Hisashi Eguchi (江口 寿史, Eguchi Hisashi, born March 29, 1956) is a Japanese manga artist and one of Japan's most prominent illustrators of female characters.[1] He made his professional manga debut with Susume!! Pirates[ja 1] in the manga anthology Weekly Shōnen Jump in 1977. Other notable works include Stop!! Hibari-kun![ja 2] (adapted into an anime television series in 1983), and the gag series Charamono[ja 3]. Eguchi married idol Mari Mizutani (ja:水谷麻里) in 1990.

Hisashi Eguchi
江口 寿史
Eguchi in 2023
Born (1956-03-29) March 29, 1956 (age 68)
Minamata, Kumamoto, Japan
Area(s)Manga artist, illustrator
Pseudonym(s)Candy
Notable works
Stop!! Hibari-kun!
Awards38th Bungeishunjū Manga Award (1992)
Spouse(s)Mari Mizutani (ja:水谷麻里) (1990–present)

Biography

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Hisashi Eguchi is known for his female character illustrations and fashion awareness.

Eguchi began drawing at an early age, fascinated by the then-starting Japanese TV broadcasting.[2] He got to know manga through Osamu Tezuka's Astro Boy. During his childhood, other superheroes like Ultraman and Ultra Seven also gripped him.

In 1977, he won the Young Jump award (Twelve Newcomers Manga Award[ja 4] since 2003) for Osorubeki Kodomotachi[ja 5]. That same year, his Hachi-jihan no Kettō[ja 6] was a finalist at Akatsuka. The publication of Hisashi's baseball manga Susume!! Pirates followed in 1979 as a reward for winning the Young Jump contest.

After deciding to become a professional manga artist, Eguchi began drawing female characters: "I thought it was strange not to have girls. Also, I knew that it would be popular if the girls were cute."[2] In the animation field, he worked as a character designer for Roujin Z, Mujin Wakusei Survive, and Otaku no Seiza and had the anime Eguchi Hisashi no Kotobuki Goro Show based on his work. Eguchi used his now current wife as a model for Roujin Z's Haruko.[2] Perfect Blue characters were based on Hisashi's designs.[3] In 1990, the short story manga collection Nantoka Narudesho![ja 7] was adapted into an OVA, which mixed anime, live action and puppetry. Eguchi (on his favorite scene)“[Nantoka Narudesho] was a story of a blind girl, and it’s dark all the way through. The dark scene continues for a long period of time. I heard that animator had a hard time. It was all black and he used various ideas for that."[2]

Eguchi has stated that American pop art has been an influence on his work, citing artists such as Roy Lichtenstein and Andy Warhol.[2] He has also cited European cartoonists Moebius and Hergé as figures who have influenced his work.[4] Eguchi describes his style as simple: "I like to use organized lines. The less lines the better".[2]

In 1994, Eguchi founded Comic Cue, an alternative[5] yearly manga magazine: "I wanted to make something like the all-star game in baseball. Or Avengers. All-hero, I wanted to have a festival of Avengers. All the heroes! With all my favorite artists".[2] Katsuhiro Otomo was a contributor to the first issue.[6]

Music

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Eguchi has contributed illustrations for the jackets of several music releases,[7] including:

  • Ging Nang Boyz - Kimi to Boku no Dai 3ji Taisen-teki Renai Kakumei (2005)
  • Shiggy Jr. - Listen To The Music (2014)
  • Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra - Uso wo Tsuku Kuchibiru (2015)
  • Shiggy Jr. - All About Pop (2016)
  • Seiko Oomori - Muteki (2017)
  • Roujin Z Soundtrack 30th Anniversary Soundtrack (2021)
  • Nicely Nice - The Adventures of Nicely Nice (2022)
  • Pictured Resort - Once Upon A Season(2023)

Advertising

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Eguchi's eye on beauty and fashion has granted him several jobs in advertising:

Notes

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Japanese
  1. ^ すすめ!!パイレーツ, Susume!! Pairētsu
  2. ^ ストップ!! ひばりくん!, Sutoppu!! Hibari-kun!
  3. ^ キャラ者, Kyara mono
  4. ^ 十二傑新人漫画賞, Jū ni suguru shinjin manga shō
  5. ^ 恐るべき子ども達
  6. ^ 8時半の決闘
  7. ^ 江口寿史のなんとかなるでショ!, Eguchi Hisashi No Nantoka Narudesho!
  8. ^ リアルワインガイド, Riaru wain gaido
  9. ^ 恋愛講座 リアルエイジ, Renai Kōza Real Age

References

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  1. ^ Wiedemann, Julius (2004) [September 25, 2004]. "Hisashi Eguchi". In Amano, Masanao (ed.). Manga Design. Taschen. p. 126. ISBN 9783822825914.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Baio, Al (Spring 2013). "Hisashi Eguchi Interview". Sex Magazine (3). New York.
  3. ^ Gates, A. (1999, August 20). FILM REVIEW; This Cartoon Didn't Come From Disney. Retrieved April 07, 2018, from https://www.nytimes.com/1999/08/20/movies/film-review-this-cartoon-didn-t-come-from-disney.html
  4. ^ Hisashi Eguchi, Mangaka (Stop!! Hibari-kun!) - toco toco, retrieved 2023-04-30
  5. ^ Pasamonik, Didier (7 May 2006). "Kana lance la revue de mangas "Comic Cue" en France" [Kana launches "Comic Cue" manga magazine in France]. Actua BD: Magazine quotidien d'actualité de la bande dessinée (in French). Actua BD.
  6. ^ Van Huffel, Peter (17 January 2004). "Ootomo Katsuhiro 大友克洋". PRISMS: Promotion of Really Interesting but Seldom seen Manga Series (Formerly the Usenet Manga Guide). Archived from the original on 28 April 2019. Retrieved 1 April 2013.
  7. ^ CDJapan. "Illustration of cover artwork". CDJapan. Retrieved 2023-07-25.
  8. ^ "Real Wine". Real Wine Guide.
  9. ^ "Denny's Restaurant". yeahsaikeung.
  10. ^ "カネボウ化粧品 XANAX 江口寿史 1989". plantfolklore.
  11. ^ "まんとくんの漫画家デビュー". trysmarter2011.
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