The thought makes one think of digging up a list of notable manga and anime artists that contributed to the current world filled with anime and manga art works. You should keep in mind that the frames of the persons you hang on to your hall of fame should be people who have made milestones in the industry and makes you proud in displaying their famous works as well.

Most popular and enduring artists in the manga and anime industry are considered to the the creme de le crop of their lot. Check all creators of the outstanding manga and anime titles around and you will see a few names pop out a few times. Manga and anime might be part of a pop culture, but their artists are truly talented and influential to the industry. With the help of the Internet, their stories and art are being appreciated worldwide. Finding a few non-Japanese artist in this lot should come as no surprise for you.

Like works of art, artists in this genre is acknowledged for their renowned projects. Artists- being defined here as the creator, author, writer, and directors of both anime and manga. Their names are almost synonymous to the titles of their greatest work. In turn, they inspire other artists to create thousands of art works in the years to come.

This list tackles the most influential names in the manga and anime industry that have at least one award from numerous awarding bodies. Works from these manga and anime artists would surely ring a bell for a fanatic or a mere curious cat. So look no further for your hall of fame contenders as this list provide you with the most celebrated artists of anime and manga.

1. Tezuka Osamu (1928-1989)

About The Artist

He is the Father of Anime and Manga worldwide that paved the way for many other artists long after he has gone. Even with a medical degree, he pursued his passion for drawing comic books, making his first debut in many Japanese publications until he got his big break through his hard work and loveable famous creations. His legacy moved the Japanese government to build him a commemorative shrine showcasing his life and work. His most famous work is Astroboy which was printed in manga (1952-1968), done in animation (1963), and just last year became a digital movie last year(2009). Kodansha Awards gave him one of its first awards in 1977 He received numerous awards even after his death like a Special Award from Seiun Awards (1989) and some Japanese awards are named after him in honor of his immeasurable contributions to the manga and anime world.

His Featured Work

Astroboy or Tetsuwam Atom (Mighty Atom) is a futuristic story about a boy robot who uses his super power to save human kind from numerous threats. He was created by a Dr. Tenma in hope of replacing his dead son but later on abandoned by him and was sent to a robot circus where he was persecuted by humans. He was rescued by Dr. Ochanomizu who teaches him to develop his human characteristics and save the human race. He does not age and throughout the story, this is a constant challenge for him to bear.This entertaining and enduring creation has its universal appeal to both the young and the old.

2. Miyazaki Hayao (1941-)

About The Artist

Said to be the Ozamu Tesuka of the current times, Miyazaki Hayao has been making anime movies that are still making critics note down his name especially on international film festivals. He graduated from an elite university in Japan in 1963 and joined the biggest animation studio in Asia ,Toei Animation. He had collaborated with other artists, producing noted Japanese animated movies like Howl’s Moving Castle (2004), Princess Mononoke (1997), My Neighbor Totoro (1988) and Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (1984). The latter he created the manga itself before directing its animated feature. In 2001, he started Studio Gibhl as an animation studio that counterparts Disney Studios. He was awarded in 2005 Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement award at the 62nd venice International Film Festival for his works.

His Featured Work

Spirited Away (2001) is the story of a little girl and her parents who took a turn into a magical tunnel and transported into a world of spirits. It gained the Bear Award in Berlin film festivals, grabbed the 2003 Oscar’s Best Animated Film and not to mention earned box office hits in cinemas and DVD’s.

3. Fujio Akatsuka (1935-2008)

About The Artist

Known as the Gag Manga King, pioneered in the funny manga genre. He was known for his humorous and anti-hero characters that have been made into animated installations. He was born in Manchuria but moved back in Japan after World War II. He worked as a factory worker but continued on drawing his manga inspired by MAD and Buster Keaton. He would send his funny comic strips to various publishing houses for printing. His hardwork paid off when Nama-chan became a big hit in 1958. Since then he created other notable humurous manga lines that remain popular in this genre. He died of pneumonia in 2008. Akatsuka Award, named after him – is a semi-annual award giving body to humorous manga artists.

His Featured Work

His most famous work, Tensai Bokabon that closely resembles the story of The Simpsons, an American sitcom. It centers first on the son and then his father, both who gets into mischief in coming up with plans for simple cases or situations. Their efforts provide the laughs for the series thoughout its printing and airing runs.

4. Fujiko Fujio : Hiroshi Fujimoto (1933-1996) and Motoo Abiko (1934-)

About The Artist

Fujiko Fujio is a pen name for a duo of manga artists who have been friends since their elementary days in 1944. Both artists started drawing comic strips for various publications in their high school years and later on created Studio Zero which was the studio that produced the animated Astroboy film during its peak period. They shared this duo name for about forty years before ending their their partnership in 1987. Apparently Hiroshi sometimes uses Fujiko F. Fujio while Abiko uses Fujiko A. Fujio. The different versions on the original “Fujiko Fujio” were used after their partnership ended and they both produced their own works. They received awards being a duo and in their individual efforts as well. Some of the most notable award received by them as Fujiko Fujio is the first Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize Grand Prize for Doraemon.

His Featured Work

Fujiko Fujio’s Doraemon (1970) is about a stray robotic cat from the 22nd century that goes back in time to help a little boy Nobita Nobi in his school and adventures. The stories centralizes on moral teachings about values and current issues. Doraemon has become a cultural icon in Japan due to his popularity and was dubbed as anime ambassador in March 2008 by the Foreign Ministry. Its distirbution to the English-speaking countries remains to be a challenge due to some of its controversial content issues

5. Naoki Urusawa (1960-)

About The Artist

Naoki Urusawa started his manga career in the 1980’s. His manga style is rich in action, mystery, thrill, and suspense. Urusawa’s story telling is very distinct on his masterpieces and usually influenced by heavy German names and places. His notable works like Return (1981), Yawara! A Fashinable Judo Girl (1986-1993), Master Keaton (1988-1994), Monster (1994-2001), and his recent famous 20th Century Boys (2000-2006). Urasawa is a multi-awarded artist, having been a recipient of prestigious awards many times like Shogakakun Award (three times), Tezuka Osamu’s Cultural award (twice), Kodansha Awards, and even won the Pulitzer Award for Fiction in 2008.

His Featured Work

Monster is a story about the search of Dr. Kenzo Tenma of a boy he once saved that grew up to be a sociopath. Monster is aptly titled as it explores the complexities of human nature and the tendency to harbor “monsters” within us. The manga richly portrays the adventures of Dr. Tenma along with other characters that came across Johan from various places across the world and the mystery he starts to solve about why the boy turned out to be the sociopath that he is.

6. Lee Chi Ching (1963-)

About The Artist

Lee Chi Ching is the first non-Japanese comic artist that have received the first International Manga Award in 2007 from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. He started his comic and graphic career way back in 1981 in Hong Kong with a particular inclination to historical manga. His contemporary works have been translated and published in Japan. He also has a watercolor artwork being housed in Hong Kong Museum of Arts in 1982 winning tan award in the Hong Kong Contemporary Art Biennial.

His Featured Work

His noted work Sun Tzi’s Tactics outbest the other 19 contemporary works from other countries. This manga is about focus on the war hero Sun Tzi of two warring kingdoms and the art of war he develops in the conflict between Wu and Chu.

7. Yoko Kamio (1966-)

About The Artist

Yoko Kamio’s passion for drawing overpowered her secretarial job. She decided to pursue her passion and continues to do so. Her style is mainly for shoujo (manga for girls) stories and in the romantic comedy category. She is well-known for her work, Hana Yori Dango (Boys Over Flowers) which debuted in 1992 until 2003 and has been distributed world wide. She won the 1995 Shogakukan Award under the Shojo category for Boys Over Flower. The storyline identifies much of any other high school girl’s life and the heroine, Tsukushi Makino, becomes a loveable character of the manga. Movies, animation, and live-action versions of her work has been in Asia since its original release and continues to be read and viewed by her fans today. Her follow up works include Cat Street (2005) and Matsuri Special (2007).

Her Featured Work

Yoko Kamio’s most famous masterpiece, Hana Yori Dango, is a romantic comedy having a Cinderella feel to it. Its main characters, Tsukushi Makino and Domyouji Tsukasa are from different levels of society but battled their differences to find true love in each other. The story also focuses on the couple’s friends and family and their constant conflicts and struggles to stay in their relationship. In 2008, TBS Japan produced Hana Yori Dango The Finale live action film that concludes their 2005 & 2007 two-season live action TV production. The story has been made into numerous productions in Asia, like Meteor Garden I & II (2001-2002) and Boys Over Flowers in Korea (2009) that became big hits as well to their local patrons.

8. Hideko Mizuno (1939-)

About The Artist

Hideko Mizuno was an assitant to Osamu Tezuka and one of the successful pioneers in shojo manga. Akkane Pony (1956) was her first manga debut and made White Troika in 1963. She was one of the many female artists in the 1960-1970’s to have dominated the manga for girls category. Ironically, she won her first award Shogakukan in 1969 for her work Fire! Which has a boy for its main character. She is also well-know for being the original creator of Honey Honey or Honey Honey no Suteki na Bouken (1966) that has been multi-translated into many languages and having been circulated to various countries like the US, Europe and Latin America.

Her Featured Work

Honey Honey no Suteki na Bouken is the story of Honey Honey, a common girl with her pet cat Lily and the adventure she has to have to evade the pursuers for the Princess Flora’s ring swallowed by her cat. She tours mostly around Europe in avoiding the Princess and her suitors including a guy named Phoenix, who is also after the ring to make the Princess his bride. As the story progress, many discoveries are made about who really is Honey Honey.

9. Akira Toyinama (1955-)

About The Artist

Akira Toyinama was greatly influenced by Ozamu Tesuka, Disney, and Jackie Chan films. He made his first manga entitled Wonderland in 1979. He started his career by submitting his works (mostly one-shot manga) as contest entries in the weekly Shonen Jump. He was trained to become a professional manga artist by Shonen and soon produced his award-winning piece Dr. Slump – a gag comic that won his Shogakukan Award in 1981. But he will be world acclaimed with his following big project, Dragon Ball Z (1984). He owns Bird Studio made one shot titles along with some character design commissions from the other media industry like RPG.

His Featured Work

Dragon Ball Z has a very universal appeal. It started out as an off-beat gag comic but then transformed into an action genre. It tells the story of Son Goku an alien with human form but a very monkey tail on a quest in finding the seven dragon balls scattered all over the world. Once the seven dragon balls come together, a wish will be granted. Along the way, he meets lots of other colorful characters from his intense travels and trainings. He soon discovers his own origin and decides to protect the Earth that has become his own home. It has about 42 volumes so it is quite a long adventure but fun and entertaining all the same.

10. Tite Kubo (1997-)

About The Artist

Tite Kubo’s art work was greatly influenced by Shigeru Mizuki’s Gegege no Kitaro and Masami Kuramada’s Saint Seiya. These manga were around for his reading when he was a little boy. His successful work, Bleach (2001), has become famous and well received in both Japan, Europe and the US. He was even awarded the Inkbox Award from Comic-Con which he only shared with Ozamu Tesuka and Monkey Punch both acclaimed artists themselves. Bleach also gained him the Shogakukan Award in 2004.

His Featured Work

Bleach is about Ichigo Kurasaki’s adventures after accidentally gaining his power similar to a Grim Reaper. His duties and the persons (alive, undead, or otherwise) he met along with his new responsibility makes the manga more entertaining. It has been made into anime and a film, Bleach: Memories of Nobody in 2008. As of 2010, it has 44 volumes and is still ongoing.

11. Yu Koyama (1948-)

About The Artist

Yu Koyama graduated from Shizuka University and relocated in Tokyo in 1968. He took a job with Saito Productions and later on rendered his talent to Studio Ship in 1971. He worked with other famous mangaka (manga artists) like Takao Saito and Kazuo Koike. His launching work, Ore wa Chokakku was printed by Shonen Sunday in 1978. Ganberi Genki (1977) and Azumi (1998) won him the Shogakukan Awards.

His Featured Work

Azumi tells the epic tale of a girl named Azumi, raised to be a lethal assassin who is void of human morals and values. She is part of a team picked and trained to assassinate men from the erring government. Azumi soon discovers the complexity of human interaction and her life’s purpose. She is confronted with her own humanity and mission. The live action in 2003 Azumi also became a hit even to foreign critics in other countries. There was a sequel Azumi: Death of Love in and the movie still followed the life of Azumi as she completes her mission to the end.

12. Takehiko Inoue (1967-)

About The Artist

Takehiko Inoue started his manga career being an assistant to the manga City Hunter by Tsukasa Hojo. His first manga Purple Kaede in 1988 in Weekly Shonen Jump and then he became his won illustrator for his debut tankobon manga Chameleon Jail in 1989. His works are mostly sports related especially about basketball . He was in his early twenties when he created the noteworthy Slamdunk in 1990-1996 which earned him his popularity among his Japanese fans. It was turned into animation and four movies and earned him the Kodansha Award in 1995. Another master piece of Inoue is Vagabond which he started in 1998 that earned him a Kodansha Award in 2000 and Osamu Tezuka Cultural Award in 2002. His next work, Buzzer Beater in 1997 was a collaboration with sports channel ESPN and was animated in 2005 and again in 2007. He also started Real, a manga about basketball on a wheelchair in 2001 and is still ongoing along with Vagabond.

His Featured Work

Slamdunk was declared as Japan’s favorite manga in 2007. The manga centers on Hanamichi Sakuragi who has no talent in the sport but he is gifted with the right height and structure for the game. He joins the high school basketball team to impress a girl and gets into a rigid training. The story builds up on his training and dedication to transform from a punk to a basketball superstar.

13. Takeshi Obata (1969-)

About The Artist

Takeshi Obata usually collaborates with authors and writers and minds only being the illustrator of some of the most popular manga. He has very crisp style sense for his drawn characters depicting his good fashion taste. He showed his own talent by doing his own one-shot manga in 1985 entitled Kounen no Shinwa to Shueisha that won him an Osamu Tezuka Cultural Award. He then became an assitant to another manga artist Makoto Niwano and mentored some other mangaka including Nobuhiro Watsuki of Rorounin Kenshin and Kentaro Yabuki of Black Cat. He worked with other artists with other one-shot manga until his big hit team-up with Yumi Hotta in the Hikari No Go in 1998 that earned him yet another award in 2000 from Shogakukan Award. His next project, Death Note (2003) has been very promising. In 2007 he has been doing one-shot mangas like Hello Baby and Nisio Isin. He is currently working on Bakuman that started in 2008. With his talent for character design he also works with character design in a video game called Castlevania Judgement and light illustrations.

His Featured Work

Hikari No Go is Obata’s award-winning work that revolves a coming of age story of a boy who plays the game board “Go”. He meets lots of competitors and title holders and has bouts of self-discovery along the way. This manga was later animated in 2001-2003 and started the interest in playing the board game “Go” in Asian countries.

14. Jiro Taniguchi (1947-)

About The Artist

Jiro Taniguchi started out being as an assitant to Kyoto Ishikawa and made published his debut manga Kareta Heya in 1970 in Young Comic. His art style is laden with subtle hints of Japanese culture and traditions which is a counterpart to the sometimes violent take of shonen manga. He won prestigious Osamu Tezuka Cultural award in 1998 for his joint venture with Natsuo Nekigawa from 1981-1994 for the trilogy Bocchan no Jidai. Another work of his, Inu wo Kai (1992) earned him the Shogakukan Award and Haruka na Machi e gave him Alph Awards in 2003 in France’s Angoulême International Comics Festival.

His Featured Work

Bocchan no Jidai is a trilogy drawn in ten volumes adapted by Jiro Taniguchi from the novel Botchan written in 1906. It has a male at its lead role, Botchan, and tackles morality in political Japan represented by its various supporting characters.

15. Hideo Azuma (1950-)

About The Artist

Hideo Azuma being in the business for over 20 years, is dubbed as the Father of Lilicon in the late 1970’s both in the science fiction (White Cybele) and pornographic (Shojo Alice) subcategories. He started his manga career in 1969 in the Akita Shoten in Manga O and launched his well-known series Nanako SOS and Little Pollon. In 1978 he began his works in smaller niche magazines such as Bessatsu Kisuten with his work Fujuri Nikki. After his weary life in late 1980-early 1990’s (he had undergone rehabilitation for his drinking problems) he made another manga in 2005, Disappearance Diary. He won various awards namely, Grand prize in the 9th Japan Media Art Awards 2005, Grand Prize in Tezuka Osamu Cultural Award 2006 and as a Selection in the Angoulême International Comics Festival 2008 for his work Shisso Nikki.

His Featured Work

Sissho Nikki eeringly resembles the stagnant life Hideo Azuma have had during his weary days. It describes the life of a manga artist who has suffers from “writer’s block”.

16. Kaiji Kawaguchi (1948-)

About The Artist

Kaiji Kawaguchi style as a manga artist reflects his political and philosophical take on choices being made in dire situations and the need for examination of the options therein. He received the Kodansha Awards three times for his different works: Actor in 1987, Silent Service in 1990, Zipang in 2002, and Shogakukan Award in 2006 for A Spirit in the Sun. Kawaguchi also works with other manga writers handling their artworks like Hard & Loose 1984 (Caribu Marley), YELLOW 1995 (Shinji Miyazaki), Confession 1999 and Seizon Life 2000 (both with Noboyuki Fukumoto). He is currently busy with the ongoing Zipang and A Spirit in the Sun.

His Featured Work

Zipang is the story of a modern maritime vessel named JDS Mirai which falls into meteorological phenomenon on its way to a military exercise and magically transports itself to the eve of the Battle of Midway in World War II. It is very historical in nature and explores the possibility of the JDS Mirai crew altering the nation’s history.

17. Fumi Yoshinaga (1971-)

About The Artist

Fumi Yoshinaga is a graduate from Keio University in Tokyo. She is a very private artist only letting her fans know she like Mozart’s opera in the Solfe’s notes. She started out as a participant in the comic markets. Her manga launch was called The Moon and the Sandals in 1994. Yoshinaga also did some comic parodies for Slamdunk, Rose of Versailles, and Legend of the Galactic Heroes. Her one-shot manga works are well made, Ai Subeki Musumetachi (All My Darling Daughters) was Jury Recommended on Manga Division for Japan Media Arts Festival in 2004. She daily publishes a popular doujinshi – Antique Bakery(1999). She was selected to be one of the 21 Mangaka WhoWho Contributed to the Shojo Manga World (World War II to Present). Antique Bakery earned her a Kodansha Award in 2002 and Ooku: The Inner Chamber gave her Tesuka Ozamu Cultural Award in 2009. Yoshinaga also has other nominations, citations and awards from other award-giving bodies aboad after its English version release.

Her Featured Work

Antique Bakery tells the story of four men working in a small bakery. Their lives seems to entertwined as the story goes and how their dynamic relationship affects each character. There is a homosexual tone in this story but its live action and movie versions almost deleted this feature in their adapatations. Antique Bakery has also become quite popular in the Western audience since Digital Manga Publishing has managed its distribution for English-speaking public along with her other works like The Moon and the Sandals.

18. Naoko Takeuchi (1967-)

About The Artist

Naoko Takeuchi’s is a licensed pharmacist who opted to pursue her life passion – being a a manga artist. Kodansha published her first work, Love Call that received the Nakayoshi Award in 1986 and she was only nineteen then. She concentrated on one-shot manga but also produced serial manga like Maria (1989) with the help of her friend Marie Koizumi. Her next work Cherry Project (1990) ran in three volumes. She later decided to create a new manga about a space girl saving the planet. Her editor prompted her to put her fighter in sailor suit and Sailor V (1991) was born. Later on, Sailor Moon (1992) was created and Sailor V project was discontinued. Sailormoon gave her popularity and the Kodansha awards in 1993. She left Kodansha after establishing her management company PNP – Princess Naoko Planning. She married Yoshihiro Tagashi in 199 and had a son in 2001. She worked with him in his series but quit as she was stressed out with the work. Takeuchi also participated in the production of Sailomoon. Later on, she returned to work for Kodansha with another serial manga called Love Witch but the project did not pull through. Her next work would be Toki*Meca and a few children’s books. She currently give talks to avid listeners who wants to become mangaka.

Her Featured Work

Sailormoon tells the story of reincarnated Sailor Scouts named after the planets and having corresponding powers to defend the Earth. They fight monsters from evil threats as a team of magical girls. The story revolves around Usagi Tsukino the main character and her allies as they battle evil with their super powers with a highlight in love and friendship.

19.
19. Fuyumi Soryo (1959-)

About The Artist

Fuyumi Soryo manga focuses mainly on the shojo followers. Her way of telling the plot is mesmerizing with the character build-up she uses. Her characters are often not what they seem and has some inner issues to deal with but is only gradually shown to her readers. She was born in Beppu Oita Japan. Her major work, Boyfriend in 1987 gave her the Shogakukan Award. Her later works, Mars (1996) and Eternal Sabbath have been translated and published for the English-speaking audience. She is currently working on Cesare since 2005.

Her Featured Work

Mars is about the budding romance between a typically shy girl Kira and extrovert playboy Rei. Their buried emotional and psychological issues in childhood plays a part in making their relationship atypical, not to mention the intervening silent admirers for both the lead roles. It has become more popular after the release of its the live action version from Taiwan.

20. Mitsuru Adachi (1951-)

About The Artist

Mitsuru Adachi graduated from Gunma Prefectural Maebashi Commercial High School in 1969 and became the assistant to another manga artist named Isami Iishi. His first manga was published in 1970 titled Bakusan Bakuon based on a manga by Satura Ozawa. He has a talent for compelling dialogue and simple depiction of everyday life that is his signature appeal. Adachi’s penchant for baseball is very apparent because most of his works have the sport as themes like Miyukiand Touch. His short stories were mostly about men reconnecting with their youth and gone passions. He produces manga for shonen, shojo, and seinen and he is quite successful in the three manga categories. He won the Shogakukan Award in 1982 for both of his works Miyuki and Touch.

His Featured Work

It is allegedly his experiences with older brother Tsutomu Adachi that inspired the same plot in his work Touch (1981). Touch series has made
Mitsuru Adachi a household name. The story relates about high school baseball and how it affects the lives of three childhood friends, two twin brothers and a girl.

21. Ryoichi Ikegami (1944-)

About The Artist

Ryoichi Ikegami assisted Shigeru Mizuki in 1966 at the start of his manga career. He was mostly a comic illustrator and blended his talent with writers for astounding results like Mai, The Psychic Girl (Kazuya Kodo), Crying Freeman (Kazuo Koike), Sanctuary and Heat (Sho Fumimara). He wrote and drew the manga of Spiderman titled Spider-Man: The Manga. He received his Shogakukan Award in 2001 for Heat. In 2005, he became a professor in Osaka University of the Arts.

His Featured Work

Heat showcases the criminal story of Tatsumi Karasawa who rises in the underground world with a cunning attitude. His no fear attitude towards the police and other higher criminals in the Shingiku area has slowly roused the animosity from a Yakuza big boss who wants him eliminated before he obtains more influence in the district.

22. Reiko Okano (1960-)

About The Artist

Little is known about Reiko Okano except that she is the wife of another manga artist named Makoto Tezuka. Her famous work, Fancy Dance ran from 1984-2000. It won her the Shogakakun Award in 2001 and was adapted into a live action film in 1989 with Masayuki Suo directing the said movie.

Her Featured Work

Fancy Dance is a unique manga centering on Youhei deciding on staying in a rural Zen Temple as the next Abbot or moving into the dazzling life in Tokyo.

23. Keiko Takemiya (1950-)

About The Artist

Keiko Takemiya is one of the famous shojo pioneers in the 1970’s, being a member of the legendary Year 24 Group (or those born in the 1940’). In one interview she claims to have started drawing manga in during middle school inspired by the Shotaro Ishinomori in his A Primer for Manga Artists. She currently teaches in Kyoto Seika University teaching classes and presenting papers for manga. She started the yaoi genre (boy-to-boy love) which is fastly gaining popularity among readers. Her bold take and no-frontiers on sexuality makes it easy for her to tackle different problems and dynamics in an inter-gender themes.

Her Featured Work

This is a coming of age of Jomy (his Western name) story about a rigid futuristic regime – Superior Domination- that took over Terra before destruction. Children who reach the age of 14 undergoes a maturity check or the Awakening wherein teens who have ESP powers are automatically disposed of. They are raised to believe that they will all returned to Terra one day. The manga follows his struggle in the morals outside the control of Superior Domination influence and his developing powers as well. Thirty years after this was published, the animated

24. Kanoko Sakurakoji (19-)

About The Artist

Kanoko Sakurakoji is a female manga artist whose manga mainly belongs to the shoujo genre. She is well known for her two works Backstage Prince (2001) and Blackbird (2006), the latter enabling her to have the Shogakukan Award in 2009. Her works has been handled by VIZ Media in the distribution of its English versions.

Her Featured Work

Blackbird is a supernatural shojo manga about a girl, Misao Harada who can see the realms between the seen and unseen worlds. She becomes a target for demons because she later discovers she is the bride of prophecy and her powers are what they want to keep by killing her. Along came her childhood friend Kyo who is a demon himself but tends to her wounds. The story now unfolds in Misao coming to terms with her destiny and staying alive amidst demonic attacks. The English version of the manga has been circulating since 2008.

25. Kyoko Okazaki (1963-)

About The Artist

Kyoko Okazaki was one of the contributors for a subcategory genre in shoujo manga called Gyaru which tackles a more liberated and uninhibited situations for girls like sex, prostitution, and drugs aside from the girlish romance. Most of her works are a reflection of general attitude of women in the 1980’s to 1990’s. Her fashion illustrator talent is sharply depicted in her characters as having distinct fashion tastes and their lifestyle quite realistically. As early as her Atomi university days, her debut manga Virgin was published in 1985 and then her work picked up pace – almost printing several titles in a year. In 1996 her accident forced her to stop working as she underwent rehabilitation due to her injuries. She returned in the business two years later in 1998 publishing UNTITLED and she has managed to produce titles by and by admirably inspite of her sustained injuries. She received two Awards for Helter Skelter (2003) like the infamous 2003 Excellent Prize from Japanese Media Art Festival and Osamu Tezuka Cultural Award in 2004.

Her Featured Work

Helter Skelter is the story about a fading model star Ririko who has stayed in the fashion idustry for some time. Her body and beauty are products of multiple surgery to perfect her figure. As she nears the end of her career, she now must face the inevitable along with her stage mom and the reality of growing old.

26. Yoshihiro Togashi (1966-)

About The Artist

Yoshihiro Togashi has been making different genres of manga for almost three decades. He started drawing manga since his early age and well into his Yamagata University schooling. He received the Tezuka Award at the age of 20 for his work Buttobi Straight in 1986. He produced many other manga works and made it big with his 1990 Yuyu Hakusho followed by Hunter x Hunter fame in 1997 that brought him the Shogakukan Award and Animage in the Grand Prix Prize in 1994. He is married to another managaka Naoko Takeuchi the creator of Sailormoon. They collaborated together in the book for their son entitled Oobo— Nu— Tochiibo— Nu— in 2005 and up until then he has been unable to create steady work due to his failing health that required long periods of hiatus.

His Featured Work

Yuyu Hakusho is an occult story of boy delinquent turned spirit world detective after he has risen after his death in saving another’s life. His adventures comes from helping Koenma, the son of the ruler of the Underworld retrieve or investigate paranormal and supernatural cases happening in the human sphere. Later on, with a few friends from both the living and underworld dimension team up to solve cases and help regain balance between the human and spiritual realms.

27. Yuki Urushibara (1974-)

About The Artist

Yuki Urushibara also known as Shima Soyogo is well known for her written and drawn work Mushishi (1999). She produced short works which were compiled and published in 2004 entitled Filament. Currently she is completing her work Waters which started last 2009.

Her Featured Work

Yuki Urushibara created Mushishi about an occult detective named Ginko who has gifted powers over the Mushi. Mushi are various supernatural beings that are powerful and can cause harm to the normal human. Ginko wanders around helping people having trouble with Mushi.

28. Hisaya Nakajo (19-)

About The Artist

Hisaya Nakajo’s name came in the 39th place for Most Searched Managaka Name by the Japanese Search Engine in 2007. Her first work, Manatsu no Hanzaisha or The Midsummer Criminal also earned her first award in the 18th Hakusensha Athena Newcomer’s Award. Both the first later one-shot work Hoto no Kajitsu were published in the manga magazine Hana to Yume. Nakajo’s serial manga Hana Kimi or Hanazakari no Kimitachi e (1996) catapulted her popularity as a mangaka. It has been adapted to live action series in Taiwan and Japan.

Her Featured Work

Hana Kimi tells the story of a girl who idolizes an olympic jumper who suddenly leaves his career behind. Determined to motivate him back to shape, the female lead role Mizuka Ashiya flew from the US to Japan and entered the school of her idol, Izumi Sano. But since it was an exclusive for boys school, she has to pretend to be a boy in order to get closer to him. Cirsumstances seem to favor her as they become room mates. Filled with other colorful characters from school, Mizuka has many new challenges like keeping her gender a secret or be thrown out of school and away from the boy she likes.

29. Hitoshi Iwaaki (1960-)

About The Artist

Hitoshi Iwaaki is a male manga artist who drew and wrote the infamous Parasyte (1990) that is a science fiction suspense thriller. The superb illustrations of the Parasyte physical transformation, disfigurement, and fast paced action can literary feel like being in a movie. The alien depiction in invading the rest of the Earth is truly noteworthy from the imagination of Iwaaki and had set the bars for the science fiction category of manga. He received a Kodansha Award in 1993 and was a finalist in Osamu Tezuka’s Cultural award in 2005 for his other work Historie.

His Featured Work

Parasyte’s protagonist is a teenager named Sinishi Izumi who uses his left arm (who had been infected by the parasite but did not manage to mind control him) to protect other people from the alien invasion through worm-like parasites that feed on human flesh. He must constantly evade attacks from other parasites because they see him as a threat to their invasion. The last volume was published in 2009 and a rumored live action movie is its next installation.

30. Hiro Mashima (1977-)

About The Artist

Hiro Mashima is one of the younger generation of manga artists who has been making a name for himself in his works. He started out very young, opting to read manga and making traces over them to learn how to draw. He proceeded to an arts school after high school but decided to teach himself. His professional manga career started after he took his 60-page work to editors for review and then he won an amateur manga artist’s competition. A year later in 1999 he made his first debut work for publishing Rave Master. He won a Kodansha Award in 2009 for his work Fairy Tale (2006). He is also busy with his 2008 serial manga Monster Hunter Orage.

His Featured Work

Fairytail (pun intended) is about the mischievous adventures of Lucy with her band of wacky wizard friends in the land of Fiore. It has been the bestseller manga title since 2006.

31. Katsura Hoshino (1980-)

About The Artist

Katsura Hoshino is a very private manga artist and only made her public appearance in August 2008 in Bonn, Germany for the Animagic Convention where she was a guest of honor. It was only then confirmed that the artist is a female because many have perceived her to be male in gender. Hoshino made her first one-shot manga when she was around 22 years old in December 2002 followed by her Continue series in the 2003. Her D.gray-man in 2004 made her renowned in the manga and anime world. Hoshino received the prize for Best Manga Series in 2006 at the Anime and Manga Grand Prix in France and the Webotaku’s prize for Manga the year 2004. Due to varied healthreasons, the following novels for D.Gray-man has been on and off in and resumed only in November of 2009.

Her Featured Work

D.Gray-man is about Allen Walker, member of the organization Exorcists, who uses the substance called Innocence to combat the Millenium Earl and is minions. It is a dark fantasy action tale of his struggles. The manga has been animated for TV and is vastly popular as a video game.

32. Kosuke Fujishima (1964-)

About The Artist

Kosuke Fujishima made his first work as an editor for Puff Magazine. He originally intended to be a draftsman but ended up being the Editor because of missing an appreticeship. He became an assitant to another mangaka, Tatsuya Egawa. In 1986 he began his first original serial manga You’re Under Arrest. His second work, Oh! My Goddess was his most successful work enabling him to become a household name in Japan. He had many other works but most of them he was working as a character designer alongside many other artist like Sakura Wars (1997). He won a Kodansha Award for Oh! My Goddess in 2009.

His Featured Work

Oh! My Goddess is about the romance between an average Joe mortal named Keiichi Morisato and a goddess named Belldandy. Their relationship dynamics get interesting as many other intervening factors threatens to keep them apart. The many funny characters also add to the fun in watching this series. It has been animated and is still running up to now.

33. Rumiko Takahashi (1957-)

About The Artist

Rumiko Takahashi is claimed to be the most affluential mangaka in Japan. Her works has been distributed to both the US and Europe since 1990’s so it is no wonder her works has become popular there as well. Rumiko Takahashi is also the best selling female mangaka in Japan, having sold about 170 million copies of her work. She started her professional manga career in 1978 Uresei Yatsure which is a funny science-fiction and won her first Shogakukan Award in 1981. She handled simultaneous series during the 1980’s like Maison Ikkoku (1980), Mermaid Saga (1984), Inu Yasha (1986), Ranma ½ (1987), One-Pound Gospel (1987), Rumic Theater (1987), and the ongoing Ri-ne. Her influence on the Western animation scene is also quite a surprise to her thinking of the cultural differences but then she is delighted by their appreciation. Her animated feats dubbed in English and English translated manga were the forerunners of the lot.

Her Featured Work

Inu Yasha won another Shogakakun Award for Rumiko Takahashi in 2001. The story tells of the time-traveling school girl and her team of a half-demon, lecherous monk, a fox demon, a demon slayer, and a nekomata as their search fo the Four Jewels of Soul as they try to keep it away from the bad guys. It was concluded in June 2008.

34. Ken Akamatsu (1968-)

About The Artist

Ken Akamatsu was originally a film student but found his niche as in illustrator Awa Mizuno ni Comicket during his university days. He won twice in the Weekly Shonen Magazine. Ken Akamatsu graduated from Chou University with a Degree in Japanese Literature and thereafter published his A Kid’s Game for One Summer” that was awarded the coveted 50th Shonen Magazine Newcomer’s Award. He had a big hit with A.I. Love You followed by the popular Love Hina(1998). He sold about six million copies of the manga in Japan alone which earned him the Kodansha Award in 2001. His characters portray Akamatsu’s subtle portrayal of Japanese culture and traditions.

His Featured Work

Love Hina tells the story of a Ketaro Ureshima’s attempt to find the girl he promised to go into the Tokyo University together in childhood. His only problem is that he does not know or remember the name of the girl. His search leads him to many other circumstances that makes Love Hina worth the read.

35. Masamune Shirow (1961-)

About The Artist

Masamune Shirow was born Masanori Ota using the first name as his pen name in his manga works as illustrator. He was taking up Oil Painting in the Osaka University when he developed his passion for manga. This led him to make a complete work of his own called Black Magic which was eyed by President Aochi and published. Black Magic became Appleseed and it won the Seiun Award in 1986. On the same year, Shirow published Dominion and after two more titles he created the most acclaimed Ghost in the Shell. His style seem near to the Western comic style and he also draws erotic art.

His Featured Work

Ghost in the Shell is a futuristic action filled story about a counter-terrorist Public Security Section 9. Its lead role Motoko Kusanagi who is a bio-mechanical agent that acts as the team leader of the terrorist-busting group. Internal conflicts, inner struggles, and thrilling plot twists keeps this story appealing to most ages.

35 Manga and Anime Artists Hall of Fame is a post from: DulcePixels

Who makes the top fifty list of female characters in a video game? Well, to put it bluntly hot babes mostly consist of this list though aside from their dazing erm- visual features- they also pack lethal weapons and a whole lot of attitude to boot. These female characters qualified in our list because of three main reasons: they belong 2000-2010 video games, they are created by fans in digital art form, and their names are among the top other lists in no particular order.

So watch out for these stunning ladies to take you to the next level up in your video game and make you thank their creators for making games loaded with lots of fun visual creations! (Note: You would not like to mess with these ladies or it could get ugly for you.)

Monsters Ass-Kicking Babes

1. Jill Valentine / Resident Evil

2. Zoey / Left 4 Dead

3. Alyx Vance / Half Life 2

4. Claire Redfield / Resident Evil

5. Sheva / Resident Evil 5

6. Heather / Silent Hill

7. Lilith / Bortherlands

Women of Epic Adventures and Action

8. Lara Croft / Tomb Raider

9. Faith Connors / Mirror’s Edge

10. Farah / Prince of Persia

11. Samus Aran / Metroid

12. Sonia Belmont / Castlenavia Legends

The Anti-Heroine Champions

13. Nariko / Heavenly Sword

14. Rayne / BloodRayne

15. Vanessa Z. Schneider / P.N. 03

16. Morrigan / Dragon Age : Origins

Ordinary Turned Extraordinare Women

17. Mia Fey / Phoenix Wrigth: Ace Attorney

18. Franziska Von Karma / Phoenix Wrigth: Ace Attorney

19. Elexis Sinclair / Sin:Emergence

Lady Agents, Assassins, and Spies

20. Cate Archer / No One Lives Forever

21. Violette Summer / Velvet Assassin

22. Jade / Beyond Good & Evil

23. Ada Wong / Resident Evil

24. Meryl Silverburgh / Metal Gear Solid

25. Mona Sax / Max Payne

26. Sarah Louise Kerrigan / Starcraft

27. Special Agent Tanya Adams / Command and Conquer: Read Alert 3

Deadly Dames

28. Alice / American McGee’s Alice

29. Alma / F.E.A.R.

Fantasy Females

30. Aerith Gainsborough / Final Fantasy VII

31. Lulu / Final Fantasy X

32. Yuna / Final Fantasy X

33. Lightning / Final Fantasy XIII

34. Tifa Lockheart / FFinal Fantasy VII

35. Fran / Final Fantasy XII

There’s Sometthing About Blue Babes

36. Liara T’ Soni / Mass Effect

37. Cortana / Halo 3

Huntress and Bounty Hunter Stunners

38. Joanna Dark / Perfect Dark

39. Lina Inverse / Defense of the Ancients (DOTA)

40. Rachel / Ninja Gaiden Sigma

41. Traxex / Defense of the Ancients (DOTA)

The Damsels in Distress

42. Princess Zelda / Legend of Zelda

43. Yorda / Ico

Femme Fatale Fighters

44. Tina Armstrong / Dead Or Alive

45. Ivy Valentine / Soulcaliber

46. Momiji / Ninja Gaiden

47. Nina Williams / Tekken 5

48. Bayonetta / Bayonetta

49. Zafina / Tekken 6

Nifty Ninja Lass

50. Taki / Soulcalibur

51. Silk Fox / Jade Empire

Villain Vamps

52. Sniper Wolf / Metal Gear Solid

53. Tala / Darkwatch

Who is your favorite Ass-Kicking ladies?

53 Ass-Kicking Babes in Video Games is a post from: DulcePixels

His signature green tights, sporting his staple bow and arrow weapons, and devil-may-care attitude; “stealing from the rich to give to the poor” slogan cause always wins the crowds along with the swashbuckling flair that only this outlaw-turned-hero character can only pull off.

Following Robin Hood in his portrayals remains a feast for the eyes, no matter what decade they might have been made. Robin Hood poster and wallpapers are a way to illustrate how Robin Hood has been changing through the years. Below are the 30 of some of his most eye-catching wallpapers depicting Robin Hood and his friends with some tidbits information to note.

1. Robin Hood

Errol Flynn Robin Hood portrayal at 28 years of age played the role of Robin Hood. So far, critics have deemed him the most befitting actor to play the part and his chemistry with Olivia de Havilland fused well for the on-screen romance in the movie The Adventures of Robin Hood in 1938 – this it “the” Robin Hood classic.

2. Robin and Marian by Tsukku

3. Robin Hood with Bow and Arrow

4. Robin Meeting Marian

5. Disney’s Robin Hood

Disney’s Robin Hood in 1973 had a fox animated and was dubbed by Brian Bedford. The unforgettable Prince John feline character was fondly shortened to “PJ”.

6. Robin Hood and His Friends in Sherwood Forest

7. Robin Hood: The Legend of Sherwood Wallpaper #1

A PC video game, Robin Hood : The Legend of Sherwood created by Spellbound was released in 2002 with a very graphic interpetation of the tale.

8. Robin Hood: The Legend of Sherwood Wallpaper #2

9. Robin Hood: The Legend of Sherwood Wallpaper #3

10. Robin Hood Girl by Vikji

Various fan art are also being inspired by our rouge hero, Robin Hood. Below is one of the 3D renditions by a contemporary artists.

11. Adventures of Robin Hood

12. Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves

The 1991 Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves film featured an American lead role Kevin Costner and a very talented English cast including the most villainous Alan Hickman as the Sheriff of Nottingham. The music score was conducted by none other than award-winning Michael Kamen. The movie’s theme song, Everything I Do by singer Bryan Adams catapulted his name to record hit charts.

13. Robin Hood BBC Wallpaper

This ongoing English TV drama three series of Robin Hood with lead star role Jason Armstrong by BBC is a more serious depiction of the tale centering on their struggles in ousting the corrupt Sheriff of Nottingham.

14. Robin Hood TV Wallpaper#1

15. Robin Hood Wallpaper #2

16. Robin Hood Wallpaper #3

17. Robin Hood Wallpaper #4

18. Robin Hood Wallpaper #5

19. Robin Hood Robin-Marian Wallpaper #6 by jazzfic

20. Robin Hood Wallpaper #7

21. Robin Hood Wallpaper #8 by evs17

22. Robin Hood 2010 Russell Crowe Wallpaper #1

Another retelling of Robin Hood in an epic scale is going to be released this May 14th 2010, starring big stars Russell Crowe and Cate Blanchett under the award-winning director Ridley Scott. This fifth mega-movie installation has a powerful cast and hopefully it is expected to give justice to the man that became a legend.

23. Robin Hood 2010 Riding Wallpaper #2

24. Robin Hood 2010 Russell Crowe Archery Wallpaper #3

25. Robin Hood 2010 Wallpaper #4

26. Robin Hood 2010 Wallpaper #5

27. Robin Hood 2010 Wallpaper #6

28. Robin Hood Wallpaper #7

29. Robin Hood Wallpaper #8

30. Robin Hood Wallpaper #9

The legend of Robin Hood lives on as time goes by and he will continually assume another form to keep his tale alive. Truly he is an outlaw and hero of timelessness for not being forgotten and being always admired. Can’t wait to buy Robin Hood dvds!

30 Eye-Catching Robin Hood Wallpapers Collection is a post from: DulcePixels