Sunao Yoshida is the 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...

 of late 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...

ese novelist Sunao Matsumoto (October 24, 1969 – July 15, 2004). He was born in Fukuoka Prefecture

Fukuoka 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....

 and graduated from La Salle junior/senior high school in Kagoshima. He attended 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...

 and earned a Master's degree

Master's degree

A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...

 from Kyoto University

Kyoto University

, or is a national university located in Kyoto, Japan. It is the second oldest Japanese university, and formerly one of Japan's Imperial Universities.- History :...

. Yoshida died of a lung blockage

Airway obstruction

Airway obstruction is a respiratory problem caused by increased resistance in the bronchioles that reduces the amount of air inhaled in each breath and the oxygen that reaches the pulmonary arteries...

 in 2004.

Yoshida was known primarily for "Light novels," a category in Japanese publishing that includes youth-oriented stories, often featuring 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....

-style cover illustrations.

In 1997, Yoshida was awarded the Sneaker Taisho literary prize for his debut novel

Debut novel

A debut novel is the first novel an author publishes. Debut novels are the author's first opportunity to make an impact on the publishing industry, and thus the success or failure of a debut novel can affect the ability of the author to publish in the future...

, Genocide Angel. He was the author of the novel series Trinity Blood, which was serialized in 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...

's The Sneaker

The Sneaker

is a Japanese light novel magazine that was published by Kadokawa Shoten between 1993 and 2011, that was aimed at young adult males. It serialized many popular light novels, including the Haruhi Suzumiya and Trinity Blood series, and the novel adaptations of the Code Geass anime series....

magazine. The popularity of The Sneaker dropped significantly after Yoshida's death. The Trinity Blood series was published in North America by Tokyopop

Tokyopop

Tokyopop, 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...

.

Two years after Yoshida's death, from January to October 2006, his home village of Ashiyamachi, Fukuoka, in conjunction with publishers 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...

, Gonzo and Broccoli

Broccoli (company)

is a Japanese media company that publishes manga, anime, and video games through its various subsidiaries.- About :Broccoli is the parent company of Broccoli Music Publishing, Broccoli International USA, and Anime Gamers USA Inc...

, held a "Sunao Exhibit" to memorialize his achievements.

Gainax

Gainax

is a Japanese anime studio famous for productions such as Gunbuster, The Wings of Honneamise, Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water, Neon Genesis Evangelion, FLCL and Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann which have gone on to critical acclaim and commercial success, as well as for their association with...

's scheduled project Bushilord was indefinitely delayed after his death, as he was supposed to be its world designer.

Publications

• Jenosaido Enjeru - Hangyaku Kamigami. (Genocide Angel: Treason of the Gods) 1997. Kadogawa Shoten.
• Toriniti Burado Rage Against the Moons. (Trinity Blood: Rage Against the Moons) six volumes, 2001-2004. Kadogawa Shoten.
• Toriniti Burado Reborn on the Mars. (Trinity Blood: Reborn on Mars) six volumes, 2001-2003. Kadogawa Shoten.
• Toriniti Burado Reborn on the Mars "Kyokko no Kiba". (Trinity Blood: Reborn on Mars 7, Aurora's Tusk) unfinished.