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Daijiro Morohoshi

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Daijiro Morohoshi
Born
Morohoshi Daijirō
諸星 大二郎

(1949-07-06) July 6, 1949 (age 75)
NationalityJapanese
Other namesMorohoshi Yoshikage
諸星 義影
Occupation(s)Manga artist, illustrator, writer
Years active1970–present
Known forYōkai Hunter, Saiyū Yōenden
AwardsTezuka Osamu Cultural Prize (2000)

Daijiro Morohoshi (諸星 大二郎, Morohoshi Daijirō, born July 6, 1949 in Karuizawa, Nagano Prefecture, Japan) is a Japanese manga artist. He is well known for science fiction comics, allegorical comics and horror/mystery comics based on pseudohistory and folklore. The indirect influence by Cthulhu Mythos also appears here and there in his works.

Biography

Morohoshi grew up in Adachi-ku, Tokyo. After graduating from high school, he worked for the Tokyo metropolitan government for three years.

In 1970, Morohoshi made his professional debut with his short story "Junko Kyōkatsu" (ジュン子・恐喝, Junko, blackmail) in COM.[1] In 1974, his short story "Seibutsu Toshi" (生物都市, Bio City) was selected in the 7th Tezuka Award.

His breakthrough came, when he started publishing the series Yōkai Hunter (妖怪ハンター, Demon Hunter) in Weekly Shōnen Jump. He published Ankoku Shinwa (暗黒神話, Dark Myth), Kōshi Ankokuden (孔子暗黒伝, Dark Biography of Confucius) in the same magazine afterwards. In 1979, he published the Mud Men series in Monthly Shōnen Champion Zōkan.

In 1983, he published Saiyū Yōenden (西遊妖猿伝, Journey to the West: Monster monkey's Commentary) (The Monkey King and other Chinese Legends) based on Journey to the West in Super Action. This work won him the grand prize of the fourth Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize in 2000.

Style and themes

Morohoshi takes inspiration from ancient history, mythology and folklore, influenced by the essays of Tatsuhiko Shibusawa. Yōkai Hunter revolves around archeologists discovering strange incidents around Japan, Mad Men shows myths from Papua New Guinea clashing with modernity and Saiyū Yōenden is based on the classic Chinese fantasy novel Journey to the West.[2]

His drawing style is inspired by Western artists such as Salvador Dalí, whom he cites as his favaorite painter, but his work also includes references to Hieronymus Bosch, Francisco Goya and Giorgio de Chirico.[2]

Legacy

Because Morohoshi's style of painting was too unique, his assistants said that they didn't know how to assist him. In a roundtable discussion between Morohoshi, Yukinobu Hoshino and Osamu Tezuka, Tezuka said that he could not imitate Morohoshi's painting.[3]

Morohoshi's Mud Men triggered Haruomi Hosono of Yellow Magic Orchestra, and Hosono wrote "The Madmen" for the album Service. Hosono said that his production company misspelled "Mudmen" with "Madmen".[1] Hayao Miyazaki mentioned that he was strongly influenced by Morohoshi. His 1997 film Princess Mononoke has references to Mud Men.[1] When Kentaro Takekuma interviewed Miyazaki, he said that he actually wanted Morohoshi to draw Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind.[4]

According to Toshio Okada, who was a former representative director of Gainax, Hideaki Anno always said that he wanted to apply the scene where a giant appeared in Morohoshi's "Kage no Machi" (影の街, Shadow Town) to his work, and his hope was realized in Neon Genesis Evangelion.[5]

Awards

Year Nominee / work Award Result
1974 "Seibutsu Toshi" The 7th Tezuka Award Nominated
1992 Boku to Furio to Kōtei de The excellence prize of The 21st Japan Cartoonists Association Award Won
Ikairoku The excellence prize of The 21st Japan Cartoonists Association Award Won
2000 Saiyū Yōenden The grand prize of the 4th Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize Won
2008 Shiori to Shimiko Excellent prize of the 12th Japan Media Arts Festival Manga section Won
2014 Uriko-hime no Yoru, Cinderella no Asa Award for the Media Arts division at the 64th Annual MEXT Art Encouragement Prizes[6] Won

Selected works

Manga

Start End English/Hepburn title Original title Publisher
1975 1982 Mud Men マッドメン Akita Shoten (Monthly Shōnen Champion)
1976 1976 Ankoku Shinwa 暗黒神話 Shueisha (Super Jump)
1978 1978 Yōkai Hunter 妖怪ハンター Shueisha (Super Jump)
1978 1978 Kōshi Ankokuden 孔子暗黒伝 Shueisha (Super Jump)
1983 Saiyū Yōenden 西遊妖猿伝 Futabasha (Super Action, Comic Action Character)
Ushio Shuppansha (Comic Tom)
Kodansha (Morning, Morning two)
1985 2001 Gojōden 碁娘伝 Ushio Shuppansha (Comi Comi, Manga Action, Comic Tom Plus)
1988 1989 Mumenboku Taikō Bōden 無面目・太公望伝 Ushio Shuppansha (Comic Tom)
1988 2005 Morokai Shii 諸怪志異 Futabasha (Manga Action)
1990 1991 Kaijinki 海神記 Ushio Shuppansha (Comic Tom)
1991 1991 Boku to Furio to Kōtei de[7] 僕とフリオと校庭で Futabasha (Manga Action)
1995 2008 Shiori to Shimiko 栞と紙魚子 Asahi Sonorama (Nemuki)
2000 2002 Shikabanchōru Izufu 私家版鳥類図譜 Kodansha (Morning)
2004 2006 Shikabangyoru Izufu 私家版魚類図譜 Kodansha (Bessatsu Morning, Morning)
2013 2013 Uriko-hime no Yoru, Cinderella no Asa 瓜子姫の夜・シンデレラの朝 Asahi Shuppansha
2016 2017 BOX - Hako no Naka ni Nanika Iru BOX -箱の中に何かいる- Kodansha

Novels

  • Kyōko no Kyō wa Kyōfu no Kyō (2004)
  • Kumo no Ito wa Kanarazu Kireru (2007)

Illustrations for books

Adaptations

Movies

  • Hiruko the Goblin (1991, Film Director: Shinya Tsukamoto)
  • Kidan (2005, Film Director: Takashi Komatsu)
  • Kabeotoko (British title: The Wall Man) (2007, Film Director: Wataru Hayakawa)

TV drama

  • Fukushū Club (1991, Fuji Television, in Yo nimo Kimyo na Monogatari)
  • Shiro (1992, Fuji Television, in Yo nimo Kimyo na Monogatari)
  • Shiori to Shimiko no Kaiki Jikenbo (2008, Nippon Television)

Radio drama

  • Saiyū Yōenden (1989)
  • Zoku Saiyū Yōenden (1990)
  • Yumemiru Kikai (2000)

OVA

  • Ankoku Shinwa (The Dark Myth) Chapter 1/Chapter 2 (1990)

Video games

  • Ankoku Shinwa: Yamato Takeru Densetsu (1988)

References

  1. ^ a b c "SFE: Morohoshi Daijirō". sf-encyclopedia.com. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
  2. ^ a b 後藤護 (September 30, 2021). "Daijiro Morohoshi's KOCHUTEN; an essay on Manneristic Comics - TOKION". TOKION - Cutting edge culture and fashion information. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
  3. ^ "Strange Worlds and Stranger Dreams". Ceiling Gallery. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
  4. ^ pages 135 at the March 2008 issue of Eureka
  5. ^ January 10, 1997, NHK-BS Manga Yawa featured Boku to Furio to Kōtei de
  6. ^ "Japanese Government Honors Ghibli's Suzuki, Voice Actress Nana Mizuki". Anime News Network. March 14, 2014. Retrieved March 14, 2014.
  7. ^ This title was inspired by "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard".