Takashi Shiina
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese manga artist
who writes primarily for the weekly Shogakukan
manga publication Weekly Shōnen Sunday. When he started at the company in 1989, he began with an anthology of various shorts and one-shots collectively known as Shiina Department Store. Eventually one of these one-shots, about a beautiful, money grubbing female exorcist
and her lecherous companion, would become the basis of his best known work: Ghost Sweeper Mikami
: Gokuraku Daisakusen!! (better known by its shorter name: Ghost Sweeper Mikami, or GS Mikami) Running from 1991 through 1999, it became well known and popular work in Sunday, even leading to an anime of the series from 1993 through 1994 by Toei Animation
as well as a Shogakukan Manga Award
for shōnen
in 1993. Even as he had success with Mikami, Shiina continued to create various one-shot stories on the side of his main series.
After the end of GS Mikami, Shiina tried to create new series for the manga anthology, such as Ichiban-yu no Kanata and Mister Japan. He also created new series and shorts on the side, including GS Holmes: Gokuraku Daisakusen!! (an alternate take on Sherlock Holmes
co-starring the robotic Maria from GS Mikami) In 2003, Shiina introduced another of his many ideas in Shōnen Sunday in short form: Zettai Karen Children
, about three young girls with great psychic powers and terrifying ambitions. Finding some success with it in short form, the manga artist introduced it as a weekly series in 2005, where it continues to run at this time.
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...
who writes primarily for the weekly Shogakukan
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...
manga publication Weekly Shōnen Sunday. When he started at the company in 1989, he began with an anthology of various shorts and one-shots collectively known as Shiina Department Store. Eventually one of these one-shots, about a beautiful, money grubbing female exorcist
Exorcist
In some religions an exorcist is a person who is believed to be able to cast out the devil or other demons. A priest, a nun, a monk, a healer, a shaman or other specially prepared or instructed person can be an exorcist...
and her lecherous companion, would become the basis of his best known work: Ghost Sweeper Mikami
Ghost Sweeper Mikami
is a Japanese comedic horror manga series written and illustrated by Takashi Shiina. It was published by the weekly manga magazine Shōnen Sunday from 1991 to 1999. In 1993, it won the Shogakukan Manga Award for best shōnen manga...
: Gokuraku Daisakusen!! (better known by its shorter name: Ghost Sweeper Mikami, or GS Mikami) Running from 1991 through 1999, it became well known and popular work in Sunday, even leading to an anime of the series from 1993 through 1994 by Toei Animation
Toei Animation
Toei Animation Co., Ltd. is a Japanese animation studio owned by Toei Co., Ltd. The studio was founded in 1948 as Japan Animated Films . In 1956, Toei purchased the studio and it was reincorporated under its current name...
as well as a Shogakukan Manga Award
Shogakukan Manga Award
The is one of Japan's major manga awards, sponsored by Shogakukan Publishing. It has been awarded annually for serialized manga since 1955 and features candidates from a number of publishers.The current award categories are:...
for shōnen
Shonen
The term refers to manga marketed to a male audience aged roughly 10 and up. The Kanji characters literally mean "few" and "year", respectively, where the characters generally mean "comic"...
in 1993. Even as he had success with Mikami, Shiina continued to create various one-shot stories on the side of his main series.
After the end of GS Mikami, Shiina tried to create new series for the manga anthology, such as Ichiban-yu no Kanata and Mister Japan. He also created new series and shorts on the side, including GS Holmes: Gokuraku Daisakusen!! (an alternate take on Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes is a fictional detective created by Scottish author and physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The fantastic London-based "consulting detective", Holmes is famous for his astute logical reasoning, his ability to take almost any disguise, and his use of forensic science skills to solve...
co-starring the robotic Maria from GS Mikami) In 2003, Shiina introduced another of his many ideas in Shōnen Sunday in short form: Zettai Karen Children
Zettai Karen Children
is a Japanese shōnen manga by Takashi Shiina. The manga started being serialized in Shogakukan's manga magazine Shōnen Sunday in 2005. An anime series began on April 6, 2008 which ran for fifty-one episodes. Shiina developed the series out of a short story he had written in a special issues of...
, about three young girls with great psychic powers and terrifying ambitions. Finding some success with it in short form, the manga artist introduced it as a weekly series in 2005, where it continues to run at this time.