Kaiji Kawaguchi

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Kaiji Kawaguchi
Born (1948-07-27) July 27, 1948 (age 73)
Onomichi, Hiroshima, Japan
NationalityJapanese
Alma materMeiji University
OccupationManga artist
Years active1968–present
Notable work
The Silent Service
Zipang
A Spirit of the Sun
Kūbo Ibuki
AwardsKodansha Manga Award (1987, 1990, 2002)
Shogakukan Manga Award (2005, 2017)

Kaiji Kawaguchi (Japanese: 川口 開治 or かわぐち かいじ, Hepburn: Kawaguchi Kaiji, born July 27, 1948) is a Japanese manga artist, known for works such as The Silent Service (1988–96), Zipang (1997–2001), A Spirit of the Sun (2002–10) and Kūbo Ibuki (2014–2019). Generally, his stories involve Japan and examine the moral choices that people make in extreme situations.

He has received the Kodansha Manga Award three times, for in 1987, The Silent Service in 1990, and Zipang in 2002.[1][2][3] He has also received the Shogakukan Manga Award twice, for A Spirit of the Sun in 2005 and Kūbo Ibuki in 2017.[4][5] A Spirit of the Sun also won the 2006 manga award at the Japan Media Arts Festival.[1]

Early life and career[]

In elementary school, Kaiji and his younger identical twin brother Kyōji became engrossed in shōnen manga.[6] Kyōji took over running the Kawaguchi family business, but was also a manga artist before dying in 2013. Kaiji's daughter Nirako is an illustrator, while his eldest son Kōhei is a Kanze noh actor.[7]

In 1968, Kaiji made his professional debut with Yoru ga Aketara in Young Comic at age 21, while still attending Meiji University.[1][6]

Influences and style[]

Kawaguchi was influenced by Shinji Nagashima, Tatsuhiko Yamagami's Hikaru Kaze, and Tadao Tsuge. He also said that if it were not for the freedom and more adult material seen in gekiga, he probably would not have become a manga artist.[6] In seventh grade he became interested in cinematography after seeing Akira Kurosawa's Yojimbo. This early influence from film is still seen in his manga names, which are largely text and more like film screenplays, which he read for fun in high school, than the usual storyboards.[6]

In the middle of serializing Hard & Loose (1983–87), Kawaguchi started drawing the eyes of his characters bigger. This was a suggestion by his editor, who told him that emotion is conveyed through the eyes. Before he made this switch, Kawaguchi said he never would have thought he would be able to draw Westerners and set his manga overseas.[6] The artist cited his work in Actor (1984–88) as the basis for his current style.[6]

Kawaguchi was a heavy smoker who insisted a cigarette was "indispensable" when drawing. However, after being treated for esophageal cancer in 2019, he quit smoking.[8]

Works[]

  • (1975–76), story by Ryō Hanmura
  • Terror no Keifu (1975)
  • (1981–84)
  • (1983), story by
  • (1983–87), story by Marley Carib
  • Kiba-Ken (1984–85), story by
  • (1984–88)
  • (1987–89)
  • The Silent Service (1988–96)
  • (1990–94)
  • Mosaren Bugi (1991–92)
  • Shisetsu Tantei Akai Kiba (1991), story by
  • Gokudou Shippuden: Bakudan (1992)
  • (1992)
  • Yellow (1995), story by Shinji Miyazaki
  • (1997)
  • (1997)
  • Eagle (1997–2001)
  • (1998)
  • (1998–99)
  • (1999), story by Nobuyuki Fukumoto
  • (2000), story by Nobuyuki Fukumoto
  • (2001)
  • (2001)
  • Zipang (2000–09)
  • A Spirit of the Sun (2002–10)
  • Kousetsu Mahjong Shinsengumi (2006–07)
  • (2007), story by Saho Sasazawa
  • (2011–14)
  • (2011–12), story by
  • Rijin no Fushigi na Yakyū (Jo) (2012)
  • Zipang: Shinsō Kairyū (2012– )
  • Burai-hen (2013)
  • Kūbo Ibuki (2014–2019)
  • Kūbo Ibuki Great Game (2019–present)

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c "かわぐちかいじ". Natalie (in Japanese). Retrieved 2021-08-04.
  2. ^ Joel Hahn. "Kodansha Manga Awards". Comic Book Awards Almanac. Archived from the original on 2007-08-16. Retrieved 2007-08-21.
  3. ^ "Archived copy" 過去の受賞者一覧 : 講談社漫画賞 : 講談社｢おもしろくて、ためになる｣出版を (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on 2010-07-25. Retrieved 2007-08-21.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  4. ^ 小学館漫画賞: 歴代受賞者 (in Japanese). Shogakukan. Archived from the original on 2008-07-10. Retrieved 2007-08-19.
  5. ^ "The Promised Neverland, After the Rain, More Win 63rd Shogakukan Manga Awards". Anime News Network. 2018-01-22. Retrieved 2021-08-04.
  6. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f Urasawa Naoki no Manben (in Japanese). 2014-11-09. NHK Educational TV.
  7. ^ "かわぐちかいじさん長男の能楽師・川口晃平、ＶＲ能「攻殻機動隊」に手応え". Chunichi Shimbun (in Japanese). 2020-08-08. Retrieved 2021-08-04.
  8. ^ "漫画家・かわぐちかいじ衝撃告白「長期休載の理由は、がんでした」". gendai.ismedia.jp (in Japanese). Kodansha. 2019-11-07. Retrieved 2021-08-03.

External links[]

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