, video games, animation, or comic books before it is put into the final product. Concept art is also referred to as visual development and/or concept design...
, as well as poster and advertising illustration. Some of his manga are also essays or commentary on specific topics.
Manga
(1983, 11 volumes, KodanshaKodansha
, 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...
) (1985, 1 volume, Kadokawa Shoten
Kadokawa Shoten
is a well-known Japanese publishing company based in Tokyo, Japan. Kadokawa has published both manga novels and magazines, such as Newtype magazine...
) (1985) (1986, 1 volume, Jitsugyo no Nihon Sha
Jitsugyo no Nihon Sha
is a Japanese publishing company founded on June 10, 1897.-Monthly:*Body+*Comic Candoll*GarrRV*Garuru*Misty*Monthly Bijutsu*Monthly J-novel*My Birthday*Waggle...
) (1987-, Kobunsha
Kobunsha
Kobunsha is a Japanese publishing company. It publishes literature, manga novels, and women's magazines.Kobunsha was first established on October 1, 1945 and belongs to the Kodansha group....
)
} (1987)
} (1989)
} (1987, 1 volume, Kadokawa Shoten)
- Ken & Jun (1987–1989, 2 volumes, TakeshoboTakeshobois a major publisher in Japan.Takeshobo was founded in 1972 by Kyōichirō Noguchi, starting Japan's first Mahjong magazine . Other magazines, such as a magazine dedicated to mahjong-themed manga, as well as a magazine dedicated to yonkoma manga, were published. Furthermore, a mahjong museum was...
) (1987–1989, 3 volumes, Kadokawa Shoten) (1989, 1 volume, Kadokawa Shoten) (1989, 1 volume, Kodansha) (1990, 1 volume, Kadokawa Shoten) (1993–1998, 12 volumes, Kodansha) (1999, 2 volumes, Kodansha) (2000–2002, 4 volumes, Kodansha) (2003–2005, 3 volumes, Kodansha) - Tokyo Blue (2005, 1 volume, SoftbankSoftBankis a Japanese telecommunications and internet corporation, with operations in broadband, fixed-line telecommunications, e-Commerce, Internet, broadmedia, technology services, finance, media and marketing, and other businesses....
) - Heart Cocktail Eleven (2006, 1 volume, Kodansha)
- Heart Station (2006, 1 volume, Kobunsha)
- The Motorcycle Letters (2006, 1 volume, Jitsugyo no Nihon Sha) (2006, 1 volume, Kodansha) (2007, 1 volume, Kodansha)
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