Akiko Hatsu facts for kids

Akiko Hatsu (波津 彬子, Hatsu Akiko) is a talented manga artist from Japan, born on December 16, 1959. She was born in Kanazawa, a city in Ishikawa Prefecture.

Akiko Hatsu's Journey in Manga

Akiko Hatsu started her journey in the world of manga very early. When she was in high school, she began helping her older sister, Yukiko Kai, who was already a professional manga artist. After finishing high school, Akiko Hatsu worked for a printing company in Kanazawa City. However, she soon left that job to become a full-time assistant to her sister. She also helped other famous artists, like Moto Hagio.

During this time, Hatsu created her own comics with her friend Yasuko Sakata, who also became a well-known manga artist. In 1980, her older sister, Yukiko Kai, passed away at the age of 26. The next year, in 1981, Akiko Hatsu officially started her professional career. Her first published short story, called "Elegy of the Waves" (波の挽歌, Nami no Banka), appeared in a magazine called ALLAN.

Her manga stories have been featured in many different magazines over the years. These include DUO, Grapefruit (グレープフルーツ, Gurēpufurūtsu), Petit Flower (which later changed its name to flowers), and Strange Stories for Sleepless Nights (眠れぬ夜の奇妙な話, Nemurenu Yo no Kimyō na Hanashi) (later known as Nemuki (ネムキ)). Akiko Hatsu also taught as an instructor at Kyoto Seika University until 2005, when she retired due to health reasons.

Popular Manga Works by Akiko Hatsu

Akiko Hatsu has created many interesting manga series and stories. Here are some of her well-known works:

Uryūdō Dream Tales

This is a popular series of short mystery stories with a supernatural twist. They are set in Meiji Period Japan, a time when Japan was undergoing many changes. The main character is a young man named Ren. He works in an antique shop called Uryūdō. What makes Ren special is that he can see and talk to the spirits that live inside old antiques! This series was published from 1991 to 2007 and was even recommended by the Japan Media Arts Festival in 2008.

Devil in the Water

This manga was first published in 1992. It's a captivating story that was also released in English in 2000.

Mourning of Autumn Rain

Published in 1992, this is a collection of short stories. It was also made available in English.

Beautiful England Series

This series was published between 2000 and 2007. These short stories have a touch of fantasy and are set in Victorian England. They often focus on a young, handsome heir named Cornelius Everdeanne.

Other Notable Works

• B Class Paradise! (B級パラダイス!, Bīkyū Paradaisu!) (1984)
• Garden of Light, The Wind's Rising Shadow (光の庭·風の立つ影, Hikari no Niwa, Kaze no Tatsu Kagei) (1987)
• Perfect Gentlemen (パーフェクト·ジェントルマン, Pāfekuto Jentoruman) (1988)
• Lively Golden Waves (さざめく黄金(きん) の波, Sazameku Kin no Nami) (1989)
• Night Tales of Enjakuan (燕雀庵夜咄, Enjakuan yo banashi) (1989)
• A Pleasure to Meet You (お目にかかれて, Ome ni Kakarete) (1990)
• Night Comes and Talks of Love (夜は来て愛を語り, Yoru wa Kite Ai o Katari) (1993)
• Master of the Haunted Inn: Tales of the Pale I (幽霊宿の主人(あるじ) 冥境青譚抄·一, Yūreijuku no Aruji: Meikyū Seitanjō Ichi) (1994)
• Peony Lantern (牡丹灯篭, Botan Tōrō) (1995)
• Dreams and Illusions of Reflected Flowers (鏡花夢幻, Kyōka Mugen) (1995)
• Reflected Moon: Tales of the Pale II (水の中の月 冥境青譚抄·二, Mizu no Naka no Tsuki: Meikyū Seitanjō Ni) (1996)
• The Doors of Nine Nights (9つの夜の扉, Kokonotsu no Yoru no Tobira) (1997)
• The Foreign Flower Guard (異国の花守, Ikoku no Hanamori) (1997)
• The Foreign Flower Guard: The Flowers' Voice (異国の花守 花の聲, Ikoku no Hanamori: Hana no Koe) (1999)