Akiko Higashimura
| Akiko Higashimura 東村 アキコ | |
|---|---|
| Born | October 15, 1975 Kushima, Miyazaki, Japan |
| Nationality | Japanese |
| Area(s) | Manga artist, writer |
Notable works | |
| www | |
Akiko Higashimura (Japanese: 東村 アキコ, Hepburn: Higashimura Akiko; born October 15, 1975) is a Japanese manga artist.
Life and career
[edit]Higashimura was born in 1975 in Kushima in Miyazaki Prefecture.[1][2] During her childhood, she moved frequently due to her father's job, relocating five times during elementary school and twice during junior high. From a young age, she enjoyed drawing and was supported by her parents in her artistic interests. Influenced broadly by shōjo manga of the 1980s, she aspired to become a manga artist from early on, though she did not pursue this dream professionally until adulthood.[3]
She debuted as a professional manga aritst in the now-defunct manga magazine Bouquet Deluxe in 1999 with the short story "Fruits Kōmori" (フルーツコウモリ). Her first serialized work was Kisekae Yuka-chan (2001), published in the shōjo magazine Cookie. The series centered around a fashion-loving sixth-grade girl, a choice Higashimura made due to her initial discomfort with writing romance, despite it being a hallmark of the shōjo genre.[4][5]
One of her breakout hits was Mama wa Tenparist, an autobiographical child-rearing manga that began in 2007 in the josei magazine Chorus. The series documents her life with her toddler son and became an unexpected hit, selling over one million copies.
In 2006, she began serializing Himawari: Kenichi Legend in the seinen magazine Morning, marking her foray into male-targeted publications and launching a dual-career track in both shōjo/josei and seinen magazines.[5] Among her best-known works are Princess Jellyfish, Tokyo Tarareba Girls, and Blank Canvas: My So-Called Artist's Journey.[5]
She lives in Harajuku, Tokyo.[5] Higashimura's younger brother, Takuma Morishige, is the author of the manga My Neighbor Seki.[6]
Style and themes
[edit]Working method
[edit]Higashimura is renowned for her extraordinary productivity. Since the mid-2000s, she has consistently maintained multiple serializations at once, producing roughly 100 pages of manga every month for over a decade. At one point in 2007, she was working on three episodes of Himawari, one of Kisekae Yuka-chan, three of Mama wa Tenparist, two one-shots, and various smaller assignments in a single summer.[5]
Her productivity is supported by an unusually large team of assistants, up to 36 at any given time, whom she manages via the Line messaging app. She credits this teamwork with allowing her to avoid creative fatigue and missed deadlines, stating that she often draws motivation from the reactions of her assistants even before considering the readers’ reception.[5]
Themes
[edit]Higashimura is known for combining fashion, humor, and understated romance in her work, a style that developed with editorial encouragement early in her career. While she continues to write shōjo manga, she admits to still finding it difficult to write "heavy romance" and prefers to approach romantic elements with humor or from unconventional angles.[5]
Reception
[edit]Several of her manga are critically acclaimed. Higashimura was nominated for the Manga Taishō in 2008 for Himawari: Kenichi Legend,[7] in 2009 for Mama wa Tenparist,[8] in 2010 for Princess Jellyfish,[9] in 2011 for Omo ni Naitemasu,[10] and in 2016 and 2017 for Tokyo Tarareba Girls.[11][12] In 2010, she won the 34th Kodansha Manga Award for Best Shōjo Manga for Princess Jellyfish.[13] In 2015, she won both the 8th Manga Taishō[14] and the Grand Prize at the 19th Japan Media Arts Festival for Blank Canvas: My So-Called Artist's Journey.[15] In 2019, she won the Eisner Award for Best U.S. Edition of International Material—Asia for Tokyo Tarareba Girls.[16]
Works
[edit] |
- "Fruits Kōmori" (フルーツコウモリ) (1999)[5]
- Kisekae Yuka-chan (きせかえユカちゃん) (2001–present, Shueisha)[a]
- Himawari: Kenichi Legend (ひまわりっ 健一レジェンド) (2006–2010, Kodansha)[19]
- Mama wa Tenparist (ママはテンパリスト) (2007–2011, Shueisha)[20]
- Princess Jellyfish (海月姫) (2008–2017, Kodansha)[21]
- Omo ni Naitemasu (主に泣いてます) (2010–2012, Kodansha)[22]
- Blank Canvas: My So-Called Artist's Journey (かくかくしかじか) (2011–2015, Shueisha)[23]
- Meropon Dashi! (メロポンだし！) (2013–2014, Kodansha)[24]
- Tokyo Tarareba Girls (東京タラレバ娘) (2014–2017, Kodansha)[25]
- Bishoku Tantei Akechi Gorō (美食探偵 明智五郎) (2015–present, Shueisha)[26]
- Himoxile (ヒモザイル) (2015, Kodansha, suspended)[27][28]
- Yukibana no Tora (雪花の虎) (2015–2020, Shogakukan)[29]
- A Fake Affair (偽装不倫, Gisō Furin) (2017–2019, Bungeishunjū)[30][31][32]
- Tokyo Tarareba Girls Extra Edition: Tarare-Bar (東京タラレバ娘番外編 タラレBar) (2017–2018, Kodansha)[33][34]
- Hypermedy Nakajima Haruko (ハイパーミディ中島ハルコ) (2018–2021, with Mariko Hayashi, Shueisha)[35][36]
- Tokyo Tarareba Girls Returns (東京タラレバ娘 リターンズ) (2018, Kodansha)[37]
- Tokyo Tarareba Girls Season 2 (東京タラレバ娘 シーズン2) (2019–2021, Kodansha)[38]
- Bara to Tulip (薔薇とチューリップ) (2019, Shogakukan)[39][40]
- Watashi no Koto o Oboeteimasu ka? (私のことを憶えていますか) (2020–present, Piccoma)[41]
Notes
[edit]- ^ Kisekae Yuka-chan premiered in the January 2001 issue of Shueisha's Cookie magazine.[17] Its serialization was suspended for four years following the publication of the July 2008 issue. Higashimura returned with a new chapter in the July 2012 issue on May 26, 2012; the chapter's final page stated that Kisekae Yuka-chan would continue, despite a previous report that the 2012 chapter would probably be the series finale.[18]
References
[edit]- ^ 東村アキコ. Chiezō Mini (in Japanese). The Asahi Shimbun Company. Retrieved May 24, 2021 – via Kotobank.
- ^ スペシャル対談 大久保佳代子（タレント）× 東村アキコ（漫画家）前篇. Jimotatsu (in Japanese). January 16, 2018. Retrieved May 24, 2021.
- ^ "Creator Interview: Akiko Higashimura on Princess Jellyfish". kodansha.us. June 14, 2016. Retrieved June 17, 2025.
- ^ 東村アキコ. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Retrieved May 24, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Tokyo Girls: Interview mit Manga-Zeichnerin Higashimura Akiko". www.japandigest.de (in German). Retrieved June 17, 2025.
- ^ Loveridge, Lynzee (January 24, 2014). "Vertical Licenses Tonari no Seki-kun School Comedy Manga". Anime News Network. Retrieved May 24, 2021.
Morishige's older sister is Akiko Higashimura, the manga creator of Kuragehime (Princess Jellyfish), Omo ni Naitemasu, and Kakukaku Shikajika.
- ^ Loo, Egan (January 23, 2008). "12 Titles Nominated for 1st Ever Manga Taisho Awards". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on January 14, 2010. Retrieved December 23, 2009.
- ^ Loo, Egan (January 18, 2009). "10 Titles Nominated for 2nd Manga Taisho Awards". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on May 24, 2009. Retrieved December 23, 2009.
- ^ Loo, Egan (January 18, 2010). "10 Titles Nominated for 3rd Manga Taisho Awards". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on February 9, 2010. Retrieved February 13, 2010.
- ^ Loo, Egan (January 16, 2011). "13 Titles Nominated for 4th Manga Taisho Awards". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on January 18, 2011. Retrieved January 17, 2011.
- ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (January 18, 2016). "9th Manga Taisho Awards Nominate 11 Titles". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on March 12, 2016. Retrieved March 8, 2016.
- ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (January 23, 2017). "10th Manga Taisho Awards Nominates 13 Titles". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on February 2, 2017. Retrieved March 15, 2017.
- ^ Loo, Egan (May 11, 2010). "34th Annual Kodansha Manga Awards Announced". Anime News Network. Retrieved May 24, 2021.
- ^ Loo, Egan (March 24, 2015). "Akiko Higashimura's Kakukaku Shikajika Wins 8th Manga Taisho Award". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on March 26, 2015. Retrieved March 24, 2015.
- ^ "19th (2015) Japan Media Arts Festival: Manga Division: Grand Prize: Kakukaku Shikajika". Japan Media Arts Festival Archive. Agency for Cultural Affairs. Retrieved May 24, 2021.
- ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (July 20, 2019). "Akiko Higashimura's Tokyo Tarareba Girls Manga, Junji Ito's 'Frankenstein' Short Win Eisner Awards". Anime News Network. Retrieved May 24, 2021.
- ^ きせかえユカちゃん. Digital Daijisen Plus (in Japanese). Shogakukan. Retrieved May 24, 2021 – via Kotobank.
- ^ 東村アキコ「きせかえユカちゃん」が大ボリュームで帰還. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). May 26, 2012. Retrieved May 24, 2021.
- ^ Pineda, Rafael Antonio (November 21, 2019). "Akiko Higashimura's Himawari - Kenichi Legend Office Comedy Manga Gets Live-Action Show Next Spring". Anime News Network. Retrieved May 24, 2021.
- ^ 東村アキコ「ママはテンパリスト」完結4巻、本日発売. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). November 18, 2011. Retrieved May 24, 2021.
- ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (July 23, 2017). "Akiko Higashimura's Princess Jellyfish Manga Ends on August 25". Anime News Network. Retrieved May 24, 2021.
- ^ 東村アキコ「主に泣いてます」完結、3月には新作が始動. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). December 27, 2012. Retrieved May 24, 2021.
- ^ Ressler, Karen (September 21, 2018). "Seven Seas Licenses Princess Jellyfish Creator Higashimura's Autobiographical Manga Blank Canvas". Anime News Network. Retrieved May 24, 2021.
- ^ 山下和美「不思議な少年」5年ぶり最新話. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). October 16, 2014. Retrieved May 24, 2021.
- ^ Pineda, Rafael Antonio (April 5, 2017). "Akiko Higashimura's Tokyo Tarareba Girls Manga Ends on April 25". Anime News Network. Retrieved May 24, 2021.
- ^ Ressler, Karen (August 26, 2015). "Princess Jellyfish's Higashimura Starts Bishoku Tantei Manga Series". Anime News Network. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
- ^ Loo, Egan (June 21, 2015). "Princess Jellyfish's Higashimura Starts Manga Series in August". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on June 21, 2015. Retrieved June 21, 2015.
- ^ Fifield, Anna (October 27, 2015). "Japanese cartoonist is slammed for portraying men as house husbands". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved March 30, 2018.
- ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (September 13, 2020). "Akiko Higashimura's Yukibana no Tora Manga Ends in 3 Chapters". Anime News Network. Retrieved May 24, 2021.
- ^ Sherman, Jennifer (December 9, 2019). "Akiko Higashimura's Gisō Furin Manga Ends in 8th Volume". Anime News Network. Retrieved May 24, 2021.
- ^ Mateo, Alex (January 5, 2022). "Webtoon Publishes Akiko Higashimura's A Fake Affair Manga". Anime News Network. Retrieved January 5, 2022.
- ^ Hyun-su, Yim (July 3, 2018). "More foreign cartoonists debut in Korea's webtoon market". The Korea Herald. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
- ^ Ressler, Karen (August 28, 2017). "Akiko Higashimura Continues Tarare-Bar Bonus Manga After Tokyo Tarareba Girls' Finale". Anime News Network. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
- ^ Kiss 2019年2月号. Kiss (in Japanese). Shueisha. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
- ^ Pineda, Rafael Antonio (May 28, 2018). "Princess Jellyfish's Akiko Higashimura, Novelist Mariko Hayashi Launch New Manga". Anime News Network. Retrieved May 24, 2021.
- ^ ハイパーミディ中島ハルコ 4. Shueisha (in Japanese). Retrieved June 5, 2021.
- ^ Ressler, Karen (December 27, 2018). "Princess Jellyfish's Akiko Higashimura Launches New Manga Next Spring". Anime News Network. Retrieved May 24, 2021.
- ^ Hazra, Adriana (August 25, 2021). "Tokyo Tarareba Girls Season 2 Manga Ends in September (Updated)". Anime News Network. Retrieved September 25, 2021.
- ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (March 31, 2019). "Akiko Higashimura Draws New Short Manga Bara to Tulip". Anime News Network. Retrieved May 24, 2021.
- ^ 精神科が舞台の新連載が月スピで開幕、荻野真「孔雀王ライジング」最終回も. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). June 27, 2019. Retrieved May 24, 2021.
- ^ Pineda, Rafael Antonio (April 24, 2020). "Akiko Higashimura Launches New Watashi no Koto o Oboeteimasu ka? Manga on April 29". Anime News Network. Retrieved May 24, 2021.
Further reading
[edit]- "Higashimura Akiko and the art of shoujo manga writing". Anime Feminist. December 20, 2017. Retrieved May 24, 2021.
- Ikuta, Aya (February 7, 2019). 紙からスマホへ。東村アキコさんが「縦読みマンガ」の無料連載を始めた理由 [From paper to smartphones: The reason why Akiko Higashimura started a free series of "vertical reading manga"]. HuffPost (in Japanese). Retrieved January 3, 2022.
External links
[edit]- Official website (in Japanese)
- Akiko Higashimura at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
