, known by the
pen name
A pen name, also called a ''nom de plume'' or a literary double, is a pseudonym (or, in some cases, a variant form of a real name) adopted by an author and printed on the title page or by-line of their works in place of their real name.
A pen na ...
s and , is a Japanese
manga writer. Making his debut in 1972, he first found success with the hardboiled detective
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 ...
series ''
Doberman Deka
is a Japanese hardboiled manga series written by Buronson and illustrated by Shinji Hiramatsu. It was serialized in the ''Weekly Shōnen Jump'' manga anthology from 1975 (Issue 39) throughout 1979 (Issue 48), with the chapters collected into 2 ...
'' (1975–1979) alongside illustrator Shinji Hiramatsu. He is best-known for creating the post-apocalyptic martial arts series ''
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 ...
'' (1983–1988) with artist
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 ...
, which is one of the
best-selling manga in history with over 100 million copies in circulation. He has since worked 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 2 ...
on several series, including ''
Heat
In thermodynamics, heat is defined as the form of energy crossing the boundary of a thermodynamic system by virtue of a temperature difference across the boundary. A thermodynamic system does not ''contain'' heat. Nevertheless, the term is al ...
'' (1998–2004), which won the 2002
Shogakukan Manga Award
The is one of Japan's major manga awards, and is sponsored by Shogakukan, Shogakukan Publishing. It has been awarded annually for serialized manga and features candidates from a number of publishers. It is the oldest manga award in Japan, being ...
for general manga. Buronson received a Special Award at the 2021
Saito Takao Award
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 13 ...
s for his continued contributions to manga, including his training of younger artists.
Early life and career
Buronson was born on June 16, 1947 in
Saku, Nagano
is a city located in Nagano Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 99,131 in 41,522 households, and a population density of 230 persons per km². The total area of the city is .
Geography
Saku is located in east-central ...
. In 2017, he established a
scholarship
A scholarship is a form of financial aid awarded to students for further education. Generally, scholarships are awarded based on a set of criteria such as academic merit, diversity and inclusion, athletic skill, and financial need.
Scholarsh ...
program in his hometown.
The following year he started a manga school, , at the Sakudaira Community Center in Saku on April 15. Tuition is free, and students attend 20 lectures from professional writers, artists and editors throughout the year for a total of 100 hours.
After leaving junior high school, Buronson entered the
Japan Air Self-Defense Force
The , , also informally referred to as the Japanese Air Force, is the air and space branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, responsible for the defense of Japanese airspace, other air and space operations, cyberwarfare and electronic warfa ...
because his family was poor.
He graduated from there in 1967 and served as an Air Force radar mechanic. In 1970 he left the Self-Defense Force and was hired by Hiroshi Motomiya as a manga assistant in 1971.
He made his manga writing debut in ''
Weekly Shōnen Jump
is a weekly ''shōnen'' manga anthology published in Japan by Shueisha under the ''Jump'' line of magazines. The manga series within the magazine consist of many action scenes and a fair amount of comedy. The chapters of the series that run ...
'' in 1972 with the
one-shot
One shot may refer to:
Film and television
* One-shot film, a feature film shot in one long take with no edits, or manufactured to look like so
* ''One Shot'' (2005 film), a Sri Lankan action film directed by Ranjan Ramanayake
* ''One Shot'' (2 ...
''Gorō-kun Tōjō'', illustrated by Yō Hasebe. He was credited by the pen name Buronson, a nickname given to him by colleagues at Motomiya's studio after they all saw the film ''
Adieu l'ami
''Adieu l'ami'' (also known as ''Farewell, Friend'', reissued as ''Honor Among Thieves'') is a 1968 French-Italian heist crime film directed by Jean Herman and produced by Serge Silberman, with a screenplay by Sebastien Japrisot. The film was a g ...
'' and felt he was similar to its actor
Charles Bronson
Charles Bronson (born Charles Dennis Buchinsky; November 3, 1921 – August 30, 2003) was an American actor. Known for his "granite features and brawny physique," he gained international fame for his starring roles in action, Western, and war ...
.
He began his first serial, ''Crime Sweeper'' with Gorō Sakai in 1973. Its title was later changed to ''Pink! Punch! Miyabi''.
When he wrote for
Kodansha
is a Japanese privately-held publishing company headquartered in Bunkyō, Tokyo. Kodansha is the largest Japanese publishing company, and it produces the manga magazines ''Nakayoshi'', ''Afternoon'', ''Evening'', ''Weekly Shōnen Magazine'' an ...
for the first time, he used the pen name Sho Fumimura. It was coined by rearranging the letters of his real name when written in English to "Syo Shimura", then writing it in Japanese and changing some characters.
He explained that he generally uses Buronson for action series and Sho Fumimura for comedy and other genres, although there are exceptions to both.
In 1975 Buronson began his first hit in ''Weekly Shōnen Jump'', ''
Doberman Deka
is a Japanese hardboiled manga series written by Buronson and illustrated by Shinji Hiramatsu. It was serialized in the ''Weekly Shōnen Jump'' manga anthology from 1975 (Issue 39) throughout 1979 (Issue 48), with the chapters collected into 2 ...
'' drawn by Shinji Hiramatsu. It ran until 1979 and was adapted into two live-action films and a TV show. Shorty after beginning ''Doberman Deka'', Fumimura worked for
Futabasha
is a Japanese publishing company headquartered in Higashigokenchō, Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan.[会社概要]
" Futabasha. R ...
for the first and only time with ''Hakkyū Suikoden Hoero Ryū'', drawn by Mitsuru Hiruta.
Also as Fumimura, he started the baseball manga ''Daiki no Mound'' for ''
Weekly Shōnen Magazine
is a weekly ''shōnen'' manga anthology published on Wednesdays in Japan by Kodansha, first published on March 17, 1959. The magazine is mainly read by an older audience, with a significant portion of its readership falling under the male high ...
'' in 1977 with Kenji Iwasaki.
When he also began the Self-Defense Force manga ''Phantom Burai'' in ''
Shōnen Sunday Zōkan'' in 1978 with
Kaoru Shintani
is a Japanese manga artist. Shintani is best known for his series ''Area 88''. In addition to his pilot comics, Shintani has ventured into science fiction, fantasy, comedy, and hentai comics as well. In 1985, he was awarded the Shogakukan Manga Aw ...
, he was writing three series simultaneously for three different publishers.
In 1980, he began ''Oh! Takarazuka'' with Shinji Ono for the launch of the ''
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 ...
'' magazine ''
Young Magazine
is a Japanese weekly anthology magazine published in Tokyo each Monday by Kodansha. The magazine was started on June 23, 1980 and is targeted at the adult male ( ''seinen'') demographic. It was published bimonthly (under the title ), on the seco ...
''.
The following year he started ''Rettō 198X'' with Hajime Oki in the same magazine and serialized both at the same time.
Also in 1981, Buronson began his first and only ''
shōjo manga
is an editorial category of Japanese comics targeting an audience of adolescent females and young adult women. It is, along with manga (targeting adolescent boys), manga (targeting young adult and adult men), and manga (targeting adul ...
'', ''Hold Up!'' in ''
Margaret
Margaret is a female first name, derived via French () and Latin () from grc, μαργαρίτης () meaning "pearl". The Greek is borrowed from Persian.
Margaret has been an English name since the 11th century, and remained popular througho ...
'' with Hikaru Yuzuki.
He worked with Yuzuki again on ''Maji da yo!!'' (1987–1988) for ''
Monthly Shōnen Jump
was a shōnen manga magazine which was published monthly in Japan by Shueisha from 1970 to 2007 under the ''Jump'' line of magazines. It was the sister magazine to ''Weekly Shōnen Jump''.
History
The ''Monthly Shōnen Jump'' magazine started ...
''.
Buronson's greatest success, ''
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 ...
'' drawn by
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 ...
, made its debut in ''Weekly Shōnen Jump'' in 1983. Ending in 1988, it spawned a massive franchise and went on to become one of the
best-selling manga in history with over 100 million copies in circulation. From 2001–2010 Hara created a ''seinen'' sequel in ''
Weekly Comic Bunch
is a Japanese manga anthology marketed to a ''seinen'' audience that was edited by Coamix and published weekly by Shinchosha from 2001 throughout 2010 and became monthly since 2011. The collected editions of their titles are published under the ...
'', ''
Fist of the Blue Sky
is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Tetsuo Hara, with plot supervision by Buronson. It was serialized in ''Weekly Comic Bunch'' from 2001 to 2010, with the chapters collected into 22 ''tankōbon'' volumes by Shinchosha. It ...
'', that Buronson supervised and gave advice on.
In 1989, Buronson worked with
Kentaro Miura
was a Japanese manga artist. He was best known for his acclaimed dark fantasy series '' Berserk'', which began serialization in 1989 and continued until his death. As of 2021, ''Berserk'' had more than 50 million copies in circulation, making i ...
on ''
King of Wolves
is a Japanese manga series written by Buronson and illustrated by Kentaro Miura. It was serialized in Hakusensha's ''Monthly Animal House'' in 1989, with its chapters collected in a single ''tankōbon'' volume. A sequel, titled ''Ōrō Den'', ...
'' for
Hakusensha
is a Japanese publishing company. It is headquartered in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Chiyoda, Tokyo.
The company mainly publishes manga magazines and is involved in series' productions in their games, original video animation, music, and their animated TV ...
. They began a sequel entitled ''Orō Den'' in 1990, before working together again on ''
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
'' in 1992.
From 1995 to 1997, Fumimura worked for
Enix
was a Japanese video game publisher that produced video games, anime and manga. Enix is known for publishing the ''Dragon Quest'' series of role-playing video games.
The company was founded by Yasuhiro Fukushima on September 22, 1975, as . Th ...
on the series ''Tenkū Ninden Battle Voyager'' with Satoru Yuiga.
Although he first worked 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 2 ...
in 1979 for the one-shot ''The Scar'', the two did not work again until ''
Sanctuary
A sanctuary, in its original meaning, is a sacred place, such as a shrine. By the use of such places as a haven, by extension the term has come to be used for any place of safety. This secondary use can be categorized into human sanctuary, a saf ...
'' combined politics and
yakuza
, also known as , are members of transnational organized crime syndicates originating in Japan. The Japanese police and media, by request of the police, call them , while the ''yakuza'' call themselves . The English equivalent for the term ...
in 1990. When the successful series ended in 1995, they began ''Odyssey''. Although that ended rather quickly after only a year, the team created ''
Strain
Strain may refer to:
Science and technology
* Strain (biology), variants of plants, viruses or bacteria; or an inbred animal used for experimental purposes
* Strain (chemistry), a chemical stress of a molecule
* Strain (injury), an injury to a mu ...
'' (1996–1998) and then ''
Heat
In thermodynamics, heat is defined as the form of energy crossing the boundary of a thermodynamic system by virtue of a temperature difference across the boundary. A thermodynamic system does not ''contain'' heat. Nevertheless, the term is al ...
'' (1998–2004) in succession.
''Heat'' earned them the 2002
Shogakukan Manga Award
The is one of Japan's major manga awards, and is sponsored by Shogakukan, Shogakukan Publishing. It has been awarded annually for serialized manga and features candidates from a number of publishers. It is the oldest manga award in Japan, being ...
for general manga.
At Ikegami's request, the author used Sho Fumimura for ''Sanctuary'' and ''Odyssey'', and Buronson for ''Strain'' and ''Heat''.
About five months after ''Heat'' ended, Buronson and Ikegami began their fifth series together, ''
Lord
Lord is an appellation for a person or deity who has authority, control, or power over others, acting as a master, chief, or ruler. The appellation can also denote certain persons who hold a title of the peerage in the United Kingdom, or ar ...
'' (2004–2011).
In 2010, Buronson teamed up with Daichi Matsuse for the manga ''Full Swing'' in ''
Monthly Shonen Sunday''. He and Ikegami then wrote a sequel to ''Lord'', ''Soul Lord 2'' (2011–2013), before creating ''Rokumonsen Rock'' (2013–2015). As Fumimura, the author worked with Yuka Nagate on ''Silencer'' (2012–2014) about a
hitwoman, and with Ikegami on ''
Begin'' (2016–2020). Buronson and Shiro Yoshida launched the series ''Too Beat'' in ''Big Comic Zōkan'' on May 17, 2021.
Works
As Buronson
*
*
*
*''
Doberman Deka
is a Japanese hardboiled manga series written by Buronson and illustrated by Shinji Hiramatsu. It was serialized in the ''Weekly Shōnen Jump'' manga anthology from 1975 (Issue 39) throughout 1979 (Issue 48), with the chapters collected into 2 ...
'' (1975–1979, 18 volumes, art by Shinji Hiramatsu)
*
*
*''
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 ...
'' (1983–1988, 27 volumes, art by
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 ...
)
*
*
*
*
*''
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
'' (1992, 1 volume, art by Kentaro Miura)
*
*''
Strain
Strain may refer to:
Science and technology
* Strain (biology), variants of plants, viruses or bacteria; or an inbred animal used for experimental purposes
* Strain (chemistry), a chemical stress of a molecule
* Strain (injury), an injury to a mu ...
'' (1996–1998, 5 volumes, art 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 2 ...
)
*
*''
Heat
In thermodynamics, heat is defined as the form of energy crossing the boundary of a thermodynamic system by virtue of a temperature difference across the boundary. A thermodynamic system does not ''contain'' heat. Nevertheless, the term is al ...
'' (1998–2004, 17 volumes, art by Ryoichi Ikegami)
*
*
*''
Fist of the Blue Sky
is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Tetsuo Hara, with plot supervision by Buronson. It was serialized in ''Weekly Comic Bunch'' from 2001 to 2010, with the chapters collected into 22 ''tankōbon'' volumes by Shinchosha. It ...
'' (2001–2010, 22 volumes, advisor only, story and art by Tetsuo Hara)
*
*''G -Gokudo Girl-'' (2002–2004, 5 volumes, art by
Hidenori Hara
is a Japanese manga artist. He won the 1988 Shogakukan Manga Award
The is one of Japan's major manga awards, and is sponsored by Shogakukan Publishing. It has been awarded annually for serialized manga and features candidates from a number of ...
)
*''
Lord
Lord is an appellation for a person or deity who has authority, control, or power over others, acting as a master, chief, or ruler. The appellation can also denote certain persons who hold a title of the peerage in the United Kingdom, or ar ...
'' (2004–2011, 22 volumes, art by Ryoichi Ikegami)
*''Dog Law'' (2008–2009, art by
Atsushi Kamijo
is a Japanese manga artist. At times he is billed as "Atsushi Kamijo and Yoko", which refers to Yoko Murase, his assistant. Kamijo is known for his stylish designs, which often use pure white backgrounds with very little middle ground between ...
)
*''Full Swing'' (2010–2012, art by Daichi Matsuse)
*
*''
Shin Doberman Deka'' (2012–2013, 2 volumes, art by Shinji Hiramatsu)
*
*
*''Too Beat'' (2021–present, art by Shiro Yoshida)
As Sho Fumimura
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*''Astronauts'' (1984–1988, art by Hajime Oki)
*
*''Shogun'' (1988–1991, art by Jūzō Tokoro)
*
*''
Sanctuary
A sanctuary, in its original meaning, is a sacred place, such as a shrine. By the use of such places as a haven, by extension the term has come to be used for any place of safety. This secondary use can be categorized into human sanctuary, a saf ...
'' (1990–1995, 12 volumes, art by Ryoichi Ikegami)
*
*
*
*''G-Hard'' (1998–1999, art by Juzo Tokoro)
*
*''Silencer'' (2012–2014, art by Yuka Nagate)
*''
Begin'' (2016–2020, art by Ryoichi Ikegami)
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Buronson
1947 births
Living people
Japan Air Self-Defense Force
Japanese racehorse owners and breeders
Manga writers
Manga artists from Nagano Prefecture
20th-century pseudonymous writers
21st-century pseudonymous writers