FUKUMOTO Nobuyuki

Japanese Name: 福本伸行

Place of Birth: Yokosuka, Kanagawa, Japan

Gender: Male

Information for Authors: Nobuyuki Fukumoto is a Japanese manga artist well known throughout the Far East for his unique original gambling ideas, deep psychological analysis of characters, and his distinct art style. Yakuza and gambling are recurring themes in his manga. In English language countries, he is most famous as the author of Akagi, a mahjong-related manga. In 1998, he won the Kodansha Manga Award for Tobaku Mokushiroku Kaiji. The onomatopoeia "zawa" (ざわ‥), meaning uneasy atmosphere, appears frequently in his comics and is considered Fukumoto's trademark. He grew up reading Perman, but didn’t read much nor drew manga either as a child. He was working at a construction company after graduating from high school. Then he worked as an assistant to KAZAMA Eiji in Seishun Sanmyaku. Fukumoto, who was a beginner at that time, couldn’t draw a decent picture and was told to do chores such as cooking. After 1 year and 6 months Fukumoto resigned, and Kazama said “I think being a truck driver is more suitable for you, Fukumoto.” Then he made his debut in Monthly Shonen Champion with “Yoroshiku Junji Taisho” in 1980. Regarding these circumstances, Kazama and Fukumoto still have a good relationship. WATANABE Michio was his senior assistant. Has collaborated with Kawaguchi Kaiji on Kokuhaku and Seizon - Life. SATO Shuho was his assistant on Akagi, Gin to Kin and Ten. Was friends with TAKAHASHI Kazuo.