Fujio Akatsuka facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Fujio Akatsuka
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| 赤塚 不二夫 | |
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| Born |
赤塚 藤雄 (Fujio Akatsuka)
September 14, 1935 |
| Died | August 2, 2008 (aged 72) |
| Nationality | Japanese |
| Occupation | Manga artist |
| Known for | Tensai Bakabon Osomatsu-kun Himitsu no Akko-chan |
Fujio Akatsuka (赤塚 不二夫, born 赤塚 藤雄, September 14, 1935 – August 2, 2008) was a famous Japanese manga artist. He was known as the "Master of Gag Manga" because he created many funny and popular manga comics. Some of his most famous works include Osomatsu-kun, Himitsu no Akko-chan, and Tensai Bakabon.
Contents
About Fujio Akatsuka
Fujio Akatsuka was born in a place called Rehe in Manchuria. His father was a Japanese military officer. After World War II, he grew up in different parts of Japan, like Niigata and Nara. When he was 19, he moved to the big city of Tokyo.
Early Career and Success
While working at a chemical factory, Fujio Akatsuka spent his free time drawing many manga stories. He later joined a famous group of manga artists at a place called Tokiwa-so. He started his career drawing shōjo manga, which are comics made for girls.
In 1958, his comic Nama-chan became a big hit! This success helped him become a specialist in creating funny, or "gag," manga. He won important awards for his work, including the Shogakukan Manga Award in 1964 for Osomatsu-kun. He also received the Bungeishunjū Manga Award in 1971 for Tensai Bakabon. People say he was inspired by the silent movie star Buster Keaton and the funny MAD magazine.
In 1965, Akatsuka started his own company called "Fujio Productions Ltd." This allowed him to create even more amazing comics.
Unique Characters and Legacy
Many of Fujio Akatsuka's manga series had special supporting characters who became super popular. Sometimes, these characters were even more famous than the main heroes! For example, Papa from Tensai Bakabon, Iyami and Chibita from Osomatsu-kun, and Nyarome from Mōretsu Atarō are all well-loved characters.
In 2000, Fujio Akatsuka even drew manga in braille so that people who are blind could enjoy his stories. He passed away on August 2, 2008, in Tokyo.
Famous Manga Works
Fujio Akatsuka created many manga series during his career. His most well-known works, often called his "top four," are Osomatsu-kun, Himitsu no Akko-chan, Tensai Bakabon, and Mōretsu Atarō. These series were very successful and were even turned into animated TV shows.
Here are some of his other notable works:
Popular Series
- Angel in the Dark (くらやみの天使) (1958-1959)
- Nama-chan (ナマちゃん) (1958-1961)
- Osomatsu-kun (おそ松くん) (1962-1969, with later revivals) - A very popular series about six mischievous brothers.
- Himitsu no Akko-chan (ひみつのアッコちゃん) (1962-1965, with later revivals) - A magical girl story.
- Tensai Bakabon (天才バカボン) (1967-1969, with many revivals) - A hilarious series about a silly family.
- Mōretsu Atarō (もーれつア太郎) (1967-1970)
- Let's La Gon (レッツラゴン) (1971-1974)
- Gag Guerrilla (ギャグゲリラ) (1972-1982)
Assistants
Many talented artists worked as assistants for Fujio Akatsuka. Some of them later became famous manga artists themselves!
- Kunio Nagatani
- Mitsutoshi Furuya
- Kenichiro Takai
- Takao Yokoyama
- Ken'ichi Kitami
- Kazuyoshi Torii
- Yoshiko Tsuchida
- Tsutomu Adachi
- Don Sasaki
- Shohei Kizaki
- Keiji Terashi
- Kawaguti Masashi
- Koji Oikawa
- Kiri Mitsunori
- Kondo Yosuke
- Shiiya Mitsunori
- Yumi Nakano
- Yuki Hiroyo
- Akira Saito
- Jinichi Tokisato
See also
- Akatsuka Award
