Ko Kojima
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese manga artist
. He is best known for penning Sennin Buraku (running since 1956 in Weekly Asahi Geinō
), the longest running comic by a single artist. He attended the private in Koishikawa (now part of Bunkyō, Tokyo
, after which he began attending Taiheiyō Fine Arts Academy before dropping out partway through school.
From his elementary
years through high school
, Kojima began drawing manga, and in 1949 he made his professional debut as a member of the Dokuritsu Mangaha. That group broke up in 1959, and in 1964 he joined the Japan Manga Artist Cooperative and the Manga Shūdan, participating in both groups regularly.
Due to the adult and modern nature of his works, as well as his unusual drawing style, his works became very popular, garnering him the 1968 Bungeishunjū Manga Prize from the literary magazine Bungeishunjū
for his work Nihon no Kaa-chan. Other works include the long running Sennin Buraku, as well as Hige to Boin, running since 1974 in Shogakukan's
Big Comic Original
manga magazine. The main character of the latter series is a sake-brewing kappa
.
Kojima makes regular appearances on the Tokyo 12ch (now TV Tokyo
) news discussion show Asahi Shimbun Wide News where he discusses current events and shares satirical illustrations with the viewers.
The manga artist Moyoco Anno
(who is married to anime director Hideaki Anno
) is Kojima's niece.
Mangaka
is the Japanese word for a comic artist or cartoonist. Outside of Japan, manga usually refers to a Japanese comic book and mangaka refers to the author of the manga, who is usually Japanese...
. He is best known for penning Sennin Buraku (running since 1956 in Weekly Asahi Geinō
Weekly Asahi Geino
, often shortened to simply Asahi Geinō or , is a shūkanshi founded by Hirotomo Takei and published by Tokuma Shoten in Japan. It was first published under the title in January 1946, though the title and size were changed to the current one in October 1956...
), the longest running comic by a single artist. He attended the private in Koishikawa (now part of Bunkyō, Tokyo
Bunkyo, Tokyo
is one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. Situated in the middle of the ward area, Bunkyō is a residential and educational center. Beginning in the Meiji period, literati like Natsume Sōseki, as well as scholars and politicians have lived there...
, after which he began attending Taiheiyō Fine Arts Academy before dropping out partway through school.
From his elementary
Elementary school
An elementary school or primary school is an institution where children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as elementary or primary education. Elementary school is the preferred term in some countries, particularly those in North America, where the terms grade school and grammar...
years through high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
, Kojima began drawing manga, and in 1949 he made his professional debut as a member of the Dokuritsu Mangaha. That group broke up in 1959, and in 1964 he joined the Japan Manga Artist Cooperative and the Manga Shūdan, participating in both groups regularly.
Due to the adult and modern nature of his works, as well as his unusual drawing style, his works became very popular, garnering him the 1968 Bungeishunjū Manga Prize from the literary magazine Bungeishunjū
Bungeishunju
, established in 1923, is a Japanese publishing company known for its leading monthly magazine Bungeishunjū. It also grants the annual Akutagawa Prize, one of the most prestigious literary awards in Japan, as well as the annual Naoki Prize for popular novelists. It also grants the annual...
for his work Nihon no Kaa-chan. Other works include the long running Sennin Buraku, as well as Hige to Boin, running since 1974 in Shogakukan's
Shogakukan
is a Japanese publisher of dictionaries, literature, manga, non-fiction, DVDs, and other media in Japan.Shogakukan founded Shueisha which founded Hakusensha. These are three separate companies, but are together called the Hitotsubashi Group, one of the largest publishing groups in Japan...
Big Comic Original
Big Comic Original
is a Japanese seinen manga magazine published by Shogakukan, aimed at an older adult and mostly male audience. It is a sister magazine to Big Comic, the biggest difference being that it goes on sale twice a month in the weeks Big Comic doesn't. Cover artwork usually features a dog or cat, and a haiku...
manga magazine. The main character of the latter series is a sake-brewing kappa
Kappa
Kappa is the 10th letter of the Greek alphabet, used to represent the voiceless velar stop, or "k", sound in Ancient and Modern Greek. In the system of Greek numerals it has a value of 20. It was derived from the Phoenician letter Kaph...
.
Kojima makes regular appearances on the Tokyo 12ch (now TV Tokyo
TV Tokyo
is a television station headquartered in Toranomon, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Also known as , a blend of "terebi" and "Tokyo", it is the key station of TX Network. It is one of the major Tokyo television stations, particularly specializing in anime...
) news discussion show Asahi Shimbun Wide News where he discusses current events and shares satirical illustrations with the viewers.
The manga artist Moyoco Anno
Moyoco Anno
is a Japanese manga artist and a fashion writer, with numerous books published in both categories. Her manga and books have attained considerable popularity among young women in Japan. Though she primarily writes manga of the josei demographic, her most popular series, Sugar Sugar Rune, is...
(who is married to anime director Hideaki Anno
Hideaki Anno
is a Japanese animation and film director. Anno is best known for his work on the popular anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion. His style has come to be defined by the touches of postmodernism that he injects into his work, as well as the thorough portrayal of characters' thoughts and emotions,...
) is Kojima's niece.