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Born on the 5th July 1968 in the Kanagawa prefecture of Japan, Ken Akamatsu found fame through his artistic skill after failing the entrance exam to the prestigious Tokyo University. Using the pseudonym Awa Mizuno, Akamatsu built his reputation through the bi-annual Comiket convention in Japan, before winning a number of manga awards under his real name. After graduating from a film study course Akamatsu hit the big time with his first manga series Ai Love You. However, it was his next series - Love Hina - that was to cement his reputation. Love Hina was not only a massive |
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success in Japan, where it spawned an anime series, two video specials and a movie, as well as a host of console games, but also in the West too. The romantic comedy's success in America was a big shock to him, who didn't think Western readers would understand the Japanese aspects of it. But they did and the worldwide popularity of Love Hina made him one of the world's best known manga authors. He had already been involved in the anime incarnation of Love Hina, and he carried on his anime work with the short anime series Mao-Chan. The cute series, for which he provided the story and character design, was quite popular but he returned to manga creation with his next title - Negima! Master Negi Magi. Negima! has proven every bit as popular
as Love Hina and grown his reputation as the leading artist in
the 'harem comedy' genre even further.
There have been two Negima! anime series and several console
games already, and the number of manga volumes is already into double
figures. Ken Akamatsu continues to write and draw Negima!
for Shonen Magazine in Japan, and is happily married. His
blend of distinctive art and contemporary romantic comedy has proved
very popular around the world, and we feel there's still plenty to come
from him in the future!
Bibliography:
Itsudatte My Santa! |
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