Sumika Yamamoto

2.1. Birth and Early Life

Sumika Yamamoto was born on June 17, 1949, in Shioyama, Yamanashi Prefecture, which is now part of Kōshū, Yamanashi. She spent her formative years and was raised in Urawa, Saitama (now part of Saitama City, Saitama Prefecture).

2.2. Education

Yamamoto attended Saitama Prefectural Urawa Nishi High School. She later pursued higher education, graduating in 1970 from the commercial design department of Musashino Art Junior College, a precursor to Musashino Art University.

2.3. Debut and Early Career

Yamamoto made her professional debut as a manga artist in 1971 with her work "Sono Hitokoto ga ienakute" (その一言がいえなくて..._{Without saying that very single word}^Japanese). This work was published in the manga magazine Weekly Margaret and was an honorable mention in the magazine's newcomer awards. Her early career saw her publishing various works in shōjo manga magazines, quickly establishing her presence before achieving significant success with Ace o Nerae!.

3.1. Ace o Nerae!

Ace o Nerae! (エースをねらえ!_{Aim for the Ace!}^Japanese) is Sumika Yamamoto's most famous work, a tennis-themed manga that began serialization in Weekly Margaret in 1973. The series gained immense popularity, not only among its primary female readership but also among male audiences, achieving a widespread appeal that was unprecedented for a shōjo manga at the time. It continued its long serialization until 1980, spanning 18 volumes. The success of Ace o Nerae! led to multiple media adaptations, including several anime series and television dramas, further cementing its status as a cultural phenomenon. Manga critic Yoshihiro Yonezawa noted that Ace o Nerae!, alongside The Rose of Versailles, helped establish the golden age of Margaret magazine. Even many years after its initial publication, the series continues to hold its position as a representative work of shōjo manga.

3.2. Other Major Works

Beyond Ace o Nerae!, Sumika Yamamoto created several other notable manga titles:

• Koi Shichaou kana? (恋しちゃおかナ?_{Love Alphabet?}^Japanese) - Published in 1972 by Shueisha, 1 volume.
• Kiss ni Goyoujin (キッスにご用心!_{With a Kiss}^Japanese) - Published in Margaret in 1973 by Shueisha.
• Nanatsu no Eldorado (7つの黄金郷_{The Seven Eldorados}^Japanese) - A long-form work set in 16th-century Europe, serialized in Margaret from 1975 to 1977. Published by Shueisha, 7 volumes (incomplete).
• Hikkuri kaetta omocha bako (ひっくりかえったおもちゃ箱_{The Toy That Tumbled Down}^Japanese) - Published in Margaret in 1978 by Shueisha.
• H2O! Zendai mimon! (H2O!前代未聞!!_{H2O! Unprecedented!}^Japanese) - Published in Margaret in 1979 by Shueisha.
• Hayami Daisuke Funsenki (速水大介奮戦記_{The Fighter Hayami Daisuke}^Japanese) - Published in issue 16 of Petit Flower in 1983 by Shogakukan, 2 volumes.
• Hakuran Seifuu (白蘭青風_{Cool Breeze of Knowledge}^Japanese) - Serialized in issues 15, 17 to 22 of Petit Flower from 1983 to 1984 by Shogakukan (incomplete).
• Ai no Ogonritsu (愛の黄金率_{The Golden Ratio of Love}^Japanese) - Published by Shogakukan Lady Comics in 1983, 1 volume (incomplete).
• In May 1985, a special supplement for Mu magazine featured a poster titled Sumika Yamamoto's Spiritual Vision Painting: The Dragon God of Suwa Grand Shrine that Calls Victory (山本鈴美香霊視画 勝利を呼ぶ諏訪大社の竜神_{Yamamoto Sumika's Spiritual Vision Painting: The Dragon God of Suwa Grand Shrine that Calls Victory}^Japanese), published by Gakken Plus. The original painting is dedicated to the Suwa Grand Shrine.

4.1. Spiritual and Religious Pursuits

Around 1981, Sumika Yamamoto moved back to her hometown in Shioyama, Yamanashi, and largely ceased her artistic output to focus on spiritual cultivation. She became a miko (shamaness) for a new religious movement called "Kamiyama-kai" (神山会_Kamiyama-kai^Japanese). She later assumed the role of the group's founder or leader. Her life since then has primarily revolved around religious activities and recuperation, with less emphasis on media appearances or writing, partly due to her unstable health. As of 2020, the "Kamiyama-kai" group is no longer registered as a religious corporation, and its official website has disappeared, suggesting the possibility that the organization may have dissolved.

4.2. Hobbies and Interests

Beyond her professional and spiritual endeavors, Sumika Yamamoto has expressed personal interests in various performing arts. She has stated that she primarily enjoys attending performances of Kabuki, opera, and ballet.