Setona Mizushiro
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese comic artist. In 1985 she participated in the publication of a dōjinshi
. She remained active in that world until her debut in 1993 with the short story Fuyu ga Owarou Toshiteita (Winter Was Ending) that ran in Shogakukan
's magazine, Puchi Comic
.
While she is highly regarded in Japan and among the Chinese diaspora (most of her works have been licensed and translated into Chinese) due to her ability to craft intricate stories, she is relatively less well known in the United States and Europe because not many of her stories are licensed there, and only recently have the distributors started bringing her works to those countries. In 2008, her gender bender
psychological thriller After School Nightmare
won her some of the acclaim she has back home after the Young Adult Library Services Association
named it one of best graphic novels for teenagers. The same work was also nominated for the 2007 Eisner Award
for Best U.S. Edition of International Material (Japan).
Though her current drawing style is high in aesthetic value, her earlier works had less finesse. Regardless of the lesser emphasis on the visual elements in her earlier works, her popularity grew largely due to her storytelling. Her works are noted for their slightly askew plots and exploration of the human psyche
. Even her lighthearted Shōjo
works usually have darker underlying elements. X-Day
follows a group of teens whose mounting stress during senior year finals culminates in a plan to blow up their high school; the author has indicated that the series was written in response to the Columbine High School massacre
. In the well received series After School Nightmare
, she explores both sexual and gender identity issues. After was so successful in France that the French publisher released a limited edition gift, an exact replica of the key in the series. This led to a fierce online bidding war amongst Japanese fans with the keys selling for outrageous prices.
In 2006 she released Kyūso wa Chiizu no Yume o Miru. Keiko Takemiya
, professor of Kyoto Seika University
and one of the members of the Year 24 Group
, called it one of the best work published of the BL
genre, despite the S&M theme. Widespread success has also followed critical acclaim with many readers rating the work five stars out of a possible 5 on Amazon.jp.
Her works largely involve the individual's search for authenticity, self-knowledge and personal identity, themes that mirror her favourite author Hermann Hesse
's works. She has gained a cult following. Her works include shōjo, josei, and yaoi
, and have been translated into many languages, including Chinese
, English, French
and German
.
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...
. She remained active in that world until her debut in 1993 with the short story Fuyu ga Owarou Toshiteita (Winter Was Ending) that ran in 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...
's magazine, Puchi Comic
Petit Comic
is a Japanese josei manga magazine published by Shogakukan, aimed at young women over the age of 18. Many series in this anthology magazine are romance-oriented and some are well-known for featuring frank depiction of sexual situations...
.
While she is highly regarded in Japan and among the Chinese diaspora (most of her works have been licensed and translated into Chinese) due to her ability to craft intricate stories, she is relatively less well known in the United States and Europe because not many of her stories are licensed there, and only recently have the distributors started bringing her works to those countries. In 2008, her gender bender
Gender bender
Gender bender is an informal term used to refer to a person who actively transgresses, or "bends," expected gender roles. Gender bending is sometimes a form of social activism undertaken in response to assumptions or over-generalisations about genders...
psychological thriller After School Nightmare
After School Nightmare
is a shōjo fantasy manga by Setona Mizushiro. It was serialized from 2004 to 2007 in the manga magazine Princess and collected in ten tankōbon volumes. It is licensed in North America by Go! Comi, with all volumes adapted by Mallory Reaves and edited by Brynne Chandler...
won her some of the acclaim she has back home after the Young Adult Library Services Association
Young Adult Library Services Association
The Young Adult Library Services Association , established in 1957, is a division of the American Library Association. The mission of YALSA is to advocate, promote and strengthen service to young adults as part of the continuum of total library service, and to support those who provide service to...
named it one of best graphic novels for teenagers. The same work was also nominated for the 2007 Eisner Award
Eisner Award
The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, commonly shortened to the Eisner Awards, and sometimes referred to as the Oscar Awards of the Comics Industry, are prizes given for creative achievement in American comic books. The Eisner Awards were first conferred in 1988, created in response to the...
for Best U.S. Edition of International Material (Japan).
Though her current drawing style is high in aesthetic value, her earlier works had less finesse. Regardless of the lesser emphasis on the visual elements in her earlier works, her popularity grew largely due to her storytelling. Her works are noted for their slightly askew plots and exploration of the human psyche
Psyche
- Psychology :* Psyche , a concept of intangible self* Psyche , a periodical on the study of consciousness* Soul in the Bible, or psyche , spirit or soul in philosophy and theology- Art :...
. Even her lighthearted Shōjo
Shojo
The term refers to manga marketed to a female audience roughly between the ages of 10-18. The name romanizes the Japanese 少女 , literally: "little female". Shōjo manga covers many subjects in a variety of narrative and graphic styles, from historical drama to science fiction — often with a strong...
works usually have darker underlying elements. X-Day
X-Day (manga)
-External links:* * * *...
follows a group of teens whose mounting stress during senior year finals culminates in a plan to blow up their high school; the author has indicated that the series was written in response to the Columbine High School massacre
Columbine High School massacre
The Columbine High School massacre occurred on Tuesday, April 20, 1999, at Columbine High School in Columbine, an unincorporated area of Jefferson County, Colorado, United States, near Denver and Littleton. Two senior students, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, embarked on a massacre, killing 12...
. In the well received series After School Nightmare
After School Nightmare
is a shōjo fantasy manga by Setona Mizushiro. It was serialized from 2004 to 2007 in the manga magazine Princess and collected in ten tankōbon volumes. It is licensed in North America by Go! Comi, with all volumes adapted by Mallory Reaves and edited by Brynne Chandler...
, she explores both sexual and gender identity issues. After was so successful in France that the French publisher released a limited edition gift, an exact replica of the key in the series. This led to a fierce online bidding war amongst Japanese fans with the keys selling for outrageous prices.
In 2006 she released Kyūso wa Chiizu no Yume o Miru. Keiko Takemiya
Keiko Takemiya
is a Japanese manga artist. She is included in the Year 24 Group. She resides in Kamukura, Kanagawa Prefecture. Takemiya was one of the female authors who in the early 1970s pioneered a genre of girls' comics about love between young men; in December 1970 she published a short story, "In the...
, professor of Kyoto Seika University
Kyoto Seika University
is a private university, located in Seika, Kyoto, Japan. The predecessor of the school was founded in 1968, and it was chartered as a university in 1979....
and one of the members of the Year 24 Group
Year 24 group
refers to one of two female manga artist groups which are considered to have revolutionized shōjo manga . Their works often examine "radical and philosophical issues", including sexuality and gender issues, and many of their works are now considered "classics" of shōjo manga...
, called it one of the best work published of the BL
Yaoi
In careful Japanese enunciation, all three vowels are pronounced separately, for a three-mora word, . The English equivalent is . also known as Boys' Love, is a Japanese popular term for female-oriented fictional media that focus on homoerotic or homoromantic male relationships, usually created by...
genre, despite the S&M theme. Widespread success has also followed critical acclaim with many readers rating the work five stars out of a possible 5 on Amazon.jp.
Her works largely involve the individual's search for authenticity, self-knowledge and personal identity, themes that mirror her favourite author Hermann Hesse
Hermann Hesse
Hermann Hesse was a German-Swiss poet, novelist, and painter. In 1946, he received the Nobel Prize in Literature...
's works. She has gained a cult following. Her works include shōjo, josei, and yaoi
Yaoi
In careful Japanese enunciation, all three vowels are pronounced separately, for a three-mora word, . The English equivalent is . also known as Boys' Love, is a Japanese popular term for female-oriented fictional media that focus on homoerotic or homoromantic male relationships, usually created by...
, and have been translated into many languages, including Chinese
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
, English, French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
and German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
.
Works
(1994) (1994) (1995) 2 volumes (1995) (1996) 4 volumes (1998) (1999) 11 volumes (2001) (2010 reprint) (1997) (1998) (1998) (1999) 2 volumes (2000) 2 volumes (2000)- TWINS (2000) 3 volumes (2002) 2 volumes (2003)
- Licensed in English as X-DayX-Day (manga)-External links:* * * *...
by TokyopopTokyopopTokyopop, styled TOKYOPOP, and formerly known as Mixx, is a distributor, licensor, and publisher of anime, manga, manhwa, and Western manga-style works. The existing German publishing division produces German translations of licensed Japanese properties and original English-language manga, as well...
, in French as X-Day by AsukaAsuka (publisher)Asuka is a French publisher of Japanese manga in translation. In 2009 its parent company, Kaze S.A.S., was purchased by the Japanese manga publishers Shogakukan and Shueisha. Prior to the purchase, the company's manga was published under the Asuka imprint...
, and in German as Tag X by Tokyopop GermanyTokyopopTokyopop, styled TOKYOPOP, and formerly known as Mixx, is a distributor, licensor, and publisher of anime, manga, manhwa, and Western manga-style works. The existing German publishing division produces German translations of licensed Japanese properties and original English-language manga, as well...
(2004) (2004) 5 volumes (2004) - Licensed in French as Diamond Head by AsukaAsuka (publisher)Asuka is a French publisher of Japanese manga in translation. In 2009 its parent company, Kaze S.A.S., was purchased by the Japanese manga publishers Shogakukan and Shueisha. Prior to the purchase, the company's manga was published under the Asuka imprint...
3 volumes (2004) - Licensed in French as S by AsukaAsuka (publisher)Asuka is a French publisher of Japanese manga in translation. In 2009 its parent company, Kaze S.A.S., was purchased by the Japanese manga publishers Shogakukan and Shueisha. Prior to the purchase, the company's manga was published under the Asuka imprint...
(2006) - Licensed (with sequel Sojou no Koi wa Nido Haneru) in French as Le jeu du chat et de la souris by AsukaAsuka (publisher)Asuka is a French publisher of Japanese manga in translation. In 2009 its parent company, Kaze S.A.S., was purchased by the Japanese manga publishers Shogakukan and Shueisha. Prior to the purchase, the company's manga was published under the Asuka imprint...
and in German as Das Spiel von Katz und Maus by Carlsen VerlagCarlsen VerlagCarlsen Verlag is a subsidiary of the homonymous Danish publishing house which in turn belongs to the Swedish media company Bonnier. The branch was founded on 25 April 1953 in Hamburg. The publisher's program focuses on books for children Carlsen Verlag is a subsidiary of the homonymous Danish...
10 volumes (2008) - Licensed in English as After School NightmareAfter School Nightmareis a shōjo fantasy manga by Setona Mizushiro. It was serialized from 2004 to 2007 in the manga magazine Princess and collected in ten tankōbon volumes. It is licensed in North America by Go! Comi, with all volumes adapted by Mallory Reaves and edited by Brynne Chandler...
by Go! ComiGo! ComiGo! Comi was an imprint of the American manga publishing company, Go! Media Entertainment, LLC. They published such series as After School Nightmare, Cantarella, Her Majesty's Dog, Tenshi Ja Nai!! and Crossroad...
, in French as L'infirmerie après les cours by AsukaAsuka (publisher)Asuka is a French publisher of Japanese manga in translation. In 2009 its parent company, Kaze S.A.S., was purchased by the Japanese manga publishers Shogakukan and Shueisha. Prior to the purchase, the company's manga was published under the Asuka imprint...
, and in German as After School Nightmare by Carlsen VerlagCarlsen VerlagCarlsen Verlag is a subsidiary of the homonymous Danish publishing house which in turn belongs to the Swedish media company Bonnier. The branch was founded on 25 April 1953 in Hamburg. The publisher's program focuses on books for children Carlsen Verlag is a subsidiary of the homonymous Danish...
2 volumes (ongoing) (2008) - Licensed in French as Heartbroken Chocolatier by AsukaAsuka (publisher)Asuka is a French publisher of Japanese manga in translation. In 2009 its parent company, Kaze S.A.S., was purchased by the Japanese manga publishers Shogakukan and Shueisha. Prior to the purchase, the company's manga was published under the Asuka imprint...
4 volumes (ongoing) (2008) - Licensed in French as Black Rose Alice by AsukaAsuka (publisher)Asuka is a French publisher of Japanese manga in translation. In 2009 its parent company, Kaze S.A.S., was purchased by the Japanese manga publishers Shogakukan and Shueisha. Prior to the purchase, the company's manga was published under the Asuka imprint...
and in German as Black Rose Alice by Carlsen VerlagCarlsen VerlagCarlsen Verlag is a subsidiary of the homonymous Danish publishing house which in turn belongs to the Swedish media company Bonnier. The branch was founded on 25 April 1953 in Hamburg. The publisher's program focuses on books for children Carlsen Verlag is a subsidiary of the homonymous Danish...
1 volume (2009) - sequel to Kyūso wa Chiizu no Yume wo Miru - Licensed (as second volume of Kyūso wa Chiizu no Yume wo Miru) in French as Le jeu du chat et de la souris by AsukaAsuka (publisher)Asuka is a French publisher of Japanese manga in translation. In 2009 its parent company, Kaze S.A.S., was purchased by the Japanese manga publishers Shogakukan and Shueisha. Prior to the purchase, the company's manga was published under the Asuka imprint...
and in German as Das Spiel von Katz und Maus 2 by Carlsen VerlagCarlsen VerlagCarlsen Verlag is a subsidiary of the homonymous Danish publishing house which in turn belongs to the Swedish media company Bonnier. The branch was founded on 25 April 1953 in Hamburg. The publisher's program focuses on books for children Carlsen Verlag is a subsidiary of the homonymous Danish...