Hajime Isayama

Summary

Hajime Isayama (諫山 創, Isayama Hajime, born August 29, 1986) is a Japanese manga artist. His first series, Attack on Titan (2009–2021), became one of the best-selling manga series of all time with 140 million copies in circulation as of November 2023.[2] He received a special award at the 50th Angoulême International Comics Festival in 2023.[3]

Hajime Isayama
諫山 創
BornAugust 29, 1986 (1986-08-29) (age 37)
OccupationManga artist
Years active2009–present
Known forAttack on Titan
Spouse
Unknown
(m. 2018)
[1]
AwardsKodansha Manga Award (2011)
Harvey Award (2014)

Biography edit

Isayama was born in Ōyama, Ōita Prefecture, Japan, which is now part of Hita. He was attending Hita Rinko Senior High School when he began submitting manga works to contests.[4] After graduating, he matriculated in the manga design program of the arts department at Kyushu Designer Gakuen. In 2006, he applied for the Magazine Grand Prix known as MGP promoted by Kodansha Ltd. and a short version of Attack on Titan (Shingeki no Kyojin) was given the "Fine Work" award.[5] At age twenty, he moved to Tokyo and worked at an Internet café in order to pursue a career in writing manga.[6] This one-shot would later be included with the first Blu-ray of the anime adaptation.[7]

Originally, he offered his work to the Weekly Shōnen Jump department at Shueisha, where he was advised to modify his style and story to be more suitable for Weekly Shōnen Jump. He declined and decided instead to take it to the Weekly Shōnen Magazine department at Kodansha Ltd.[8]

In 2008, he applied for the 80th Weekly Shōnen Magazine Freshman Manga Award, where his work Heart Break One was given the Special Encouragement Award. His other work, Orz, was chosen as a selected work in the same contest the following year.

In 2009, his first serial work, Attack on Titan, started in the monthly Bessatsu Shōnen Magazine. It won the Shōnen category of the 35th Kodansha Manga Award in 2011,[9] and was nominated for both the 4th annual Manga Taishō award and the 16th annual Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize.[10][11] Attack on Titan is released in English by Kodansha USA and has inspired five spin-off manga series, three light novel series, a televised anime adaptation, several visual novels and video games, and a two part live-action film. In November 2022, Isayama made his first-ever appearance in the United States at Anime NYC, an anime convention in New York City. The resort Bungo Oyama Hibiki no Sato in his hometown of Ōyama, ran a free exhibit displaying copies of Isayama's manuscripts for the manga in 2013.[6] A special Attack on Titan event was held in Hita on November 1, 2014, with Isayama and approximately 2,500 spectators attending. The following day, Isayama gave a speech at the Patria Hita cultural hall and was named the Tourism Ambassador of Hita by the city's mayor Keisuke Harada.[12] In December 2018, he announced in his blog that he had gotten married earlier that year.[1]

Works edit

Title Year Publisher(s) Notes Ref.
Attack on Titan
(進撃の巨人 Shingeki no Kyojin)
2006 One-shot version [5]
Heart Break One
(ハート ブレイク ワン Hāto Bureiku Wan)
2008 One-shot [13]
Orz 2008 One-shot [14]
Attack on Titan
(進撃の巨人 Shingeki no Kyojin)
2009–2021 Kodansha (Japanese)
Kodansha USA (English)
Manga
Attack on Titan Inside
(進撃の巨人 INSIDE 抗 Shingeki no Kyojin Inside Kou)
2013 Character profiles, interviews
Attack on Titan Outside
(進撃の巨人 OUTSIDE 攻 Shingeki no Kyojin OUTSIDE Osamu)
2013 Concept art, interviews. Includes a draft from chapter 1 (2009)
Attack on Avengers 2014 Brutus (Japanese)
Colossal Edition Vol. 2 by Kodansha USA (English)
Crossover with Marvel Comics.
Story by Isayama, art by Axel Alonso and Joe Quesada.
[15]
The Killing Pawn
(ザ・キリング・ポーン Za Kiringu Pōn)
2014 One-shot; art by Ryōji Minagawa.This was lately added to Minagawa's short story collection "Tensousha"(2021). [16][17]

Awards edit

Year Award Category Work/Nominee Result
2006 Magazine Grand Prix Fine Work Attack on Titan (one-shot version) Won[5]
2008 80th Weekly Shōnen Magazine Freshman Manga Award Special Encouragement Award Heart Break One Won[13]
81st Weekly Shōnen Magazine Freshman Manga Award Selected Work Orz Won[14]
2011 4th Manga Taishō Awards Best Manga Attack on Titan Nominated[18]
35th Kodansha Manga Award Best Shōnen Manga Attack on Titan Won[9]
2012 16th Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize Grand Prize Attack on Titan Nominated[19]
2013 20th Anime & Manga Grand Prix Best Hope Manga Attack on Titan Won[20]
19th Saló del Manga de Barcelona Best Shōnen Manga Attack on Titan Won[21]
6th Bros Comic Award Grand Prize (Animated Comic) Attack on Titan Won[22][23]
2014 18th Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize Grand Prize Attack on Titan Nominated[24]
17th Attilio Micheluzzi Award Best Foreign Series Attack on Titan (published by Planet Manga) Won[25]
True Believer Comic Awards Favourite Manga Attack on Titan Won[26]
27th Harvey Award Best American Edition of Foreign Material Attack on Titan (published by Kodansha USA) Won[27]
21st Anime & Manga Grand Prix Best Manga Attack on Titan Won[28]
E-Book Awards Grand Prize Attack on Titan (published by Kondansha) Won[29]
E-Book Awards Comic Category Attack on Titan (published by Kondansha) Won
1st place[30]
Pochi Awards Best Manga International Attack on Titan (published by Carlsen Manga) Won[31]
20th Saló del Manga de Barcelona Best Shōnen Manga Attack on Titan Won[32]
NEO Awards Best Manga Attack on Titan (published by Kodansha USA) Won[33][34]
2015 1st Sugoi Japan Awards Best Manga Series Attack on Titan Won[35]
11th AnimaniA Awards Best Manga International Attack on Titan (published by Carlsen Manga) Won[36]
Goodreads Choice Awards Best Graphic Novels & Comics Attack on Titan 3rd place[37]
2021 27th Saló del Manga de Barcelona Best Shōnen Manga Attack on Titan (published by Norma Editorial) Nominated[38]
Noma Publishing Award Noma Publishing Culture Award Hajime Isayama Won[39]
2023 50th Angoulême International Comics Festival Fauve Special Hajime Isayama Won[40]

References edit

  1. ^ a b Sherman, Jennifer (December 31, 2018). "Attack on Titan Creator Announces His Marriage". Anime News Network. Retrieved January 5, 2019.
  2. ^ @shingeki_FLY (November 29, 2023). "We looked at the cumulative circulation of AOT manga worldwide" (Tweet) – via Twitter. [better source needed]
  3. ^ Jiji (January 29, 2023). "'Attack on Titan' Creator Honored at French Comics Festival". The Japan Times. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
  4. ^ "'Attack on Titan' author expresses fears through popular boys' manga". Asahi Shimbun. July 20, 2013. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved November 1, 2013.
  5. ^ a b c "7月期MGP結果大発表!!" [MGP results for July!!]. 講談社コミックプラス. Kodansha. 2009. Archived from the original on July 3, 2014. Retrieved August 30, 2014.
  6. ^ a b "'Attack on Titan' exhibition held in manga artist Hajime Isayama's hometown". Asahi Shimbun. April 15, 2013. Archived from the original on November 2, 2013. Retrieved November 1, 2013.
  7. ^ Loo, Egan (May 7, 2013). "1st Attack on Titan Blu-ray/DVD to Bundle Manga 'Prototype'". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on February 6, 2021. Retrieved November 2, 2013.
  8. ^ Isayama, Hajime (December 19, 2009). 変身!!!! [Transformation!!!!] (in Japanese). Archived from the original on November 10, 2020. Retrieved May 22, 2013.
  9. ^ a b "ANIME NEWS: 'Attack On Titan' anime adaptation to hit the small screen in spring". Asahi Shimbun. December 28, 2012. Archived from the original on November 2, 2013. Retrieved November 1, 2013.
  10. ^ Loo, Egan (January 16, 2011). "13 Titles Nominated for 4th Manga Taisho Awards". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on May 5, 2021. Retrieved November 2, 2013.
  11. ^ Loo, Egan (February 10, 2012). "16th Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize Nominees Announced". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on November 10, 2020. Retrieved November 2, 2013.
  12. ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (November 4, 2014). "Attack on Titan Creator Named Tourism Ambassador of Hometown". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on February 4, 2021. Retrieved November 5, 2014.
  13. ^ a b "第80回新人漫画賞" [The 80th Annual Newcomer Awards]. Shonen Magazine (in Japanese). Archived from the original (Select 第80回 on the drop-down menu) on September 30, 2018. Retrieved October 12, 2018.
  14. ^ a b "第81回新人漫画賞" [The 81st Annual Newcomer Awards]. Shonen Magazine (in Japanese). Archived from the original (Select 第81回 on the drop-down menu) on September 30, 2018. Retrieved October 12, 2018.
  15. ^ Melrose, Kevin (November 6, 2014). "New "Attack on Titan"/Marvel Crossover Details Revealed". CBR. Retrieved October 12, 2018.
  16. ^ "諫山創×皆川亮二がタッグ!進撃以外の初作品" [Hajime Isayama × Ryoji Minagawa collaboration! First work besides 'Attack on Titan']. Natalie (in Japanese). July 29, 2014. Retrieved October 12, 2018.
  17. ^ "転送者 皆川亮二短編集". 小学館 (in Japanese). April 12, 2021. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
  18. ^ Egan, Loo (January 17, 2011). "13 Titles Nominated for 4th Manga Taisho Awards". Anime News Network.
  19. ^ Egan, Loo (February 20, 2012). "16th Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize Nominees Announced". Anime News Network.
  20. ^ "20E ANIME & MANGA GRAND PRIX : LES VAINQUEURS". AnimeLand (in French). April 5, 2013.
  21. ^ "'Ataque a los titanes' y 'Fushigi Yugi' ganan los premios del Salón del Manga de Barcelona". rtve.es (in Spanish). November 3, 2013.
  22. ^ "初心者むけ"進撃"講座も!「ブロスコミックアワード2013」大賞は「王国の子」". getnews.jp (in Japanese). November 12, 2013.
  23. ^ 6th Shine! Bros Comic Award 2013. TV Bros November 9, 2013, issue
  24. ^ Sarah, Nelkin (March 9, 2014). "18th Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize Nominees Announced". Anime News Network.
  25. ^ "Vincitori Premi Micheluzzi 2014" [2014 Micheluzzi Awards Winners]. Comicon.it (in Italian). May 7, 2014. Archived from the original on July 1, 2019. Retrieved September 2, 2018.
  26. ^ Kevin, Melrose (July 14, 2014). "True Believers Comic Awards announce 2014 winners". cbr.com.
  27. ^ Mahoney, Rachel (September 9, 2014). "'Attack on Titan' Manga Wins 2014 Harvey Award". Anime News Network. Retrieved September 2, 2018.
  28. ^ "AMGP 2013 : les résultats". AnimeLand (in French). March 21, 2014.
  29. ^ "「電子書籍アワード2014」電子書籍大賞に『進撃の巨人』". itmedia.co.jp. March 31, 2014.
  30. ^ "「電子書籍アワード2014」電子書籍大賞に『進撃の巨人』". itmedia.co.jp. March 31, 2014.
  31. ^ "CONNICHI 2014: DER POCHI AWARD". September 16, 2014.
  32. ^ "Ganadores de los premios del XX Salón del Manga de Barcelona". cinemascomics.com (in Spanish). November 2, 2014.
  33. ^ "Neo Awards 2014The Winner of Best Manga 2014 is: ATTACK ON TITAN". twitter. January 26, 2015.
  34. ^ "Neo Awards 2014". Neo Issue 133
  35. ^ Lynzee, Loveridge (March 13, 2015). "Yomiuri Shimbun's 'Sugoi Japan Awards' Winners Announced". Anime News Network.
  36. ^ "AnimaniA Award 2006-2016". AnimaniA. February 2016.
  37. ^ "Best Graphic Novels & Comics". Goodreads.
  38. ^ "Todos los nominados y ganadores de los XXVII Manga Barcelona (2021)". Enjoy Comics. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
  39. ^ "Attack on Titan's Hajime Isayama Wins Noma Publishing Culture Award". Anime News Network. Retrieved November 17, 2021.
  40. ^ "Special Fauve for the 50th Edition". Angoulême International Comics Festival. January 29, 2023. Retrieved December 16, 2023.

External links edit