Naoki Urasawa | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Urasawa at the 2012Japan Expo | |
| Born | Naoki Urasawa 浦沢 直樹 (1960-01-02)January 2, 1960 (age 66) Fuchū, Tokyo, Japan |
| Occupation | Manga artist, musician, TV and radio presenter |
| Education | Meisei University |
| Subject | Seinen manga |
| Years active | 1981–present |
| Notable works | |
| Notable awards |
|
Naoki Urasawa (Japanese:浦沢 直樹,Hepburn:Urasawa Naoki; born January 2, 1960) is a Japanesemanga artist and musician. He has been drawing manga since he was four years old, and for most of his professional career has created two series simultaneously. The stories to many of these were co-written in collaboration with his former editor,Takashi Nagasaki. Urasawa has been called one of the artists that changed thehistory of manga and has won numerous awards, including theShogakukan Manga Award three times, theTezuka Osamu Cultural Prize twice, and theKodansha Manga Award once. South Korean filmmakerBong Joon-ho called him "the greatest storyteller of our time", while Dominican-American writerJunot Díaz proclaimed Urasawa to be a national treasure in Japan. By December 2021, his various works had over 140 million copies in circulation worldwide, making him one of thebest-selling authors of all time.
Urasawa's first major work was illustrating the action seriesPineapple Army (1985–1988), which was written by Kazuya Kudo. The first serial that he wrote and illustrated himself, and his first major success, was the sports mangaYawara! (1986–1993). He then illustrated the adventure seriesMaster Keaton (1988–1994), which was written by Hokusei Katsushika and Nagasaki, and created the sports mangaHappy! (1993–1999). The thrillerMonster (1994–2001) was his first to receive international acclaim and success, which continued with the science fiction mystery20th Century Boys (1999–2006). Following the acclaimedPluto (2003–2009), which is a re-imagining ofAstro Boy byOsamu Tezuka, one of Urasawa's biggest influences, he and Nagasaki created the mystery seriesBilly Bat (2008–2016). After two short series, a sequel toMaster Keaton with Nagasaki andMujirushi: The Sign of Dreams, Urasawa began his currently ongoingAsadora! in 2018.
Urasawa citedOsamu Tezuka as one of his heroes, being particularly fond of hismangaPhoenix.[1] "The Greatest Robot on Earth" and "The Artificial Sun" arcs of Tezuka'sAstro Boy were his first experiences with manga at four or five years old.[2] Around that same age is when he started to draw manga, and at eight he created his first complete story.[3] Even at a young age, Urasawa saw the gulf between his work and that of a "real manga artist." He said that he could also identify manga that was "commercialized" and made just for the money, something he did not want to do. Thus he never thought of becoming a professional manga artist, and graduated fromMeisei University with a degree in economics.[3]
When Urasawa visitedShogakukan to apply for a business job, he decided to bring some manga he had drawn out of curiosity.[4] An editor fromWeekly Shōnen Sunday did not give him the time of day, but the head editor ofBig Comic Original happened to walk by and felt the work was better suited forBig Comic Spirits, and took Urasawa to their editorial department. He ended up submitting manga for their 1982 New Manga Artist Award, which his unpublished work "Return" won. It was only then that he thought about becoming a professional manga artist.[4] It was a year after winning the award that Urasawa metTakashi Nagasaki, who would become his longtime editor and collaborator.[5]
After working as an assistant forToshio Nobe,[6][7] Urasawa made his professional debut in 1983 with "Beta!", which was published in a special issue ofGolgo 13.[8] He then created the short serialized workDancing Policeman the following year. Urasawa began his first major serialized work,Pineapple Army, in 1985 in the semimonthlyBig Comic Original. He was the illustrator of the series, while Kazuya Kudo was its writer. It ended in 1988 and was collected into eighttankōbon volumes. While working onPineapple Army, Urasawa beganYawara! in the weeklyBig Comic Spirits in 1986 which he wrote and illustrated himself. It earned him the 1989Shogakukan Manga Award in the General category.[9] That same year it was adapted into a live-action film and ananime television series. It ended in 1993 and was collected into 29 volumes.
WhenPineapple Army ended, Urasawa beganMaster Keaton forBig Comic Original in November 1988. He illustrated it, while Hokusei Katsushika wrote it. It ended in August 1994 and was collected into 18 volumes. An anime television adaptation began in 1998, before finishing as anoriginal video animation in 2000. Likewise whenYawara! ended, Urasawa began another solo series inBig Comic Spirits.Happy! ran from 1993 until 1999 and was collected into 23 volumes. It was adapted into two live-action television films in 2006.
FollowingMaster Keaton's end, Urasawa beganMonster inBig Comic Original in December 1994. It earned him the 1999Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize,[10] and his second Shogakukan Manga Award in the General category in 2001.[9] It ended in December 2001, was collected into 18 volumes, and adapted into an anime television series in 2004.Junot Díaz,Pulitzer Prize for Fiction winner, praisedMonster and proclaimed "Urasawa is a national treasure in Japan."[11] WithHappy!'s ending, Urasawa began20th Century Boys inBig Comic Spirits in 1999. It earned him the 2001Kodansha Manga Award in the General category,[12] and his third Shogakukan Manga Award in the General category in 2002.[9] It ended in 2006 and was collected into 22 volumes. The story briefly continued as21st Century Boys in 2007, which was collected into two volumes.20th Century Boys was adapted into three live-action films, which were released in 2008 and 2009.
While working on20th Century Boys, Urasawa began adapting "The Greatest Robot on Earth" story arc of Osamu Tezuka'sAstro Boy into the seriesPluto. It was serialized inBig Comic Original from September 9, 2003, to April 5, 2009, and collected into 8 volumes. It earned him his second Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize.[10] In 2008, Urasawa began working forKodansha, serializingBilly Bat inMorning. It ran from October 16, 2008, to August 18, 2016, and was collected into 20 volumes. Also in 2008, Urasawa and Nagasaki took guest teaching posts atNagoya Zokei University, where they taught "Modern Expression Course: Manga Classes" two to three times a year, although the class met every month.[13] Initially planned for only five students, he agreed to expand it to fifteen in an effort to create more "real artists."[13]
Oricon held a poll on the Mangaka that Changed the History of Manga in 2010,mangaka being the Japanese word for a manga artist, and Urasawa came in tenth.[14] In 2011, Urasawa illustrated a picture book adaptation of Kosuke Hamada's storyRed Oni Cries.[15]
.jpg)
Urasawa began writing a sequel toMaster Keaton in 2012 titledMaster Keaton Remaster.[16] When asked why he went back to a series after so many years, Urasawa stated it was because with the original series he had a hard time making the story he wanted due to contractual obligation, and because people affected by the2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami said they had enjoyed the series, so he wanted to do something for them.[17] Beginning in the March 2012 issue ofBig Comic Original it finished in 2014 and was collected into a single volume. As a guest at the 2012Japan Expo in France, Urasawa talked about how he entered the manga industry, gave a live drawing demonstration, and performed two songs as a musician, and joined rock band Hemenway on stage the following day.[18]
Between 2013 and 2014, Urasawa contributed to the essay series "The Old Guys" that was published inShueisha'sJump X magazine. His contributions and those of the other 32 writers who participated were collected into a July 2015 volume of the same name.[19] In August 2013, Urasawa created his first "monster manga" titled "Kaiju Kingdom", a 41-pageone-shot published inBig Comic.[20] Urasawa is the host of theNHK Educational TV documentary seriesUrasawa Naoki no Manben, which focuses on a different manga artist each episode and explores their individual styles. He coined the word "manben" from his childhood; his parents and grandparents used to tell him, "Don't drawmanga all day! You need tobenkyō (study), too!".[21] It began as a one-off special in November 2014, a first season was launched in September 2015, a second in March 2016,[22] a third in September 2016,[23] and a fourth in March 2017.[24] After three years, the show returned in October 2020 withNeo added to the end of its title.[25] The show won the December 2015 Planning Award as part of Quick Japan's annual TV of the Year awards, decided by broadcast writers.[26] The June 9, 2021, episode onYoshikazu Yasuhiko won the Grand Prize in the entertainment category at the 2022Japan Media Arts Festival.[27] Beginning in July 2015, Urasawa started contributing to the "Musica Nostra" column series that was published in Shueisha'sGrand Jump magazine.[28]
An art exhibition of Urasawa's work was on display in Tokyo from January 16 to March 31, 2016, before moving to Osaka from November 26 to January 25, 2017. It included illustrations, manga manuscripts, story notes, and childhood manga.[29][30] Urasawa contributed a short, full color, left-to-right manga titled "Tanshin Funin/Solo Mission" to the February 2016 French comics anthologyThe Tipping Point to commemorate publisherHumanoids' 40th anniversary. Re-titledTurning Point, the anthology was published in Japan in September 2017.[31] He created a short three-page manga about 1960s British rock bandthe Beatles time-traveling to 2016. Released in June 2016 on the website of Tokyo radio stationInterFM897, it coincides with the TV programKKBOX Here comes The Beatles and celebrates the 50th anniversary of the band's visit to Japan.[32]
On April 9, 2017, Urasawa began co-hosting a radio program with actor and comedianJunji Takada.Junji and Naoki airs Sundays at 5pm onNippon Cultural Broadcasting and features both men talking about their lives, professions, and favorite hobbies.[33] That year Urasawa also began the limited seriesMujirushi: The Sign of Dreams in a collaboration with France'sLouvre Museum. It began inBig Comic Original in October 2017 and ended on February 20, 2018.[34]
In January 2018, Urasawa attended the 45thAngoulême International Comics Festival in France, where he received the Fauve Special Award and the Fauve PolarSNCF Special Award for mystery. The festival also held an art exhibit of his work, before it moved to Paris from February 13 to March 31.[35] Urasawa was the subject of the June 23Wowow Prime TV programNonfiction W Urasawa Naoki ~Tensai Mangaka no Owaranai Tabi~, which followed him around Europe, including to the 2018 Angoulême International Comics Festival and meetingKlaus Voormann in Germany.[36] Urasawa beganAsadora! inBig Comic Spirits on October 6, 2018.[37] South Korean film directorBong Joon-ho called Urasawa "the greatest storyteller of our time" and likened the experience of readingAsadora! to that of being able to go back and read20th Century Boys for the first time again.[38] The November 2018 issue ofMonthly Big Comic Spirits, released on September 27, was given the special title "Urasawa Jack". It included Urasawa's one-shot "It's a Beautiful Day", which adapted a story told to him by musician Kenji Endo, an interview between him andShigeru Izumiya, and a calendar featuring illustrations of "beautiful women" by the artist.[39] On December 27, Urasawa co-hosted a special radio program about Osamu Tezuka alongsideChiaki Kuriyama for Nippon Cultural Broadcasting.[40]
In 2019, he designed the official posters of the 2019Osaka Women's Marathon and a classic car charity event organized byToshiaki Karasawa for reconstruction after the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.[41][42] On January 23, 2019, Japan House Los Angeles presented the first North American exhibit of Urasawa's work, titled "This is MANGA – the Art of NAOKI URASAWA". The exhibit ran until March 28, 2019, and featured more than 400 original drawings and storyboards. Urasawa participated in an artist discussion and book signing on opening day.[43] The exhibit moved to Japan House London from June 5 to July 28, also attended by the artist.[44] Urasawa was a 2019 nominee for entry into theWill Eisner Hall of Fame.[45]
In 2020, Urasawa drew advertisements for theSamsonite Red luggage brand,[46] and was chosen to create one of the official posters for the2020 Summer Olympics.[47] For the second year in a row, he drew the poster for the Osaka Women's Marathon.[48] In June, Urasawa created the cover portrait forUniversal Japan's 250th anniversary release of music byLudwig van Beethoven.[49] He also appears in July 2020'sZK/Zunō Keisatsu 50 Mirai e no Kodō, a documentary film about the rock band Zunō Keisatsu.[50] Urasawa directed and illustrated the music video, and illustrated the cover art, forKazuyoshi Saito's March 2021 digital single "Boy".[51] In November 2021, Urasawa's first one-shot for Shueisha, "Dr. Toguro Dokuro no Saigo", was published inGrand Jump to celebrate the magazine's 10th anniversary.[52] By December 2021, his various works had over 140 million copies in circulation worldwide.[53] He had an acting role in the December 2022 filmThe Flower in the Sky, portraying poetHaruo Satō.[54] Urasawa served as a "creative partner" onLa Panthere de Cartier, a 2025 anime produced by the French brandCartier and animated byProduction I.G.[55]
Fusanosuke Natsume said that prior to entering university, Urasawa's style showed influence fromShinji Nagashima andOsamu Tezuka's 1970s work, but went on to claim that in 1979 it became aligned with that ofKatsuhiro Otomo.[60] Due to his skill at structuringpanel layouts,Kazuhiko Torishima cited Urasawa as the true successor to Tezuka.[61] When talking in 1997 about the future of manga, Urasawa opined that "Tezuka created the form that exists today, thencaricatures appeared next, and comics changed again when Katsuhiro Otomo came on the scene. I don't think there's any room left for further changes."[4] He has also expressed admiration for Frenchbande dessinée artistMoebius and American novelistStephen King.[62][63] Although Urasawa's works likeYawara! had light entertainment with cute young girls, Natsume says Urasawa developed his own personal style withMonster, which he described as realistic, or directorially based, with cinematic panel layouts similar to Otomo andgekiga artists. Natsume also noted that many of his characters resemble famous movie stars.[60] Urasawa himself described his approach to manga as similar to storyboarding a movie,[64] and acknowledged his work as adult-oriented, stating that even as a child he never liked manga aimed at children.[65] However, he noted that he and Otomo both prefer to have their work called manga and not gekiga.[65]
When asked where he gets ideas from, Urasawa said "I have been illustrating all my life. Inspiration is everywhere, when I get in the bath, when I get out. It's whether you are perceiving these ideas and whether you are able to catch them."[66] He also said that he does not worry about what the readers want, and simply draws stories that he finds interesting.[64] The artist said that while manga is often looked at as simple, he makes sure to use subtleties to show dramatic expressions and convey emotion, claiming "You won't find two expressions that are the same" in his work.[66]
On his storytelling process, Urasawa states, "When I start a new project, I start with the larger arc of the story. I visualize a movie trailer for that story, and after I compose this movie trailer in my mind, there comes a point where I'm so excited about it that I have to write the story. And then I imagine, 'Where do I start to begin to tell this narrative?' and that's usually the first chapter."[64] He does not plan the story out in advance, claiming that it tells him where it wants to go, and that if the story does not keep surprising even him, then he can not continue making it.[64]
He also does not determine the page or panel layouts in advance. Having drawn manga for over five decades, he just follows his instincts, explaining "When I start to structure a story narratively, the question of tempo — developing a character moment-to-moment and then jumping to a two-page spread — how do you determine where that happens? It's like breathing to me — I know when it feels right."[64]
For most of his career, Urasawa has written two different series simultaneously.[67] With one of them being a weekly serialization and the other having a semimonthly schedule, Urasawa had six deadlines a month and said the only time off he had was when sleeping or eating.[68] Urasawa frequently collaborates with manga editor and authorTakashi Nagasaki, to the point where Nagasaki has been called his "producer." The two met when Nagasaki was made Urasawa's editor upon his debut. Although the two continue to collaborate even after Nagasaki became freelance, they rarely socialize outside of work.[69] Urasawa said that following the anime adaptation ofYawara!, he has requested that he be able to check the scripts for any adaptation of his works.[17] Until 2018's ongoingAsadora!, none of Urasawa's manga had ever been legally available indigital formats. The author stated that he prefers physical books.[70] However, his earlier works began receiving digital releases in 2022, limited to Japan.[71]
.jpg)
Urasawa is also a musician. He stated "A lot of artists really struggled to decide whether to become manga artists or rock musicians, so the two are intertwined, they're synonymous!"[65] Urasawa started playing guitar in junior high school inspired byfolk rock singer-songwritersTakuro Yoshida andBob Dylan.[72]
Urasawa wrote and performed the song "Bob Lennon (Kenji no Uta)" (Bob Lennon (ケンヂの歌)), which was released on a CD included in the 2002 first pressing of volume 11 of20th Century Boys.[73] He released the limited single "Tsuki ga Tottemo..." (月がとっても…) on June 4, 2008,[73] and his debut albumHanseiki no Otoko (半世紀の男; 'Half Century Man') on November 29, 2008.[74] Both were produced by Koji Wakui, while the album featuresHiroyuki Namba and other musicians.[5] A single featuring a remix ofT. Rex's "20th Century Boy" and Urasawa's "Bob Lennon (Kenji no Uta)" was released on August 19, 2009.[75] Urasawa and Mitsuru Kuramoto wrote and performed "Nigero" (逃げろ) under the name Urasawa ni Mitsuru (浦沢に美津留) to be the theme of the 2011NTT Docomo TV showTsubuyaki Sanshirō ~Ippon Nau!~.[76][77] In 2012 he performed a Japanese cover of Bob Dylan's "Girl from the North Country" and "Guta Lala Suda Lala" from his series20th Century Boys at theJapan Expo, and the following day he joined rock bandHemenway on stage.[18]
Urasawa's second album,Mannon (漫音) which he wrote and produced himself, was released in 2016.[72] Urasawa wrote a demo for a song titled "Kanashiki LA Tengoku" (悲しきLA天国) and sent it to musicianMike Viola, who finished the track and invited Urasawa to Los Angeles to play on it. The people playing on the song are Urasawa, Viola, drummerJim Keltner, and Mitsuru Kuramoto. It is included on the albumThe Best of Mike Viola which was released on January 22, 2020, with the performance credited to Monaka.[78] In 2020, Urasawa was one of many people who submitted lyrics that were adopted by Sunplaza Nakano-kun into a new version ofBakufu Slump's 1984 song "Murida! Ketteihan" (無理だ！決定盤).[79] Urasawa's third album,Love Songs, was released on February 26, 2025. It includes a new version of "Manga Kaki no Ballad" (漫画描きのバラード), the theme song to his TV showUrasawa Naoki no Manben Neo, that featuresTetsuya Komuro, "It's Because I Love You" from his manga seriesAsadora!, "Mr. Postman" featuringLenny Castro, and "Rainbow Child" featuringMiu Sakamoto.[80]
.jpg)
| Award | Year | Recipient(s) and nominee(s) | Category | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Angoulême International Comics Festival | 2004 | 20th Century Boys | Prize for a Series | Won | [95] |
| 2011 | Pluto | Intergenerational Award | Won | [96] | |
| 2018 | Naoki Urasawa | Fauve Special Award | Won | [35] | |
| Fauve PolarSNCF Special Award | Won | ||||
| 2021 | Asadora! | Youth Selection | Nominated | [97] | |
| Association des Critiques et des journalistes de Bande Dessinée | 2010 | Pluto | Prix Asie-ACBD | Won | [98] |
| Eagle Awards | 2012 | 20th Century Boys | Favourite New Manga | Won | [99] |
| Eisner Awards | 2007 | Monster | Best U.S. Edition of International Material—Japan | Nominated | [100] |
| Best Continuing Series | Nominated | ||||
| 2008 | Nominated | [101] | |||
| 2009 | Nominated | [102] | |||
| Best U.S. Edition of International Material—Japan | Nominated | ||||
| 2010 | Naoki Urasawa | Best Writer/Artist | Nominated | [103] | |
| Pluto | Best U.S. Edition of International Material—Asia | Nominated | |||
| Best Limited Series or Story Arc | Nominated | ||||
| 20th Century Boys | Best Continuing Series | Nominated | [104] | ||
| 2011 | Nominated | ||||
| Best U.S. Edition of International Material—Asia | Won | [105] | |||
| Naoki Urasawa | Best Writer/Artist | Nominated | [106] | ||
| 2012 | 20th Century Boys | Best Continuing Series | Nominated | [104] | |
| 2013 | Best U.S. Edition of International Material—Asia | Won | [107] | ||
| 2015 | Master Keaton | Nominated | [108] | ||
| 2016 | Nominated | [109] | |||
| 2019 | Naoki Urasawa | Will Eisner Hall of Fame | Nominated | [45] | |
| Harvey Awards | 2010 | Pluto | Best American Edition of Foreign Material | Nominated | [110] |
| 20th Century Boys | Nominated | [111] | |||
| 2013 | Nominated | ||||
| 2021 | Asadora! | Best Manga | Nominated | [112] | |
| Haxtur Award | 2004 | Monster | Best Long Comic Strip | Won | [113] |
| Best Script | Nominated | ||||
| Japan Cartoonists Association Awards | 2008 | 20th Century Boys and21st Century Boys | Grand Prize | Won | [114] |
| Japan Expo Awards | 2006 | Monster | Best Seinen | Won | [115] |
| Best Scenario | Won | ||||
| 2007 | Best Seinen (Audience Award) | Won | [116] | ||
| 2008 | 20th Century Boys | Grand Prix | Won | [117] | |
| 2012 | Naoki Urasawa | Honorary Award | Won | [118] | |
| 2025 | Pineapple Army | Best Scenario | Nominated | [119] | |
| Japan Media Arts Festival | 1997 | Monster | Excellence Prize | Won | [120] |
| 2002 | 20th Century Boys | Won | [121] | ||
| 2005 | Pluto | Won | [122] | ||
| Kodansha Manga Awards | 2001 | 20th Century Boys | General | Won | [12] |
| Lucca Comics Awards | 2004 | Monster | Best Series | Won | [123] |
| 2010 | Pluto | Won | |||
| 2012 | Billy Bat | Won | |||
| 2021 | Asadora! | Won | |||
| Max & Moritz Prize | 2014 | Billy Bat | Best International Comic | Won | [124] |
| 2022 | Naoki Urasawa | Lifetime Achievement Award | Won | [125] | |
| Seiun Awards | 2008 | 20th Century Boys and21st Century Boys | Best Comic | Won | [126] |
| 2010 | Pluto | Won | [127] | ||
| Shogakukan Manga Award | 1989 | Yawara! | General | Won | [9] |
| 2000 | Monster | Won | |||
| 2002 | 20th Century Boys | Won | |||
| Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize | 1999 | Monster | Grand Prize | Won | [10] |
| 2005 | Pluto | Won |
A ton of care is put into even the slightest change in facial expression, conveying a spread of emotion without constantly relying on dialogue or flailing exaggerations.
His characters wear their personalities on their faces, communicating changes in their outlooks, psychology, inner thoughts and emotions with shifts in expression that range from barely perceptible to masks of rage, hate and fear.
Even the huge cast of characters are all visually distinct; no two people look exactly alike.
...one of the most expansive and diverse casts in any manga, yet the auteur makes each individual independently recognizable as characters grow over decades.
