Katsuhiro Otomo

Katsuhiro Otomo (大友 克洋, Ōtomo Katsuhiro, born

April 14, 1954) is a Japanese manga artist, Katsuhiro Otomo
screenwriter, animator, and film director. He is best
known as the creator of Akira, both the original 1982
manga series and the 1988 animated film adaptation.
He was decorated a Chevalier of the French Ordre des
Arts et des Lettres in 2005,[1] promoted to Officier of
the order in 2014,[2] became the fourth manga artist
ever inducted into the American Eisner Award Hall of
Fame in 2012,[3] and was awarded the Purple Medal of
Honor from the Japanese government in 2013.[4]
Otomo later received the Winsor McCay Award at the
41st Annie Awards in 2014 and the 2015 Grand Prix de
la ville d'Angoulême, the first manga artist to receive
the award.[5][6] Otomo is married to Yoko Otomo.
Together they have one child, a son named Shohei
Otomo, who is also an artist.[7] Otomo in 2016
Born April 14, 1954
Miyagi Prefecture, Japan
Early life Nationality Japanese
Area(s) Cartoonist, Writer
Katsuhiro Otomo was born in Tome, Miyagi Prefecture
and grew up in Tome District. He said that living in the Notable Dōmu
works Akira
very rural Tōhoku region left him with nothing to do as
a child, so he read a lot of manga.[8] As the only boy in Metropolis
a family with older and younger sisters, he enjoyed Steamboy
reading and drawing manga on his own and thought Awards Seiun Award (1982, 1984) · Nihon
about becoming a manga artist. Limited by his parents SF Taisho Award (1983) ·
to buying one manga book a month, Otomo typically Kodansha Manga Award (1984) ·
chose Kobunsha's Shōnen magazine, which included Will Eisner Award (1992, 2002) ·
Astro Boy by Osamu Tezuka and Tetsujin 28-go by Harvey Award (1993) · Annie
Mitsuteru Yokoyama, series which he would copy Award (2014) · Grand Prix de la
drawing in elementary school. However, he said it was ville d'Angoulême (2015)
after reading Shotaro Ishinomori's How to Draw Spouse(s) Yoko
Manga that he understood how to draw manga Children Shohei Otomo
properly and started doing so more seriously.[8]
In high school, Otomo developed an interest in movies, that led to his ambition to become an illustrator or
film director. At this time, one of his friends introduced him to an editor at Futabasha, who, after seeing
Otomo's manga, told the high school student to contact him if he moved to Tokyo after graduating.
Otomo did exactly that, and began his career as a professional manga artist.[8]

Career

Manga
On October 4, 1973, Otomo published his first work, a manga adaptation of Prosper Mérimée's short
story Mateo Falcone, titled A Gun Report.[9]

In 1979, after writing multiple short-stories for the magazine Weekly Manga Action, Otomo created his
first science-fiction work, titled Fireball. Although the manga was never completed, it is regarded as a
milestone in Otomo's career as it contained many of the same themes he would explore in his later, more
successful manga such as Dōmu. Dōmu began serialization in January 1980 and ran until July 1981. It
was not published in book form until 1983, when it won the Nihon SF Taisho Award.[10] It also won the
1984 Seiun Award for Best Comic.[11]

In a collaboration with writer Toshihiko Yahagi, Otomo illustrated Kibun wa mō Sensō about a fictional
war that erupts in the border between China and the Soviet Union. It was published in Weekly Manga
Action from 1980 to 1981 and collected into one volume in 1982. It won the 1982 Seiun Award for Best
Comic.[11] 38 years later, the two created the one-shot sequel Kibun wa mō Sensō 3 (Datta Kamo
Shirenai) for the April 16, 2019 issue of the magazine.[12]

Also in 1981, Otomo drew A Farewell to Weapons for the November 16 issue of Kodansha's Young
Magazine. It was later included in the 1990 short story collection Kanojo no Omoide...[13]

In 1982, Otomo began what would become his most acclaimed

and famous work: Akira. Kodansha had been asking him to write a
series for their new Young Magazine for some time, but he had
been busy with other work. From the first meeting with the
publisher, Akira was to be only about ten chapters "or something
like that," so Otomo said he was really not expecting it to be a
success.[8] It was serialized for eight years and 2000 pages of
artwork.
Otomo posing on a replica of a
futuristic motorcycle seen in his
In 1990, Otomo did a brief interview with MTV for a general
series Akira (2016)
segment on the Japanese manga scene at the time.[14] Otomo
created the one-shot Hi no Yōjin about people who put out fires in
Japan's Edo period for the debut issue of Comic Cue in January 1995.[15]

Otomo wrote the 2002 picture book Hipira: The Little Vampire, which was illustrated by Shinji
Kimura.[16]

Otomo created the full-color work DJ Teck no Morning Attack for the April 2012 issue of Geijutsu
Shincho.[17]
Following the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, Otomo, a native of the Tōhoku region, designed a
relief that features a boy riding a robot goldfish in rough seas, while flanked by Fūjin and Raijin. Intended
to capture the region's will to overcome the natural disaster, it has been located on the first floor of the
terminal building at Sendai Airport since March 2015.[18]

In 2019, Kodansha announced that they will be re-releasing Otomo's entire body of manga since 1971 as
part of "The Complete Works Project". It was noted that some of his manga were edited when initially
compiled into book format, and this new project, personally overseen by Otomo, plans to restore them to
how they appeared in their original serialization.[19]

Otomo was initially reported in 2012 to be working on his first long-form manga since Akira.[20]
Planning to draw the work that is set during Japan's Meiji period without assistants, he was initially
targeting a younger audience, but said the story had developed more towards an older one. Although
planned to begin in fall 2012, Otomo revealed in November of that year that the series had been
delayed.[21] In 2018, Otomo said he is working on a full-length work, but the contents are secret.[22]

Film
At the age of 25, Otomo spent about 5 million yen to make a 16 mm live-action film about an hour long.
He said that making this private film showed him roughly how to make and direct movies.[8] In 1982,
Otomo made his anime debut, working as character designer for the animated film Harmagedon: Genma
Wars. It was while working on this film that Otomo began to think he could do it by himself.[8]

In 1987, Otomo directed an animated work for the first time: a segment, which he also wrote the
screenplay and drew animation for, in the anthology feature Neo Tokyo. He followed this up with two
segments in another anthology released that year, Robot Carnival. In 1988, he directed the animated film
adaptation of his manga Akira.

Otomo was executive producer of 1995's Memories, an anthology film based on three of his stories.
Additionally, he wrote the script for Stink Bomb and Cannon Fodder, the latter of which he also
directed.[23]

Otomo has worked extensively with the studio Sunrise. In 1998, he directed the CG short Gundam:
Mission to the Rise to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their Gundam franchise.[24] The studio has
animated and produced his 2004 feature film Steamboy, 2006's Freedom Project, and 2007's SOS! Tokyo
Metro Explorers: The Next. The last, is based on Otomo's 1980 manga SOS! Tokyo Metro Explorer and
follows the son of its main characters.[25]

The 2001 animated film Metropolis features a script written by Otomo that adapts Tezuka's manga of the
same name.[26]

Otomo directed the 2006 live-action film Mushishi, based on Yuki Urushibara's manga of the same
name.[27]

In 2013, Otomo took part in Short Peace, an anthology consisting on 4 short films; he directed
Combustible, a tragic love story set in the Edo period based on his 1995 manga Hi no Yōjin,[15] while
Hajime Katoki directed A Farewell to Weapons, depicting a battle in a ruined Tokyo based on Otomo's
1981 manga of the same name.[13] Combustible won the Grand Prize in the Animation category of the
Japan Media Arts Festival in 2012,[28] and was shortlisted for the 2013 Best Animated Short at the 85th
Academy Awards, but failed to get nominated.

Otomo directed the music video for Aya Nakano's 2016 song "Juku-Hatachi".[29] He is a fan of the singer
and previously drew the cover to her 2014 album Warui Kuse.[29]

Reports have suggested that Otomo will be the executive producer of the live-action film adaptation of
Akira.[30] In 2019, he announced that he is writing and directing an animated film adaptation of his 2001
manga Orbital Era with Sunrise.[31]

Style
Otomo said that when he started his professional career in the late 1970s, "almost all manga was gekiga
like Golgo 13. So it was all gekiga or sports manga, nothing to do with science fiction." Remembering
how much he loved science fiction as a child, Otomo wanted to recreate that kind of excitement; "That
was in part how something like Domu came about. [...] There was no hard science fiction manga [...] so I
wanted to change that and do something more realistic and believable."[8]

Describing his characterization style, Otomo said he first tried to draw and imitate "very traditional
manga-like art," such as Astro Boy. But by the time he was in high school, illustration work by people
like Tadanori Yokoo and Yoshitaro Isaka was popular, so he wanted to create manga characters with this
illustrative art style.[8] When asked about how Japanese critics praise him as the first manga artist to draw
realistic Japanese faces, Otomo said he always tries to balance fantasy and realism; "Depicting things too
realistically actually damages the social realism of the piece, and if you go too far into the realm of
fantasy, that hurts its imaginative ability." However, he said the realism of his early works probably came
from having used friends as character models.[32] French cartoonist Moebius, who is known for realistic
character designs, is often cited as one of Otomo's biggest influences.[33] Otomo is considered to be one
of the artists of the New Wave in manga in the late 1970s and 1980s especially due to his visual
innovation.[34]

Otomo includes homages to his favorite childhood manga in his work, and there were three manga
authors that he really respected; Osamu Tezuka, Shotaro Ishinomori and Mitsuteru Yokoyama. He named
the main computer in Fireball ATOM after Tezuka's character of the same name, the character nicknamed
Ecchan in Domu is a reference to Ishinomori's Sarutobi Ecchan, and the title character of Akira is also
known as No. 28 in homage to Yokoyama's Tetsujin 28-go in addition to the two series having the "same
overall plot."[8] Ever since depicting the apartment complex in Domu, Otomo has had a large interest in
architecture, proclaiming, "I don't think there was anyone before me who put this much effort into their
depictions of buildings." He believes this habit of drawing detailed backgrounds was influenced by
Shigeru Mizuki's manga, which showed him how important backdrops are to a story.[32] Otomo strongly
praised the framing done by Tetsuya Chiba, whose work he studied a lot out of admiration, for making it
easy to grasp how tangible the backgrounds and characters are.[35]

When asked about his influences in designing the mecha in Farewell to Weapons, Otomo pointed out that
Studio Nue's work was popular at the time, specifically mentioning the powered suit designs by Kazutaka
Miyatake and Naoyuki Kato. He also stated that he is a fan of mecha by Takashi Watabe and Makoto
Kobayashi and is fond of those seen in Neon Genesis Evangelion, but explained that all his influences are
jumbled and mixed together; "In short, I digest many different things and ideas tend to pop out from
that."[8]

Legacy
It was around the 1979 publication of his Short Peace short story
collection that Otomo's work became influential in Japan. Artists
influenced by him and his work include Hisashi Eguchi, Naoki
Urasawa, Naoki Yamamoto, Makoto Aida and Hiroya
Oku.[36][37][38] When talking in 1997 about the future of manga,
Urasawa opined that "[Osamu] Tezuka created the form that exists
today, then caricatures appeared next, and comics changed again
when Katsuhiro Otomo came on the scene. I don't think there's
France's 2016 Angoulême
any room left for further changes."[39] Masashi Kishimoto cited International Comics Festival hosted
Otomo as one of his two biggest influences, but liked Otomo's art an exhibition of art created in tribute
style the best and imitated it while trying to develop his own.[40] to Otomo.

Otomo's manga work also notably influenced a number of

Japanese video game designers by the mid-1980s, including Enix's Yuji Horii (The Portopia Serial
Murder Case and Dragon Quest), Capcom's Noritaka Funamizu (Gun.Smoke and Hyper Dyne Side
Arms), UPL's Tsutomu Fujisawa (Ninja-Kid), Thinking Rabbit's Hiroyuki Imabayashi (Sokoban), dB-
SOFT's Naoto Shinada (Volguard), Hot-B's Jun Kuriyama (Psychic City), and Microcabin's Masashi
Katou (Eiyuu Densetsu Saga).[41]

Director Satoshi Kon, who worked as an assistant to Otomo in both manga and film, cited Akira and
especially Domu as influences.[42] American film director Rian Johnson is a big fan of Otomo and
pointed out similarities between how telekinesis is depicted in Domu and its depiction in his film
Looper.[43]

In 2017, the book Otomo: A Global Tribute to the Mind Behind Akira was published in Japan, France and
the United States, featuring writing and artwork from 80 artists such as Masakazu Katsura, Taiyo
Matsumoto, Masamune Shirow, Asaf and Tomer Hanuka, and Stan Sakai.[44] From April 8 to May 8,
2021, comic art collector Phillipe Labaune's self-titled art gallery in New York City held "Good For
Health, Bad For Education: A Tribute to Otomo" as its first exhibition.[45] Including pieces originally
curated by Julien Brugeas for the 2016 Angoulême International Comics Festival, it featured a total of 29
Otomo-inspired works by international artists such as Sara Pichelli, Paul Pope, Boulet, François Boucq,
Giannis Milonogiannis and Ian Bertram.[46]

Bibliography

Manga

Year(s) Title Notes

Short story based on Prosper Mérimée, published in
1973 A Gun Report (銃声) Weekly Manga Action (漫画アクション増刊) on 4th
August 1973.

Short story based on Edogawa Ranpo, published in

1973 Best Friend (親友) Weekly Manga Action (漫画アクション増刊) on 6th
October 1973.

Short story based on Mark Twain, published in Weekly

1973 Uncle Smiley (スマイリーおじさん) Manga Action (漫画アクション増刊) on 3th November
1973.

Short story published in Weekly Manga Action (週刊漫画

1973 Hashi to soshite... (橋とそして...)
アクション) on 29th November 1973.

Kodomotachi wa Doko E... (子供たちは Short story published in Weekly Manga Action (週刊漫画
1973
何処へ...) アクション) on 20th December 1973.

Short story published in Weekly Manga Action (漫画アク

1974 Shanghai Wind (上海かぜ)
ション増刊) on 26th January 1974.

Short story published in Weekly Manga Action (週刊漫画

1974 Mitsuryō no Yoru (密漁の夜)
アクション) on 28th February 1974.

Short story published in Weekly Manga Action (週刊漫画

1974 BOOGIE WOOGIE WALTZ アクション) on 25th April 1974, later collected in BOOGIE
WOOGIE WALTZ.

Short story published in Weekly Manga Action (週刊漫画

1974 BOOGIE WOOGIE WALTZ アクション) on 23rd May 1974, later collected in GOOD
WEATHER.

Short story published in Weekly Manga Action (週刊漫画

1974 ONE DOWN
アクション) on 4th July 1974.

Short story published in Weekly Manga Action (週刊漫画

Mezameyo to Yobu Koe Ari (目覚めよ
1974 アクション) on 15th August 1974, later collected in
と呼ぶ声あり)
BOOGIE WOOGIE WALTZ.

Short story published in Weekly Manga Action (週刊漫画

1974 Shinjū '74 Aki (心中ー'74秋ー) アクション) on 3rd October 1974, later collected in
BOOGIE WOOGIE WALTZ.

Short story published in Weekly Manga Action (週刊漫画

Anya Kōro 〔Kizu Darake no Tenshi・
1974 アクション) on 31st October 1974, later collected in
1〕 (暗夜行路〔傷だらけの天使・1〕)
BOOGIE WOOGIE WALTZ.
 Pakku Kuso Omoshiroku mo Nakatta
Kyō no Owari ni 〔Kizu Darake no Short story published in Weekly Manga Action (週刊漫画
1974 Tenshi・2〕 (パック糞面白くもなかっ アクション) on 5th December 1974, later collected in
た今日の終わりに〔傷だらけの天使・ BOOGIE WOOGIE WALTZ.
2〕)

Tankyori Sōsha no Rentai 〔Kizu Short story published in Weekly Manga Action (週刊漫画
1975 Darake no Tenshi・3〕 (短距離走者の アクション) on 6th February 1975, later collected in
連帯〔傷だらけの天使・3〕) BOOGIE WOOGIE WALTZ.

Shūaku no Kishimi 〔Kizu Darake no Short story published in Weekly Manga Action (週刊漫画
1975 Tenshi・4〕 (醜悪の軋み〔傷だらけの アクション) on 6th March 1975, later collected in
天使・4〕) BOOGIE WOOGIE WALTZ.

CHOONPARA BOOGIE WOOGIE

CHOONPARA BOOGIE 〔Kizu Darake Short story published in Weekly Manga Action (週刊漫画
1975
no Tenshi・5〕 (チュンパラブギウギチ アクション) on 5th June 1975, later collected in BOOGIE
WOOGIE WALTZ.
ュンパラブギ〔傷だらけの天使 ・5〕)

Sukat to Sukkiri 〔Kizu Darake no Short story published in Weekly Manga Action (週刊漫画
1975 Tenshi・6〕 (スカッとスッキリ〔傷だ アクション) on 7th August 1975, later collected in
らけの天使 ・6〕) HIGHWAY STAR.

Short story published in Weekly Manga Action (漫画アク

1975 Tsujigiri (辻斬り) ション増刊) on 23rd August 1975, later collected in
BOOGIE WOOGIE WALTZ.

Short story published in Weekly Manga Action (週刊漫画

ROCK 〔Kizu Darake no Tenshi・7〕
1975 アクション) on 27th November 1975, later collected in
(ROCK〔傷だらけの天使・7〕)
BOOGIE WOOGIE WALTZ.

Short story published in Weekly Manga Action (漫画アク

1976 Kagami (鏡) ション増刊) on 3rd January 1976, later collected in
BOOGIE WOOGIE WALTZ.

Short story based on a work by Edogawa Ranpo,

1976 Kagami Jigoku (鏡地獄)
published in 別冊漫画アクション on 21st March 1976.

Published in two parts on 8th and 15th of April 1976 in

1976 AME-LINGO (アメリンゴ) Weekly Manga Action (週刊漫画アクション), later
collected in GOOD WEATHER.

Shusei Sanchi no Yuki Chan (酒井さん Short story published in 別冊漫画アクション on 16th July
1976
ちのユキエちゃん) 1976, later collected in HIGHWAY STAR.

Short story published in Weekly Manga Action (漫画アク

1976 Okasu (犯す) ション増刊) on 9th August 1976, later collected in Short
Peace.

Short story published in Weekly Manga Action (漫画アク

1976 HIGHWAY STAR (ハイウェイスター) ション増刊) on 1st September 1976, later collected in
HIGHWAY STAR.

Short story published in Weekly Manga Action (漫画アク

1976 CHUCK CHECK CHICKEN ション増刊) on 3rd November 1976, later collected in
GOOD WEATHER.

Short story published in Weekly Manga Action (漫画アク

1976 School-boy on good time ション増刊) on 3rd December 1976, later collected in
Short Peace.
 Short story published in Weekly Manga Action (漫画アク
1977 Yume no Sōkyū (夢の蒼穹) ション増刊) on 7th January 1977, later collected in Short
Peace.

Short story published in Weekly Manga Action (漫画アク

Space Patrol Sigma (宇宙パトロール・
1977 ション増刊) on 1st February 1977, later collected in Short
シゲマ)
Peace.

Short story published in Weekly Manga Action (漫画アク

1977 ‘ROUND ABOUT MIDNIGHT ション増刊) on 5th April 1977, later collected in Short
Peace.

Short story published in Weekly Manga Action (漫画アク

1977 NOTHING WILL BE AS IT WAS ション増刊) on 13th May 1977, later collected in Short
Peace.

Short story published in Weekly Manga Action (漫画アク

1977 WHISKY GO-GO ション増刊) on 14th June 1977, later collected in Short
Peace.

Short story published in 別冊漫画アクション on 1st July

1977 Seisō (星霜)
1977, later collected in HIGHWAY STAR.

Short story published in Weekly Manga Action (漫画アク

1977 Suzume ga Chyun (雀が中) ション増刊) on 12th July 1977, later collected in
HIGHWAY STAR.

Short story published in Weekly Manga Action (漫画アク

Tenmō Nishite Morasazu (天網恢恢疎
1977 ション増刊) on 27th July 1977, later collected in
にして漏らさず)
HIGHWAY STAR.

Short story published by Futabasha in the August 24th

1977 special issue of Manga Action, that was later
1977 Miner Swing
reissued as a part of "Kanojo no Omoide..." - a Katsuhiro
Otomo short story collection.

Published as five parts in 1977.08.04, 1977.09.08,

1977– 1977.10.20, 1978.01.05 and 1978.02.23 issues of Weekly
Sayonara Nippon (さよならにっぽん)
1978 Manga Action (週刊漫画アクション), later collected in
Sayonara Nippon.
Published in two parts on 21st September and 2nd
November of 1977 in Weekly Manga Action (漫画アクショ
1977 GOOD WEATHER
ン増刊) on 27th July 1977, later collected in GOOD
WEATHER.

1979 Fire-Ball

1979– Ōtomo Katsuhiro no Eiyō Manten!

1980 大友克洋の栄養満点!

Seija ga Machi ni Yattekuru Short stories published in Weekly Manga Action (週刊漫画
1979
聖者が街にやってくる アクション) and later collected in Sayonara Nippon.

Written by Nobuyuki Shirayama, published in four parts in

1979 G... 1979.08.01, 1979.08.08, 1979.08.15 and 1979.08.22
issues of Young Comic (ヤングコミック).

1979–
Manjū Kowai (饅頭こわい)
1983
1980–
1981 Dōmu (童夢)
 1980–
That's Amazing World
1981
1980–
Kibun wa mō Sensō (気分はもう戦争) Written by Toshihiko Yahagi
1981

Unfinished; Episode 1 was published in four parts in

summer and autumn of 1980 and winter and March of
1980–
APPLE PARADISE 1981 issues of Manga Kisōtengai (マンガ奇想天外),
1981
Episode 2 was published in three parts in March, June
and November of 1981 issues of Manga Kisōtengai.

1982–
Akira
1990
Short story published on 1st June 1984, later collected in
1984 Visitors
SOS dai Tôkyô tankentai (SOS 大東京探検隊).

1990 The Legend of Mother Sarah Illustrated by Takumi Nagayasu

1995 Hi no Yōjin (火之要鎮)

Batman: Black & White #4 (The Third

1996 Writer, artist
Mask)

2001 Orbital Era

2002 Hipira: The Little Vampire (ヒピラくん) Illustrated by Shinji Kimura

2006 Park (公園)

DJ Teck no Morning Attack

2012
DJ TECK の MORNING ATTACK

Kibun wa mō Sensō 3 (Datta Kamo

Shirenai)
2012 Written by Toshihiko Yahagi
気分はもう戦争3（だったかも知れな
い）

Short story collections

Year(s) Title Notes

Published by Kisō Tengaisha on 10th March 1979. Reissued by Futabasha

Short Peace (ショー in 1984 as the third installment in the Katsuhiro Otomo Masterpiece
1979
ト・ピース) Collection, with the addition of "Yume no Sōkyū" (夢の蒼穹).

Highway Star (ハイウ First short story collection in the Katsuhiro Otomo Masterpiece Collection
1979
ェイスター) published on 13th October 1979.

1981 GOOD WEATHER Published on 1st February 1981.

Second short story collection in the Katsuhiro Otomo Masterpiece

1981 Sayonara Nippon
Collection, released in 16th July 1981.

Hansel & Gretel (ヘン

1981 Published on 25th October 1981.
ゼルとグレーテル)

BOOGIE WOOGIE
1982 Published on 5th May 1982.
WALTZ

Kanojo no Omoide...
1990 Published on 23rd April 1990.
(彼女の想いで…)
 SOS! Tokyo Metro
1996 Explorers (SOS大東京 Published on 6th February 1996.
探検隊)

Artbooks

Year Title Notes

1989 Kaba

1995 Akira Club

2003 Akira Animation Archives

2008 Viva il Ciclissimo! Collaboration with Katsuya Terada

2012 Kaba 2
2012 Genga

Filmography
Anime features

Year Title Director Writer

1988 Akira Yes Yes

1991 Roujin Z No Yes

2001 Metropolis No Yes

2004 Steamboy Yes Yes

TBA Orbital Era Yes Yes

Anime shorts

Executive
Year Title Director Writer Notes
Producer

Construction Cancellation
Yes Yes No Segment of Neo Tokyo
Order
1987
Segments of Robot
"Opening" and "Ending" Yes Yes No
Carnival
Magnetic Rose No Yes Yes

1995 Stink Bomb No Yes Yes Segments of Memories

Cannon Fodder Yes Yes Yes

1998 Gundam: Mission to the Rise Yes Yes No

2013 Combustible Yes Yes No Segment of Short Peace

Live-action
 Year Title Director Writer Producer Notes

1979 High School Erotopia: Red Uniforms No Yes No Pornographic film

1982 Jiyū wo Warera ni (じゆうを我等に) Yes Yes Yes

1991 World Apartment Horror Yes Yes No

2006 Mushishi Yes Yes No

Additional work

Besides his own animation, Otomo has contributed art designs to Harmagedon: Genma Wars,[47] the
Crusher Joe film,[48] the seven-part OVA series Freedom Project, and Space Dandy episode 22.

He also oversaw the composition of the Spriggan animated film[49] and directed the music video Juku-
Hatachi (じゅうくはたち) for Aya Nakano.

References
1. "Katsuhiro Otomo Receives Japan Medal with Purple Ribbon" (https://www.animenewsnetw
ork.com/news/2013-11-01/katsuhiro-otomo-receives-japan-medal-with-purple-ribbon).
Anime News Network. November 1, 2013. Retrieved November 1, 2013.
2. "Akira's Katsuhiro Otomo Announces Live-Action Film Plans" (https://www.animenewsnetwo
rk.com/news/2014-12-14/akira-katsuhiro-otomo-announces-live-action-film-plans/.82150).
Anime News Network. December 14, 2014. Retrieved December 14, 2014.
3. "ANIME NEWS: Katsuhiro Otomo inducted into Eisner's Hall of Fame" (https://web.archive.o
rg/web/20131017121811/http://ajw.asahi.com/article/cool_japan/anime_news/AJ201208140
052). Asahi Shimbun. August 14, 2012. Archived from the original (http://ajw.asahi.com/articl
e/cool_japan/anime_news/AJ201208140052) on October 17, 2013. Retrieved October 16,
2013.
4. "ANIME NEWS: 'Akira' creator Katsuhiro Otomo honored by government" (https://web.archiv
e.org/web/20131116031600/http://ajw.asahi.com/article/cool_japan/anime_news/AJ2013111
30042). Asahi Shimbun. November 13, 2013. Archived from the original (http://ajw.asahi.co
m/article/cool_japan/anime_news/AJ201311130042) on November 16, 2013. Retrieved
November 27, 2013.
5. "Annie Awards to honor animator Katsuhiro Otomo for career achievement" (https://www.lati
mes.com/entertainment/envelope/moviesnow/la-et-mn-katsuhiro-otomo-annie-awards-2014
0131,0,7303756.story#axzz2s8Mi4U2B). Los Angeles Times. January 31, 2014.
6. "Japan's Otomo first manga artist to win top French prize" (https://news.yahoo.com/japans-o
tomo-first-manga-artist-win-top-french-193542264.html).
7. Bailey, John (November 21, 2017). "Tattooed sumo stars as artist Shohei Otomo brings his
ballpoints to Melbourne" (https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/art-and-design/tattooed-su
mo-stars-as-artist-shohei-otomo-brings-his-ballpoints-to-melbourne-20171119-gzoarw.html).
The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved March 14, 2019.
8. "Katsuhiro Otomo On Creating 'Akira' And Designing The Coolest Bike In All Of Manga And
Anime" (https://www.forbes.com/sites/olliebarder/2017/05/26/katsuhiro-otomo-on-creating-a
kira-and-designing-the-coolest-bike-in-all-of-manga-and-anime/?sh=5befbed66d25). Forbes.
May 26, 2017. Retrieved September 4, 2021.
9. Brooks, Brad; Tim Pilcher (2005). The Essential Guide to World Comics (https://archive.org/
details/essentialguideto0000pilc/page/103). London: Collins & Brown. p. 103 (https://archiv
e.org/details/essentialguideto0000pilc/page/103). ISBN 1-84340-300-5.
10. "Nihon SF Taisho Award Winners List" (https://web.archive.org/web/20200919212204/http://
old.sfwj.jp/list.e.html). Science Fiction Writers of Japan. Archived from the original (http://ww
w.sfwj.or.jp/list.e.html) on September 19, 2020. Retrieved January 28, 2010.
11. "星雲賞リスト" (http://www.sf-fan.gr.jp/awards/list.html). Nihon SF Taikai (in Japanese).
Retrieved October 15, 2021.
12. "Akira's Katsuhiro Otomo Draws New Kibun wa mō Sensō 1-Shot After 38 Years" (https://ww
w.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2019-04-02/akira-katsuhiro-otomo-draws-new-kibun-wa-m
o-senso-1-shot-after-38-years/.145295). Anime News Network. April 12, 2019. Retrieved
September 6, 2021.
13. "Katsuhiro Otomo Draws New Cover for His "A Farewell to Arms" Manga" (https://www.crunc
hyroll.com/anime-news/2013/11/05-1/katsuhiro-otomo-draws-new-cover-for-his-a-farewell-to
-arms-manga). Crunchyroll. November 5, 2013. Retrieved September 6, 2021.
14. MTV spotlights Japanese comics (1990) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5e3rz4gbaB0),
May 30, 2008, archived (https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/5e3rz4gbaB0)
from the original on December 11, 2021, retrieved November 18, 2019
15. "Akira's Otomo Makes "Hi no Yōjin/Combustible" Anime Short" (https://www.animenewsnetw
ork.com/news/2012-03-10/akira-otomo-makes-hi-no-yojin/combustible-anime-short). Anime
News Network. March 10, 2012. Retrieved September 6, 2021.
16. "Otomo's Hipira: The Little Vampire Book Gets TV Anime" (https://www.animenewsnetwork.c
om/news/2009-12-10/otomo-hipira/the-little-vampire-book-gets-tv-anime). Anime News
Network. December 10, 2009. Retrieved September 6, 2021.
17. "Creator of "Akira" Reveals New Shonen Manga Serialization Plans" (https://www.crunchyrol
l.com/anime-news/2012/03/25/creator-of-akira-reveals-new-shonen-manga-serialization-pla
ns). Crunchyroll. March 25, 2012. Retrieved September 6, 2021.
18. "Giant 'recovery' artwork by 'Akira' creator Otomo unveiled for public" (https://web.archive.or
g/web/20150707004940/http://ajw.asahi.com/article/behind_news/social_affairs/AJ2015020
40055). The Asahi Shimbun. February 4, 2015. Archived from the original (http://ajw.asahi.c
om/article/behind_news/social_affairs/AJ201502040055) on July 7, 2015. Retrieved
September 6, 2021.
19. "Kodansha to Launch 'The Complete Works Project' for Katsuhiro Otomo" (https://www.anim
enewsnetwork.com/news/2019-07-04/kodansha-to-launch-the-complete-works-project-for-k
atsuhiro-otomo/.148648). Anime News Network. July 4, 2019. Retrieved September 4,
2021.
20. "Akira's Katsuhiro Otomo Working on New Manga" (https://www.otakuusamagazine.com/aki
ras-katsuhiro-otomo-working-on-new-manga/). Otaku USA. March 26, 2012. Retrieved
November 18, 2019.
21. "Akira's Otomo Delays New Manga Series" (https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/201
2-11-05/akira-otomo-delays-new-manga-series). Anime News Network. November 5, 2012.
Retrieved September 4, 2021.
22. "Akira Creator Katsuhiro Otomo Continues Work on New Full-Length Manga" (https://www.a
nimenewsnetwork.com/daily-briefs/2018-11-13/akira-creator-katsuhiro-otomo-continues-wor
k-on-new-full-length-manga/.139385). Anime News Network. November 13, 2018. Retrieved
September 4, 2021.
23. "Australia's Siren Visual to Release Otomo's Memories Blu-ray" (https://www.animenewsnet
work.com/news/2014-11-02/autralia-siren-visual-to-release-otomo-memories-blu-ray/.8060
1). Anime News Network. November 2, 2014. Retrieved September 6, 2021.
24. "Gundam 40th Anniversary Promotional Anime Teased for This Winter" (https://www.animen
ewsnetwork.com/news/2019-09-26/gundam-40th-anniversary-promotional-anime-teased-for
-this-winter/.151602). Anime News Network. September 26, 2019. Retrieved September 6,
2021.
25. "SOS! Tokyo Metro Explorers Website, Trailer Launched" (https://www.animenewsnetwork.c
om/news/2007-11-14/sos-tokyo-metro-explorers-website-trailer-launched). Anime News
Network. November 14, 2007. Retrieved September 6, 2021.
26. "New movie from Katsuhiro Otomo and Rin Taro" (https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/new
s/2000-07-29/new-movie-from-katsuhiro-otomo-and-rin-taro). Anime News Network. July 29,
2000. Retrieved September 6, 2021.
27. "Akira's Katsuhiro Otomo Announces Live-Action Film Plans" (https://www.animenewsnetwo
rk.com/news/2014-12-14/akira-katsuhiro-otomo-announces-live-action-film-plans/.82150).
Anime News Network. December 14, 2014. Retrieved September 6, 2021.
28. Shimbun, The Yomiuri. "The Japan News" (https://the-japan-news.com/). The Japan News.
Retrieved November 18, 2019.
29. "大友克洋が初めて実写MVの監督に、なかの綾のアルバム曲で" (https://natalie.mu/comic/ne
ws/190779). Natalie. June 14, 2016. Retrieved September 27, 2021.
30. "Live action Akira movie coming, DiCaprio and Otomo signed on to produce" (https://www.a
utoblog.com/2008/02/21/live-action-akira-movie-coming-dicaprio-and-otomo-signed-on-to/).
Autoblog. February 21, 2008. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
31. "Akira's Katsuhiro Otomo Reveals Orbital Era Film With Sunrise" (https://www.animenewsne
twork.com/news/2019-07-04/akira-katsuhiro-otomo-reveals-orbital-era-film-with-sunrise/.148
646). Anime News Network. July 4, 2019. Retrieved September 6, 2021.
32. "10 Years of Kodansha Comics—January Spotlight: AKIRA" (https://kodansha.us/2019/01/0
9/10-years-kodansha-comics-akira/). Kodansha. January 9, 2019. Retrieved September 4,
2021.
33. Lee, Andrew (May 17, 2012). "Otomo's genga will make you remember" (http://www.japanti
mes.co.jp/culture/2012/05/17/arts/otomos-genga-will-make-you-remember/). The Japan
Times. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
34. Mizumoto, Kentarō. "「ニューウェイブ」という時代" (https://web.archive.org/web/2003012
3005700/http://www.big.or.jp/~solar/comics/newwave.html). Sora Tobu Kikai. Archived from
the original (http://www.big.or.jp/~solar/comics/newwave.html) on January 23, 2003.
Retrieved July 25, 2023.
35. "Akira Creator Katsuhiro Otomo Cites Ashita no Joe Creator as Influence" (https://www.anim
enewsnetwork.com/interest/2018-11-18/akira-creator-katsuhiro-otomo-cites-ashita-no-joe-cr
eator-as-influence/.139408). Anime News Network. November 18, 2018. Retrieved
September 4, 2021.
36. "Hisashi Eguchi: "Cute girls have a period of being really invincible." " (http://sexmagazine.u
s/articles/hisashi-eguchi/1). Sex Magazine. 2013. Retrieved September 4, 2021.
37. "大友克洋特集がAERAで、浦沢直樹や山本直樹らが影響語る" (https://natalie.mu/comic/new
s/97558) (in Japanese). Natalie. August 13, 2013. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
38. "奥浩哉の「いぬやしき」特集、山本直樹×奥浩哉の師弟対談" (https://natalie.mu/comic/pp/i
nuyashiki) (in Japanese). Natalie. January 14, 2014. Retrieved October 22, 2021.
39. "The Birth of Best Seller Comics Writers of the New Generation of Comics and their World
No. 3: "YAWARA!" " (https://web.archive.org/web/19981206073414/http://www.shogakukan.
co.jp/main/eng/mt/1_3.html). Shogakukan. December 6, 1998. Archived from the original (htt
p://www.shogakukan.co.jp/main/eng/mt/1_3.html) on December 6, 1998.
40. Kishimoto, Masashi (2006) [2001]. Naruto. Vol. 10. Viz Media. p. 157. ISBN 978-1-4215-
0240-3.
41. "59 Developers, 20 Questions: 1985 Interview Special" (http://shmuplations.com/20question
s1985). Beep. October 1985. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20170107003926/http://
shmuplations.com/20questions1985/) from the original on January 7, 2017. Retrieved
February 22, 2017.
42. "Interview with Satoshi Kon, Director of Perfect Blue" (https://web.archive.org/web/2012040
2165610/http://www.perfectblue.com/interview.html). Perfect Blue official website.
September 4, 1998. Archived from the original (http://www.perfectblue.com/interview.html)
on April 2, 2012. Retrieved September 4, 2021.
43. "Roundtable Interview with Rian Johnson on Looper" (https://wegotthiscovered.com/movies/
interview-rian-johnson-looper/3/). We Got This Covered. September 27, 2012. Retrieved
September 4, 2021.
44. "80 Artists & Writers Contribute to Katsuhiro Otomo Tribute Book" (https://www.animenewsn
etwork.com/interest/2016-12-19/80-artists-and-writers-contribute-to-katsuhiro-otomo-tribute-
book/.110009). Anime News Network. December 19, 2016. Retrieved September 5, 2021.
45. "Phillipe Labaune Comic Art Gallery Opens In New York With "Good For Health, Bad For
Education: A Tribute to Otomo" " (https://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-news/2021/04/16-1/phi
llipe-labaune-comic-art-gallery-opens-in-new-york-with-good-for-health-bad-for-education-a-
tribute-to-otomo). Crunchyroll. April 16, 2021. Retrieved September 5, 2021.
46. "Good for Health - Bad for Education: A Tribute to Otomo" (https://www.philippelabaune.co
m/exhibitions/good-for-health-bad-for-education-a-tribute-to-otomo#tab:thumbnails).
philippelabaune.com. Retrieved September 5, 2021.
47. "Buried Garbage - Harmagedon" (https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/buried-treasure/2009
-01-08/buried-garbage-harmagedon). Anime News Network. January 8, 2009. Retrieved
September 6, 2021.
48. "Haruka Takachiho Planned Crusher Joe 2 Film with Katsuhiro Otomo, but Never
Happened" (https://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-news/2021/04/05/haruka-takachiho-planned
-crusher-joe-2-film-with-katsuhiro-otomo-but-never-happened). Crunchyroll. April 6, 2021.
Retrieved September 6, 2021.
49. "SPRIGGAN" (http://www.studio4c.co.jp/works/pages/05.html). Studio 4°C. Retrieved
September 6, 2021.

External links
Anime and manga
portal
Biography portal

Otomo: The Complete Works (http://otomo-complete.com/)

Katsuhiro Otomo (https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0960028/) at IMDb
Katsuhiro Otomo (https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/people.php?id=232) at
Anime News Network's encyclopedia
Katsuhiro Otomo (http://www.sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/otomo_katsuhiro) at The
Encyclopedia of Science Fiction

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Katsuhiro_Otomo&oldid=1264934730"