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was a prolific Japanese
manga Manga (Japanese: 漫画 ) are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long prehistory in earlier Japanese art. The term ''manga'' is u ...
writer ( gensakusha), novelist, screenwriter, lyricist and entrepreneur. He is best known for his violent, artful ''
seinen is an editorial category of Japanese comics marketed toward young adult men. In Japanese, the word ''seinen'' literally means "youth", but the term "''seinen'' manga" is also used to describe the target audience of magazines like ''Weekly Ma ...
'' manga, notably ''
Lone Wolf and Cub is a Japanese manga series created by writer Kazuo Koike and artist Goseki Kojima. First published in 1970, the story was adapted into six films starring Tomisaburo Wakayama, four plays, a television series starring Kinnosuke Yorozuya, and is ...
'' (with
Goseki Kojima was a Japanese manga artist. He is known for his collaborations with manga writer Kazuo Koike, the most famous of them being ''Lone Wolf and Cub''. Biography Kojima was born in Yokkaichi, Mie, on the same day as Osamu Tezuka. After getting out ...
, 1970–6), '' Lady Snowblood'' (with
Kazuo Kamimura was a Japanese manga artist, best known as the illustrator of '' Lady Snowblood'', which was adapted into film in 1973. Hitoshi Iwaaki, a manga artist was his assistant. Kamimura died at age 45 of a pharynx tumor A neoplasm () is a type o ...
, 1972–3) and ''
Crying Freeman is a Japanese manga series written by Kazuo Koike and illustrated by Ryoichi Ikegami. ''Crying Freeman'' follows a Japanese assassin hypnotized and trained by the Chinese mafia (called the "108 Dragons") to serve as its agent and covered in ...
'' (with
Ryoichi Ikegami is a Japanese manga artist that usually works as the illustrator in collaboration with a writer. He is best known for ''Crying Freeman'' (1986–1988), written by Kazuo Koike, and '' Heat'' (1999–2004), written by Buronson. The latter won the ...
, 1986–8), which – along with their numerous media adaptations − have been credited for their influence on the international growth of
Japanese popular culture Japanese popular culture includes Japanese cinema, cuisine, television programs, anime, manga, video games, music, and doujinshi, all of which retain older artistic and literary traditions; many of their themes and styles of presentation can be ...
.


Career

Early in Koike's career, he studied under ''
Golgo 13 is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Takao Saito, published in Shogakukan's ''seinen'' manga magazine ''Big Comic'' since October 1968. The series follows the title character, a professional assassin for hire. ''Golgo ...
'' creator
Takao Saito was a Japanese manga artist, although he rejected the term and considered his work gekiga. He was best known for '' Golgo 13'', which has been serialized in ''Big Comic'' since 1968, making it the oldest manga still in publication. ''Golgo ...
and served as a writer on the series. Koike, along with artist
Goseki Kojima was a Japanese manga artist. He is known for his collaborations with manga writer Kazuo Koike, the most famous of them being ''Lone Wolf and Cub''. Biography Kojima was born in Yokkaichi, Mie, on the same day as Osamu Tezuka. After getting out ...
, made the
manga Manga (Japanese: 漫画 ) are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long prehistory in earlier Japanese art. The term ''manga'' is u ...
''Kozure Okami'' (''
Lone Wolf and Cub is a Japanese manga series created by writer Kazuo Koike and artist Goseki Kojima. First published in 1970, the story was adapted into six films starring Tomisaburo Wakayama, four plays, a television series starring Kinnosuke Yorozuya, and is ...
''), and Koike also contributed to the scripts for the 1970s film adaptations of the series, which starred famous Japanese actor
Tomisaburo Wakayama , born Masaru Okumura (奥村 勝),Leous, G. (''c.'' 2003)Tomisaburo WakayamaRetrieved on May 23, 2010. was a Japanese actor best known for playing Ogami Ittō, the scowling, 19th-century '' ronin'' warrior in the six ''Lone Wolf and Cub'' samura ...
. In 1992 he himself produced a Lone Wolf and Cub's film Lone Wolf and Cub: Final Conflict which starred
Masakazu Tamura was a Japanese film and theatre actor. Profile Masakazu Tamura was born 1 August 1943 in Kyoto, Japan to Japanese actor Tsumasaburō Bandō. Tsumasaburō Bandō died when Tamura was only nine years old. His brothers Takahiro and Ryō are also ...
. Koike and Kojima became known as the "Golden Duo" because of the success of ''Lone Wolf and Cub''. Another series written by Koike, ''
Crying Freeman is a Japanese manga series written by Kazuo Koike and illustrated by Ryoichi Ikegami. ''Crying Freeman'' follows a Japanese assassin hypnotized and trained by the Chinese mafia (called the "108 Dragons") to serve as its agent and covered in ...
'', which was illustrated by
Ryoichi Ikegami is a Japanese manga artist that usually works as the illustrator in collaboration with a writer. He is best known for ''Crying Freeman'' (1986–1988), written by Kazuo Koike, and '' Heat'' (1999–2004), written by Buronson. The latter won the ...
, was adapted into a 1995 live-action film by French director
Christophe Gans Christophe Gans (born 11 March 1960) is a French film director, producer, and screenwriter who specializes in horror and fantasy movies. Life and career Gans was born in Antibes, France. As a teenager, he spent a large portion of his time crea ...
. In addition to his more violent, action-oriented manga, Koike, an avid golfer, has also written golf manga. He has also written
mahjong Mahjong or mah-jongg (English pronunciation: ) is a tile-based game that was developed in the 19th century in China and has spread throughout the world since the early 20th century. It is commonly played by four players (with some three-play ...
manga, as he himself is a former professional mahjong player. In the early 2000s, he wrote a
Wolverine The wolverine (), (''Gulo gulo''; ''Gulo'' is Latin for "gluttony, glutton"), also referred to as the glutton, carcajou, or quickhatch (from East Cree, ''kwiihkwahaacheew''), is the largest land-dwelling species of the family Mustelidae. It is ...
story for Marvel. In 2011, Koike announced his intention to write a magical girl manga series titled '' Maho Shojo Mimitsuki Mimi no QED.'' Koike started the ''Gekiga Sonjuku'', a college course meant to teach people how to be a manga artist.


Death

On April 17, 2019, Kazuo Koike died due to
pneumonia Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as alveoli. Symptoms typically include some combination of productive or dry cough, chest pain, fever, and difficulty breathing. The severity ...
at the age of 82. His death happened just five days after the death of the fellow prolific manga author
Monkey Punch , known by the pen name , was a Japanese manga artist, best known for his series ''Lupin III''. Life and career Katō was born in Hamanaka, Hokkaido; he began drawing at a very young age, but did not draw manga until junior high school, when h ...
on April 11, who also died of pneumonia and who Koike considered his rival in the ''
Weekly Manga Action is a Japanese seinen manga magazine published by Futabasha. It is currently published twice a month, on the first and third Thursday. The magazine was originally formed as and began publishing weekly from July 7, 1967. It is considered the f ...
'' magazine.


Graduates of Koike's ''Gekiga Sonjuku''

*
Rumiko Takahashi is a Japanese manga artist. With a career of several commercially successful works, beginning with ''Urusei Yatsura'' in 1978, Takahashi is one of Japan's best-known and wealthiest manga artists. Her works are popular worldwide, where they have ...
manga artist A is a comic artist who writes and/or illustrates manga. As of 2006, about 3,000 professional manga artists were working in Japan. Most manga artists study at an art college or manga school or take on an apprenticeship with another artist be ...
: ''
Urusei Yatsura is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi. It was serialized in Shogakukan's ''Weekly Shōnen Sunday'' from September 1978 to February 1987. Its 366 individual chapters were published in 34 ''tankōbon'' volum ...
'', ''
Ranma ½ is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi. It was serialized in ''Weekly Shōnen Sunday'' from August 1987 to March 1996, with the chapters collected into 38 ''tankōbon'' volumes by Shogakukan. The st ...
'', ''
InuYasha is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi. It was serialized in Shogakukan's ''shōnen'' manga magazine ''Weekly Shōnen Sunday'' from November 1996 to June 2008, with its chapters collected in fifty-six '' ...
'' etc. *
Akira Sakuma (also known by the abbreviated name ''Momotetsu'') is a long-running board game-style video game series in Japan; in which players travel by rail, ship, and airplane; attempting to acquire wealth through business transactions buying properties; a ...
game designer Game design is the art of applying design and aesthetics to create a game for entertainment or for educational, exercise, or experimental purposes. Increasingly, elements and principles of game design are also applied to other interactions, in ...
,
freelance writer ''Freelance'' (sometimes spelled ''free-lance'' or ''free lance''), ''freelancer'', or ''freelance worker'', are terms commonly used for a person who is self-employed and not necessarily committed to a particular employer long-term. Freelance w ...
: ''
Momotaro Densetsu , also known by the abbreviated name ''Momoden'', is a role-playing video game series in Japan featuring the character from Japanese folklore, as well as other Japanese folklore characters such as Kintarō, Urashima Tarō, and Princess Kaguya (fr ...
'' series *
Hideyuki Kikuchi is a Japanese author known for his horror novels. His most famous works include the ''Vampire Hunter D'' series, ''Darkside Blues'' and ''Wicked City (novel), Wicked City''. Biography Kikuchi was born in Chōshi, Chiba, Chōshi, Japan on Septe ...
horror writer:
Vampire Hunter D is a series of novels written by Japanese author Hideyuki Kikuchi and illustrated by Yoshitaka Amano since 1983. As of April 2022, 40 novels have been published in the main series, with some novels comprising as many as four volumes. They ha ...
*
Tetsuo Hara is a Japanese manga artist. He is best-known for creating the post-apocalyptic martial arts series ''Fist of the North Star'' (1983–1988) with writer Buronson, which is one of the best-selling manga in history with over 100 million copies i ...
manga artist A is a comic artist who writes and/or illustrates manga. As of 2006, about 3,000 professional manga artists were working in Japan. Most manga artists study at an art college or manga school or take on an apprenticeship with another artist be ...
: ''
Fist of the North Star is a Japanese manga series written by Buronson and illustrated by Tetsuo Hara. It was serialized in Shueisha's Shōnen manga, ''shōnen'' manga magazine ''Weekly Shōnen Jump'' for 245 issues published from 1983 to 1988 and initially colle ...
'' *
Yuji Horii (also written as Yuuji Horii; born January 6, 1954) is a Japanese video game designer and scenario writer best known as the creator of the ''Dragon Quest'' series of role-playing games, supervising and writing the scenario for ''Chrono Trigger' ...
game designer Game design is the art of applying design and aesthetics to create a game for entertainment or for educational, exercise, or experimental purposes. Increasingly, elements and principles of game design are also applied to other interactions, in ...
,
freelance writer ''Freelance'' (sometimes spelled ''free-lance'' or ''free lance''), ''freelancer'', or ''freelance worker'', are terms commonly used for a person who is self-employed and not necessarily committed to a particular employer long-term. Freelance w ...
: ''
Dragon Quest previously published as ''Dragon Warrior'' in North America until 2005, is a franchise of Japanese role-playing video games created by Armor Project (Yuji Horii), Bird Studio (Akira Toriyama) and Sugiyama Kobo (Koichi Sugiyama) to its publi ...
'' series *
Keisuke Itagaki is a Japanese manga artist. He is best known for his martial arts series ''Grappler Baki'' (1991–1999) and its four sequels, which have sold over 75 million volumes. In 1996, he began working on '' Garōden'', an original work by Baku Yumemaku ...
manga artist A is a comic artist who writes and/or illustrates manga. As of 2006, about 3,000 professional manga artists were working in Japan. Most manga artists study at an art college or manga school or take on an apprenticeship with another artist be ...
: '' Baki the Grappler'' * Naoki Yamamoto
manga artist A is a comic artist who writes and/or illustrates manga. As of 2006, about 3,000 professional manga artists were working in Japan. Most manga artists study at an art college or manga school or take on an apprenticeship with another artist be ...
: ''
Dance till Tomorrow is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Naoki Yamamoto. It is a romantic comedy which details the life of Suekichi Terayama, a student who will inherit a fortune when he graduates from college and gets married with unexpecte ...
'' * Takayuki Yamaguchi
manga artist A is a comic artist who writes and/or illustrates manga. As of 2006, about 3,000 professional manga artists were working in Japan. Most manga artists study at an art college or manga school or take on an apprenticeship with another artist be ...
: ''
Apocalypse Zero ''Apocalypse Zero'', known in Japan as , is a manga series written and illustrated by Takayuki Yamaguchi. It was serialized in Akita Shoten's ''Weekly Shōnen Champion'' from July 1994 to August 1996. The manga was adapted into a two episod ...
'' and ''
Shigurui is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Takayuki Yamaguchi, based on the first chapter of the novel ''Suruga-jō Gozen Jiai'' by Norio Nanjō. An anime television adaptation, aired on Wowow from July to October 2007. The seri ...
''.


Bibliography

* ''
Lone Wolf and Cub is a Japanese manga series created by writer Kazuo Koike and artist Goseki Kojima. First published in 1970, the story was adapted into six films starring Tomisaburo Wakayama, four plays, a television series starring Kinnosuke Yorozuya, and is ...
'', with artist
Goseki Kojima was a Japanese manga artist. He is known for his collaborations with manga writer Kazuo Koike, the most famous of them being ''Lone Wolf and Cub''. Biography Kojima was born in Yokkaichi, Mie, on the same day as Osamu Tezuka. After getting out ...
, 1970–1976 * '' Hulk: The Manga'', with artist Yoshihiro Morifuji, November 24, 1970 – January 6, 1971 * '' Lady Snowblood'', with artist
Kazuo Kamimura was a Japanese manga artist, best known as the illustrator of '' Lady Snowblood'', which was adapted into film in 1973. Hitoshi Iwaaki, a manga artist was his assistant. Kamimura died at age 45 of a pharynx tumor A neoplasm () is a type o ...
, 1972–1973 * ''
Samurai Executioner ''Samurai Executioner'', known in Japan as , is a 10-volume manga created by writer Kazuo Koike and artist Goseki Kojima, the same team that created the popular ''Lone Wolf and Cub'' series. The series was first serialized in Japan, from 1972 ...
'', with artist
Goseki Kojima was a Japanese manga artist. He is known for his collaborations with manga writer Kazuo Koike, the most famous of them being ''Lone Wolf and Cub''. Biography Kojima was born in Yokkaichi, Mie, on the same day as Osamu Tezuka. After getting out ...
, 1972–1976 * The script to the film '' Lady Snowblood'', 1973 * '' Adolescent Zoo'', with artist Hiromi Yamasaki, 1978–1981 * '' Nijitte Monogatari'', with artist , 1978–2003 * ''
Path of the Assassin is a gekiga manga created by the writer Kazuo Koike and the artist Goseki Kojima and published in ''Weekly Gendai'' magazine (Kodansha). Unlike their previous collaborations on ''Lone Wolf and Cub'' and ''Samurai Executioner'', this story foc ...
'', with artist
Goseki Kojima was a Japanese manga artist. He is known for his collaborations with manga writer Kazuo Koike, the most famous of them being ''Lone Wolf and Cub''. Biography Kojima was born in Yokkaichi, Mie, on the same day as Osamu Tezuka. After getting out ...
, 1978–1984 * '' Hanappe Bazooka'', with artist
Go Nagai , better known by the pen name , is a Japanese manga artist and a prolific author of science fiction, fantasy, horror and erotica. He made his professional debut in 1967 with ''Meakashi Polikichi'', but is best known for creating popular 1970s ...
, June 7, 1979 – January 7, 1982 * '' Wounded Man'', with artist
Ryoichi Ikegami is a Japanese manga artist that usually works as the illustrator in collaboration with a writer. He is best known for ''Crying Freeman'' (1986–1988), written by Kazuo Koike, and '' Heat'' (1999–2004), written by Buronson. The latter won the ...
, 1983–1986 * ''
Mad Bull 34 is a Japanese manga series written by Kazuo Koike and illustrated by Noriyoshi Inoue, serialized in Shueisha's ''Young Jump'' between 1985 and 1991, and collected in 27 ''tankōbon'' volumes. The series follows the violent exploits of the ...
'', with artist Noriyoshi Inoue, 1985–1991 * ''
Crying Freeman is a Japanese manga series written by Kazuo Koike and illustrated by Ryoichi Ikegami. ''Crying Freeman'' follows a Japanese assassin hypnotized and trained by the Chinese mafia (called the "108 Dragons") to serve as its agent and covered in ...
'', with artist
Ryoichi Ikegami is a Japanese manga artist that usually works as the illustrator in collaboration with a writer. He is best known for ''Crying Freeman'' (1986–1988), written by Kazuo Koike, and '' Heat'' (1999–2004), written by Buronson. The latter won the ...
, 1986–1988 * ''
Kawaite sōrō is a Japanese jidaigeki or period drama that was broadcast in prime-time in 1984. It is also known as "A Samurai's Sorrow." It is based on Goseki Kojima and Kazuo Koike's manga of the same title. The lead star is Masakazu Tamura. Masakazu Tamura's ...
'', with artist
Goseki Kojima was a Japanese manga artist. He is known for his collaborations with manga writer Kazuo Koike, the most famous of them being ''Lone Wolf and Cub''. Biography Kojima was born in Yokkaichi, Mie, on the same day as Osamu Tezuka. After getting out ...
, 1995–1999 * ''
X-Men Unlimited ''X-Men Unlimited'' was the title of three comic book series published by Marvel Comics. The purpose of this title was to run stories that fit between the main X-Men comics. The stories included all characters (heroes and villains) from the X-tit ...
'' #50, 2003 * ''
Kajō , also romanized as Kashō, was a after ''Chōji'' and before ''Tennin.'' This period spanned the years from April 1106 through August 1108. The reigning emperors were and . Change of era * February 6, 1106 : The new era name was created to ...
'', with artist Hideki Mori, 2003–2006 * '' New Lone Wolf and Cub'' (Shin Kozure Okami), with artist Hideki Mori, 2003–2006 * '' Yume Genji Tsurugi no Saimon'', with artist
Natsuki Sumeragi is a female Japanese manga artist. She graduated from Ritsumeikan University with a degree in Japanese literature. She is famous for portraying Chinese and Korean history in her works. She currently lives in Kyoto Kyoto (; Japanese language, ...
, 2006–? * '' Shura Yukihime Gaiden'', with artist
Ryoichi Ikegami is a Japanese manga artist that usually works as the illustrator in collaboration with a writer. He is best known for ''Crying Freeman'' (1986–1988), written by Kazuo Koike, and '' Heat'' (1999–2004), written by Buronson. The latter won the ...
, 2009–? * ''
Oda Nobunaga was a Japanese ''daimyō'' and one of the leading figures of the Sengoku period. He is regarded as the first "Great Unifier" of Japan. Nobunaga was head of the very powerful Oda clan, and launched a war against other ''daimyō'' to unify ...
'', with artist
Goseki Kojima was a Japanese manga artist. He is known for his collaborations with manga writer Kazuo Koike, the most famous of them being ''Lone Wolf and Cub''. Biography Kojima was born in Yokkaichi, Mie, on the same day as Osamu Tezuka. After getting out ...
, ?-? * '' Offered'', with artist
Ryoichi Ikegami is a Japanese manga artist that usually works as the illustrator in collaboration with a writer. He is best known for ''Crying Freeman'' (1986–1988), written by Kazuo Koike, and '' Heat'' (1999–2004), written by Buronson. The latter won the ...
, ?-? * '' Color of Rage'', with artist Seisaku Kano, ?-? * Goyokiba, with artist Takeshi Kanda, ?-?


Awards

* 2004: Won the Hall of Fame
Eisner Award The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, commonly shortened to the Eisner Awards, are prizes given for creative achievement in American comic books, sometimes referred to as the comics industry's equivalent of the Academy Awards. They are named in ...
2004 Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards
Comic Book Awards Almanac


Notes


References

*


External links

* * * Macias, Patrick (June 2008). . Manga Hell! Archived via the
Wayback Machine The Wayback Machine is a digital archive of the World Wide Web founded by the Internet Archive, a nonprofit based in San Francisco, California. Created in 1996 and launched to the public in 2001, it allows the user to go "back in time" and see ...
. Retrieved October 3, 2013. {{DEFAULTSORT:Koike, Kazuo 1936 births 2019 deaths People from Daisen, Akita Writers from Akita Prefecture Will Eisner Award Hall of Fame inductees Manga writers Gekiga creators