Hideo Azuma

Hideo Azuma (吾妻 ひでお, Azuma Hideo, real name 吾妻 日出夫, pronounced the same) (born February 6, 1950 in Urahoro, Hokkaidō, Japan) is Japanese manga artist. Azuma made his professional debut in 1969 in the Akita Shoten manga magazine Manga Ō. He is most well known for his science fiction lolicon-themed works appearing in magazines such as Weekly Shōnen Champion, as well as children's comedy series such as Nanako SOS and Little Pollon (which both became anime television series in the early 1980s).

Beginning in 1978, his works began appearing almost exclusively in smaller niche magazines such as Bessatsu Kisōten, including works like Fujōri Nikki. In 1979, Azuma published his lolicon manga White Cybele, the first manga of its kind in Japan. He has since been called the "father of lolicon". From there, he began publishing in magazines such as Shōjo Alice, becoming a fixture in the pornographic lolicon manga business and becoming very involved in otaku culture.

In late 1980s and into the 1990s, due to stress from his hectic and demanding schedule during 20 years (to that point) as a manga artist, Azuma began drinking heavily, disappeared twice for several months to over a year, attempted suicide at least once, and was finally forcibly committed to an alcohol rehabilitation program. He published in 2005 a manga journal of this experience titled Disappearance Diary. In addition to being published in Japan, this book has been licensed and published in English, French, Spanish, German and Polish.

His name is also sometimes romanized Hideo Aduma.

Early years

While attending Hokkaidō Urahoro High School, Azuma participated in the Hokkaidō branch office of COM, along with other artists such as Monkey Punch and Fumiko Okada. In 1968, after graduating from high school, he moved to Tokyo and found employment with Toppan Printing. He left this job after three months to work as an assistant to manga artist Rentarō Itai, where he did uncredited work for Weekly Shōnen Sunday on series such as Mini Mini Manga.

Azuma made his professional debut in 1969 in Manga Ō with his work Ringside Crazy. The following year he quit working as an assistant and doing his own work. He gradually expanded his work to include both shōjo and seinen manga. His first works tended to be light gag manga, though he began to include science fiction elements influenced by his being a fan of the New Hollywood movement in American film. It was during this period that he experimented a lot with one panel manga (as opposed to four panel).

Beginning in 1972, Azuma began rising in popularity due to the off-color humor in his Weekly Shōnen Champion series Futari to 5-nin. He also married his assistant the same year, with whom he had a girl in 1980 and a boy in 1983. His wife was credited as "Assistant A" in his works, and his daughter and son were respectively credited as "Assistant B" and "Assistant C".

Boom period

Azuma began serializing in 1975 his story Yakekuso Tenshi in the semimonthly manga magazine Play Comic. He also began publishing science fiction themed works in many different niche magazines such as Kisō Tengai and Peke. Azuma, together with Jun Ishikawa, is considered part of the manga creators in the 1970s. Due to works such as science fiction novel parody Fujōri Nikki, published in Bessatsu Kisō Tengai in 1978, Azuma began to gain a large following among science fiction fans. Fujōri Nikki was awarded the 1979 Seiun Award for Best Comic of the Year.

Manga

• Futari to 5-nin (1974–1976, 12 volumes, Shōnen Champion Comics, Akita Shoten)
• Shikkomōrō Hakase (1976, 1 volume, Sun Comics, Asahi Sonorama)
• Oshaberi Love (1976–1977, 2 volumes, Princess Comics, Akita Shoten)
• Eight Beat (1977, 2 volumes, Sun Comics, Asahi Sonorama)
• Kimagure Gokū (1977, 2 volumes, Sun Comics, Asahi Sonorama)
• Midare Moko (1977, 1 volume, Power Comics, Futabasha)
• Chibi Mama-chan (1977–1978, 2 volumes, Shōnen Champion Comics, Akita Shoten)
• Chokkin (1977–1978, 4 volumes, Shōnen Champion Comics, Akita Shoten)
• Yakekuso Tenshi (1977–1980, 5 volumes, Akita Manga Bunko, Akita Shoten)
• Nemuta-kun (1978, 2 volumes, KC Comics, Kodansha)
• Sexy Ai (1978, 1 volume, Sun Comics, Asahi Sonorama)
• Fujōri Nikki (1979, Kisō Tengai Comics, Kisō Tengai)
• Kyūketsuki-chan (1979, Kisō Tengai Comics, Kisō Tengai)
• Olympus no Pollon (1979, 2 volumes, Princess Comics, Akita Shoten)
  • anime adaptation Ochamegami Monogatari Koro Koro Pollon in 1982-1983
  • manga reprinted in 2005-2007 by Hayakawa Shoten
• Parallel Kyōshitsu (1979, Kisō Tengai Comics, Kisō Tengaisha)
• Animal Company (1980, My Comics, Tokyo Sanseisha)
• Azuma Hideo Sakuhinshū 1: Methyl Metaphysic (1980, Kisō Tengai Comics, Kisō Tengai)
• Azuma Hideo Sakuhinshū 2: Gansaku Hideo Hakkenden (1980, Akita Shoten)
• Azuma Hideo Sakuhinshū 3: Kakutō Family (1980, Kisō Tengai Comics, Kisō Tengai)
• Azuma Hideo Sakuhinshū 4: The Iroppuru (1980, Kisō Tengai Comics, Kisō Tengai)
• Mimi (1980, Sun Comics, Asahi Sonorama)
• Ningen Shikkaku (1980, My Comics, Tokyo Sanseisha)
• Tobe Tobe Donkey (1980, Princess Comics, Akita Shoten)
• Yadorigi-kun (1980, Shōnen Champion Comics, Akita Shoten)
• Brat Bunny (1980–1982, 2 volumes, Animage Comics, Tokuma Shoten)
• Hizashi (1981, hardcover, Kisō Tengaisha)
• Mahō Tsukai Chappy (1981, Animage Comics, Tokuma Shoten) - manga adaptation of the 1972 magical girl anime series by Toei Animation; not an original Azuma character
• Mia-chan Kannō Shashinshū (1981, Jihi Shuppan)
• Paper Night (1981, Shōnen Shōjo SF Manga Kyōsaku Daizenshū Zōkangō, Tokyo Sanseisha)
• Suki! Suki!! Majo Sensei (1981, Animage Comics, Tokuma Shoten)
• Yōsei no Mori (1981, Torauma Shobō)
• Scrap Gakuen (1981–1983, 3 volumes, Akita Shoten Manga Bunko, Akita Shoten)
• Butsu Butsu Bōkenki (1982, My Comics, Tokyo Sanseisha)
• Chocolate Derringer (1982, Play Comic Series, Akita Shoten)
• Hyper Doll (1982, Play Comic Series, Akita Shoten)
• Jinginaki Kuroi Taiyō Lolicon-hen (Lolicon Daizenshū) (1982-05-31, Gun'yūsha Shuppan)
  • published in Minity-Yamū (1984-12-30, Play Comic Series, Akita Shoten)
• Magical Land no Ōjo-tachi (1982, Sanrio)
• Umi kara Kita Kikai (1982, Kisō Tengaisha)
• Yakekuso Mokushiroku (1982, Sun Comics, Asahi Sonorama)
• Mia-chan Love World (1983, Best Hit Series, Akita Shoten)
• Ochamegami Monogatari: Koro Koro Pollon (1983, anime version, 100-ten Land Comics, Futabasha)
• Nanako SOS (1983–1986, 5 volumes, Just Comic Zōkan, Kobunsha)
  • anime adaptation in 1983, also known as Nana Supergirl (Italy), Supernana (France)
• Majunia Eve (1984, Play Comic Series, Akita Shoten)
• Hideo Collection 1: Hideo Dōwashū (1984, Action Comics, Futabasha)
• Hideo Collection 2: Jūgatsu no Sora (1984, Action Comics, Futabasha)
• Minity-Yamū (1984, Play Comic Series, Akita Shoten)
• Hideo Collection 3: Sumire Kōnen (1985, Action Comics, Futabasha)
• Hideo Collection 4: Tenkai no Utage (1985, Action Comics, Futabasha)
• Hideo Collection 5: Daibōkenko (1985, Action Comics, Futabasha)
• Hideo Collection 6: Taiyō wa Mata Noboru (1985, Action Comics, Futabasha)
• Hideo Collection 7: Tokimeki Alice (1985, Action Comics, Futabasha)
• Hideo Land 1: Amazing Marie (1985, Play Comic Series, Akita Shoten)
• Maku no Machi Death Match!! (1985, ISBN 4-592-13065-0, Jets Comics, Hakusensha)
• Pulp-chan no Daibōken (1985, Pulp Comics, Pulp)
• Oh! Azuma (1995, ISBN 4-8211-9440-6, Bunka Comics, Bunkasha)
• Ginga Hōrō (1995–1997, 2 volumes, Mag Comics, Magazine House)
• Azumania vol.1-3 (1996, Hayakawa Shoten)
• Crush Okusan (1998–2002, 2 volumes, Bunkasha Comics, Bunkasha)
• Azuma Hideo no Fujiyūjō (1999, Mandarake)
• Futsukayoi Dandy (1999, ISBN 4-8387-1138-7, Mag Comics, Magazine House)
• Alien Eri (2000, ISBN 4-8211-9819-3, Bunkasha Comics, Bunkasha)
• Sanchoku Azuma Magazine 1 (2001-current, Jihi Shuppan)
• Disappearance Diary (Shissō Nikki) (2005, East Press, ISBN 4-87257-533-4)
• Nanako SOS (2005, Hayakawa Shoten, reprint)
• Benriya Mimi-chan (2006, Bunkasha, ISBN 4-8211-8351-X)
• Tokimeki Alice Teihon (2006, Chikuma Shuppansha, ISBN 4-8050-0455-X)
• Utsu Utsu Gideo Nikki (2006, Kadokawa Shoten, ISBN 4-04-853977-9)
• Yoru no Tobari no Naka de Azuma Hideo Sakuhinjō (2006, Chikuma Shuppansha, ISBN 4-8050-0456-8)
• Neo Azumania vol.1-3 (2006–2007, Hayakawa Shoten)
• Tōbō Nikki (an interview-style autobiography) (2007, Nihon Bungeisha, ISBN 4-537-25465-3)
• The Ward of Alcoholics (Shissō Nikki 2) (2013, East Press, ISBN 978-4-78-161072-6)

Books

• Nanako My Love: Azuma Hideo Illust Book (1983, Just Comic Zōkan, Kobunsha)
• Yo no Sakana: Ohta Comics Geijutsu Manga Sōsho (1992, ISBN 4-87233-074-9, Ohta Books)

• 2005: Grand Prize, Manga Division, 9th Japan Media Arts Awards for Shissō Nikki
• 2006: Grand Prize, Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize for Shissō Nikki
• 2008: Selection, Angoulême International Comics Festival for Shissō Nikki