Born on May 8, 1973, inTokachi,Hokkaidō, Japan, Arakawa was born and raised on a dairy farm with three elder sisters and a younger brother. Arakawa thought about being amanga artist ever "since [she] was little" and during her school years, she would often draw on textbooks. After graduating high school, she tookoil painting classes once a month for seven years while working on her family's farm. During this time, she also createddōjinshi manga with her friends and drewyonkoma for a magazine.[2][3] Arakawa moved toTokyo in the summer of 1999.[4]
Arakawa began her career in the manga world as an assistant to Hiroyuki Etō, author ofEnix's[a]Mahōjin Guru Guru.[6] Her own mangaStray Dog was published in Enix'sMonthly Shōnen Gangan in 1999.[3]Stray Dog won the ninth 21st Century "Shōnen Gangan" Award.[2] She published one chapter ofShanghai Yōmakikai inMonthly Shōnen Gangan in 2000.[7]
In July 2001, Arakawa published the first chapter ofFullmetal Alchemist inMonthly Shōnen Gangan.[8] The series spanned 108 chapters, with the last one published in July 2010, and the series was collected in twenty-seven volumes.[9][10] Some reviewers say that the combination of Arakawa's art style and the writing inFullmetal Alchemist contribute to its dark thematic elements.[11] The series won the 49thShogakukan Manga Award in theshōnen category in 2004.[12]
Fullmetal Alchemist has been adapted into twoanime series byBones. When they were creating thefirst, Arakawa assisted them in its early development.[13] However, she was not involved in the making of the script, so the anime has a different ending from the manga, which she developed further.[3]
When thesecond anime adaptation was reaching its ending, Arakawa showed directorYasuhiro Irie her plans for the manga's ending, making both end in near dates.[14] Most reviewers distinguish between the manga and anime, which they attribute to differences in style and subject matter.[15][16] One review explains that the manga is more "emotional," whereas the anime is more whimsical.[16] Arakawa's simple, dark style and plot choices contrast with the anime's "cartoony," colorful rendering.[11][16] Reviews in general tend to ascribe the anime to children and the manga to teens and adults.[11][16]
Arakawa has published more works, includingRaiden-18,Sōten no Kōmori (also known asBat in Blue Sky), andHero Tales.[3][17][18] Arakawa has collaborated with the creation ofHero Tales with Studio Flag under the name of Huang Jin Zhou. In the anime adaptation of the series, Arakawa was responsible for the character designs.[19] She has also drawn the cover from the Japanese edition of the novelThe Demon's Lexicon authored bySarah Rees Brennan.[20]
^abcdeSementelli, Arthur (November 14, 2016). "Applying Existential Philosophy and Popular Culture Images to Ethics: The Case for Fullmetal Alchemist".Public Voices.14 (1): 28.doi:10.22140/pv.42.ISSN1072-5660.
^"Interview: Hiromu Arakawa".Animeland (in French) (189). Asuka Editions. January 2013. Archived fromthe original on October 22, 2015. RetrievedSeptember 14, 2013.
