George Akiyama

1.1. Childhood and Family

Born on April 27, 1943, in Nippori, Tokyo, Yūji Akiyama was the second son among five siblings, having an older sister, an older brother, a younger brother, and a younger sister. His father was a skilled Zainichi Korean artificial flower craftsman. During World War II, his family was evacuated to Tanuma-machi, Tochigi Prefecture. A pivotal moment in his childhood occurred when he was 10 years old: his father's business failed, leading the family to relocate to Ashikaga City and experience extreme poverty. Despite these hardships, Akiyama began drawing manga as a child, even creating his own manga book by the time he was in junior high school.

1.2. Education and Early Career

Although encouraged to pursue higher education, Akiyama decided to leave high school after junior high graduation to support his family, moving to Tokyo with the ambition of becoming a manga artist. His initial jobs included working briefly as a book wholesaler at Hōmeidō in Kanda, Tokyo, a distributor for rental manga. While at Hōmeidō, he actively pursued his dream, submitting manuscripts to publishers like Wakagi Shobō and regularly visiting the home of manga artist Mitsuteru Maetani for guidance. His very first collected volume was published under Maetani's name, and an early work, Arashi to Ninja, appeared under his real name, Yūji Akiyama, in the rental manga Fūma, receiving a review from the renowned artist Sanpei Shirato.

After leaving Hōmeidō, Akiyama took on various part-time jobs and contributed to the production of the television anime Tatakae! Osper at Nippon Hoso Eiga. He persistently submitted his work to Kodansha, eventually leading to an introduction to manga artist Kenji Morita, under whom he apprenticed for approximately one and a half years. While working as an assistant, he continued to publish works in rental manga. His official debut is often considered to be "Ijiwaru E," published in the January 1965 New Year's issue of Bekkan Shōnen Magazine, followed by "Toppina Sakusen" in Shōnen Gahō and "Robot Sensō" in Bōken Ō Zōkan that same year.

2.1. Debut and Early Works

Akiyama made his major debut in 1966 with the gag manga Gaikotsu-kun, which was serialized in Bekkan Shōnen Magazine and quickly found success. The following year, his series Patman X, published in Weekly Shōnen Magazine, became a hit. Its popularity led to Akiyama receiving the 9th Kodansha Jidō Manga Award in 1968, recognizing his early contributions to children's manga. During this period, he was primarily known as a gag manga artist, excelling in works with a touch of pathos, such as Zankoku Baby, Computan, Horafuki Dondon, and Derorinman.

2.2. Controversial Works and Social Impact

In 1970, Akiyama dramatically shifted his style, releasing works that would define his controversial reputation. He began serializing Zeni Geba in Weekly Shōnen Sunday in March and Asura in Weekly Shōnen Magazine in August. These works departed from his previous gag manga, employing provocative and often shocking depictions to question human morality and the nature of good and evil, drawing significant public attention.

Asura became his most infamous work. Its first chapter contained a deeply unsettling scene where a woman, driven by extreme hunger, resorts to cannibalism and later attempts to eat her own child. The August 2, 1970, edition of Weekly Shōnen Magazine, which featured this chapter, was subsequently banned as "harmful literature" in several Japanese regions. This incident led to a media frenzy, propelling Akiyama into widespread notoriety within the manga industry. Despite the controversy, Asura was later adapted into an anime film by Toei Animation in 2012. Similarly, Zeni Geba was adapted into a television drama, for which Akiyama himself drew the Henohenomoheji character used in the series.

2.3. Retirement and Return

Amidst the uproar caused by his controversial works, Akiyama began serializing Kokuhaku (告白_Confessions^Japanese) in the 11th issue of Weekly Shōnen Sunday in 1971. This manga adopted an unprecedented and experimental format: each week, Akiyama would publish a confession (for instance, claiming to be a murderer), only to reveal in the subsequent chapter that the confession was a lie. After repeatedly engaging in this meta-narrative, Akiyama suddenly announced his temporary retirement, ending all his ongoing serializations. In June of that year, he embarked on a solo journey across Japan.

However, his retirement was short-lived. Just three months later, Akiyama returned to active serialization with Bara no Sakamichi, which began in the 34th issue of Weekly Shōnen Jump in 1971.

2.4. Major Works and Achievements

Following his return, Akiyama expanded his activities into youth magazines. On December 5, 1973, he launched his longest-running and most acclaimed series, Haguregumo (浮浪雲^Japanese), in Big Comic Original. The historical manga, set in the Bakumatsu period in Shinagawa-shuku on the Tōkaidō, centered on the character of Haguregumo, the easygoing head of a wholesale house who lives without attachment to worldly matters. The series depicted the nuances of human relationships and the joys and sorrows of ordinary people.

Haguregumo became a massive commercial and critical success, gaining widespread support. Its cultural impact was significant, even being used as a question in the 1977 entrance examination for Hanazono University. The series was adapted into a television drama twice, first in 1978 starring Ken Watanabe and again in 1990 starring Takeshi Kitano. In 1979, Akiyama received the 24th Shogakukan Manga Award in the Youth/General category for Haguregumo. The series ran for an astonishing 44 years, concluding in September 2017 with a total of 112 collected volumes. It was also adapted into an anime film by Toei Animation and Madhouse in 1982.

2.5. Other Notable Works

Beyond his most famous series, George Akiyama produced a diverse range of manga throughout his career. From 1980 to 1984, he serialized the adult manga Pink no Curtain in Weekly Manga Goraku. This series was adapted into adult films by Nikkatsu Roman Porno starting in 1982, becoming a popular series with three films produced by 1983, which helped launch actress Miho Jun as a major star for Nikkatsu.

Akiyama also made a notable impression by undertaking a manga adaptation of the Bible, titled Seisho (聖書^Japanese), which was published by Gentosha. Other significant works include Koiko no Mainichi (1985-1992), Kudoki-ya Joe (1986-1987), Lovelin Monroe (1989-1993), Onnagata Kisaburō (1993-2002), Hakuai no Hito (1993-1996), Dobugero-sama (1995-1996), Sutegataki Hitobito (1996-1999), Ikinasai Kiki (2001-2002), and Who Are You (2002), which was serialized under his real name, Yūji Akiyama. In 2005, he published Manga Chūgoku Nyūmon: Yakkai na Rinjin no Kenkyū (マンガ中国入門 やっかいな隣人の研究_{Manga Introduction to China: A Study of Troublesome Neighbors}^Japanese), which featured himself and characters from his other works.

5.1. Pen Name and Artistic Philosophy

Akiyama's pen name, "George," was chosen because he wanted a band-member-like sound, similar to the jazz drummer George Kawaguchi. He later described it as a "youthful folly." Despite his prolific career as a manga artist, Akiyama often made contrarian statements, such as "I hate manga," "Reading manga makes you stupid," and even claimed he had "never read Osamu Tezuka's works."

However, according to manga artist Kazuyoshi Torii, who worked with Akiyama on the television anime Tatakae! Osper, Akiyama secretly loved manga and held deep respect for Osamu Tezuka, even keeping a framed photograph of Tezuka. Torii explained Akiyama's public statements as a "unique way of hiding shyness" and a tendency to "lie all the time" about his true feelings. This complex personality also manifested in his professional relationships; for instance, Shigeo Nishimura, then editor-in-chief of Weekly Shōnen Jump, noted that while Akiyama was "very interesting to talk to," his manga Kaijin Gonzui was "not interesting at all" and consistently ranked last in reader popularity surveys.

5.2. Personal Details

During his junior high school years, George Akiyama's IQ was recorded as 120. He stood at a height of 67 in ^{(170 cm)}.

6.1. Critical Reception and Debates

Akiyama's most provocative works, such as Asura and Zeni Geba, were met with varied critical responses. Their bold and often shocking subject matter directly confronted conventional notions of morality and human nature, sparking widespread debates within both artistic and social discourse. The explicit depictions of violence and taboo themes in Asura, particularly the scene of cannibalism, led to its magazine issue being banned in various regions, highlighting the intense public reaction and the manga's role in challenging societal norms. These works pushed the boundaries of what was considered acceptable in mainstream manga, forcing a re-evaluation of the medium's expressive potential and its social responsibilities.

6.2. Legacy and Impact

George Akiyama's legacy is defined by his willingness to tackle difficult and uncomfortable subjects, thereby pushing the creative boundaries of the manga medium. His controversial works, while shocking at the time, paved the way for future artists to explore darker and more complex themes. Beyond the controversies, his long-running series Haguregumo demonstrated his versatility and ability to create beloved, critically acclaimed works that resonated with a broad audience for decades. His manga adaptation of the Bible further solidified his unique presence in the industry. Akiyama's fearless approach to storytelling and his exploration of the depths of human experience have left an indelible mark on Japanese popular culture, influencing subsequent generations of manga artists to challenge conventions and delve into profound psychological and social commentaries. His personal office, George Akiyama Co., Ltd., manages the various rights to his works.

7.1. Mentorship

Akiyama's early career was significantly shaped by the guidance of his mentor, manga artist Kenji Morita. Akiyama apprenticed under Morita for approximately one and a half years, a period that was crucial in his development as a professional manga artist.

7.2. Assistants

Akiyama's studio was home to several assistants who went on to establish their own careers in the manga and illustration industries:

• Terao Taiyo (てらお太平葉^Japanese): Served as Akiyama's assistant from 1970 to 2003. He now works as an illustrator, creating illustrations, inserts, and children's drawings. He is active in Nerima, Tokyo, and holds solo exhibitions every two years.
• Yes Koike (イエス小池^Japanese): Was Akiyama's assistant for nearly 40 years, from 1978 to 2017. His blog, which chronicled his life as a manga assistant, gained popularity and was published as the book Mangaka Assistant Monogatari (漫画家アシスタント物語^Japanese) in 2008. In the same year, his 1991 work Haō no Fune (覇王の船^Japanese) was revised and re-released as Gekiga Kanikōsen Haō no Fune (劇画 蟹工船 覇王の船^Japanese).
• Tsukasa Kuga (ツカサ久賀^Japanese): Assisted Akiyama from 1969 to 1978. He serialized Blue na Aitsu (ブルーなあいつ^Japanese) in 1978 and its sequel My Love Sunny (マイラブサニー^Japanese) in 1979 in Weekly Shōnen King, though both were short-lived. After a period away from manga, he resumed his career, serializing Oyafukō Dōri (親不孝通り^Japanese) in Bessatsu Manga Goraku from 1984 to 1987, before eventually retiring from manga. Two volumes of Oyafukō Dōri were published.
• Mitsuru Sugaya (すがやみつる^Japanese): Briefly worked as an external assistant for Akiyama. This occurred when Cleo Tsuneo, another of Akiyama's assistants and a friend of Sugaya's, fell ill. Sugaya noted that Akiyama paid him an exceptionally generous fee for his assistance.

7.3. Family

George Akiyama's son, Hikaru Akiyama (秋山命^Japanese), is a notable figure in media as a broadcast writer, active in sports and information programs. He has also been involved in producing film and anime adaptations of his father's works, continuing the family's connection to the entertainment industry.