Hajime Isayama
{{Short description|Japanese manga artist (born 1986)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2022}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Hajime Isayama
| native_name = 諫山 創
| image = FIBD2023HajimeIsayama 01.jpg
| image_size =
| caption = Isayama at the Angoulême International Comics Festival in 2023
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth-date and age|August 29, 1986}}
| birth_place = Ōyama, Ōita, Japan
| death_date =
| death_place =
| known_for = Attack on Titan
| occupation = Manga artist
| years_active = 2006–present
| awards = Kodansha Manga Award (2011)
Harvey Award (2014)
| website =
| spouse(s) = {{marriage|Unknown|2018}}{{cite web|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interest/2018-12-31/attack-on-titan-manga-creator-hajime-isayama-announces-marriage/.141506|last=Sherman|first=Jennifer|title=Attack on Titan Creator Announces His Marriage|publisher=Anime News Network|date=December 31, 2018|access-date=January 5, 2019}}
}}
{{Nihongo|Hajime Isayama|諫山 創|Isayama Hajime|born August 29, 1986|lead=yes}} is a Japanese manga artist. His first series, Attack on Titan (2009–2021), became one of the best-selling manga series of all time with 140 million copies in circulation as of November 2023.{{cite tweet|user=shingeki_FLY|number=1729802961344200984|title=We looked at the cumulative circulation of AOT manga worldwide}} {{better source|date=March 2024}} He was awarded the Kodansha Manga Award in 2011, a Harvey Award in 2014, and was honored with the Fauve Spécial award at the 50th Angoulême International Comics Festival in 2023.{{cite web|url=http://ajw.asahi.com/article/cool_japan/anime_news/AJ201212280033|author=|title=ANIME NEWS:'Attack On Titan' anime adaptation to hit the small screen in spring|website=The Asahi Shimbun|date=December 28, 2012|access-date=May 22, 2024|archive-date=November 2, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131102234402/http://ajw.asahi.com/article/cool_japan/anime_news/AJ201212280033|url-status=bot: unknown}}{{cite web|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2014-09-09/attack-on-titan-manga-wins-2014-harvey-award/.78551|author=Rachel Mahoney|title=Attack on Titan Manga Wins 2014 Harvey Award|website=Anime News Network|date= September 9, 2014|access-date=May 22, 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2023/01/29/entertainment-news/attack-titan-creator-honored-french-comics-festival/|author=Jiji|title='Attack on Titan' Creator Honored at French Comics Festival|website=The Japan Times|date=January 29, 2023|access-date=December 16, 2023}}
Early life and career
Isayama was born in Ōyama, Ōita Prefecture, Japan, which is now part of Hita. He was attending Hita Rinko Senior High School when he began submitting manga works to contests.{{cite web |
url=http://ajw.asahi.com/article/behind_news/people/AJ201307200007|title='Attack on Titan' author expresses fears through popular boys' manga|date=July 20, 2013|publisher=Asahi Shimbun|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303204457/http://ajw.asahi.com/article/behind_news/people/AJ201307200007|archive-date=March 3, 2016|url-status=dead|access-date=November 1, 2013}} After graduating, he matriculated in the manga design program of the arts department at Kyushu Designer Gakuen. In 2006, he applied for the Magazine Grand Prix known as MGP promoted by Kodansha Ltd. and a short version of Attack on Titan (Shingeki no Kyojin) was given the "Fine Work" award.{{cite web|url=http://kc.kodansha.co.jp/SEP/02065/01/nf/happyou/prize_b/2006_07/ |title=7月期MGP結果大発表!! |trans-title=MGP results for July!! |work=講談社コミックプラス |publisher=Kodansha |date=2009 |access-date=August 30, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140703231951/http://kc.kodansha.co.jp/SEP/02065/01/nf/happyou/prize_b/2006_07/ |archive-date=July 3, 2014 }} This one-shot would later be included with the first Blu-ray of the anime adaptation.{{cite web|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2013-05-07/1st-attack-of-titan-blu-ray/dvd-to-bundle-manga-prototype|last=Loo|first=Egan|title=1st Attack on Titan Blu-ray/DVD to Bundle Manga 'Prototype'|work=Anime News Network|date=May 7, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210206212503/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2013-05-07/1st-attack-of-titan-blu-ray/dvd-to-bundle-manga-prototype|archive-date=February 6, 2021|url-status=live|access-date=November 2, 2013}} At age twenty, he moved to Tokyo and worked at an Internet café in order to pursue a career in writing manga.{{cite web| url=http://ajw.asahi.com/article/cool_japan/culture/AJ201304150005| title='Attack on Titan' exhibition held in manga artist Hajime Isayama's hometown| date=April 15, 2013| publisher=Asahi Shimbun| access-date=November 1, 2013| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131102234732/http://ajw.asahi.com/article/cool_japan/culture/AJ201304150005| archive-date=November 2, 2013}}
Originally, he offered his work to the Weekly Shōnen Jump department at Shueisha, where he was advised to modify his style and story to be more suitable for Weekly Shōnen Jump. He declined and decided instead to take it to the Weekly Shōnen Magazine department at Kodansha Ltd.{{cite web|url=http://blog.livedoor.jp/isayamahazime/archives/1922630.html|script-title=ja:変身！！！！|trans-title=Transformation!!!!|last=Isayama|first=Hajime|language=ja|date=December 19, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201110100304/http://blog.livedoor.jp/isayamahazime/archives/1922630.html|archive-date=November 10, 2020|url-status=live|access-date=May 22, 2013}}
In 2008, he applied for the 80th Weekly Shōnen Magazine Freshman Manga Award, where his work Heart Break One was given the Special Encouragement Award. His other work, Orz, was chosen as a selected work in the same contest the following year.
In 2009, his first serial work, Attack on Titan, started in the monthly Bessatsu Shōnen Magazine. It won the Shōnen category of the 35th Kodansha Manga Award in 2011,{{cite web| url=http://ajw.asahi.com/article/cool_japan/anime_news/AJ201212280033| title=ANIME NEWS: 'Attack On Titan' anime adaptation to hit the small screen in spring| date=December 28, 2012| publisher=Asahi Shimbun| access-date=November 1, 2013| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131102234402/http://ajw.asahi.com/article/cool_japan/anime_news/AJ201212280033| archive-date=November 2, 2013}} and was nominated for both the 4th annual Manga Taishō award and the 16th annual Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize.{{cite web|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2011-01-16/13-titles-nominated-for-4th-manga-taisho-awards|last=Loo|first=Egan|title=13 Titles Nominated for 4th Manga Taisho Awards|work=Anime News Network|date=January 16, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210505224651/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2011-01-16/13-titles-nominated-for-4th-manga-taisho-awards|archive-date=May 5, 2021|url-status=live|access-date=November 2, 2013}}{{cite web|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2012-02-20/16th-tezuka-osamu-cultural-prize-nominees-announced|title=16th Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize Nominees Announced|last=Loo|first=Egan|work=Anime News Network|date=February 10, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201110074749/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2012-02-20/16th-tezuka-osamu-cultural-prize-nominees-announced|archive-date=November 10, 2020|url-status=live|access-date=November 2, 2013}} Attack on Titan is released in English by Kodansha USA and has inspired five spin-off manga series, three light novel series, a televised anime adaptation, several visual novels and video games, and a two part live-action film. The resort Bungo Oyama Hibiki no Sato in his hometown of Ōyama, ran a free exhibit displaying copies of Isayama's manuscripts for the manga in 2013. A special Attack on Titan event was held in Hita on November 1, 2014, with Isayama and approximately 2,500 spectators attending. The following day, Isayama gave a speech at the Patria Hita cultural hall and was named the Tourism Ambassador of Hita by the city's mayor Keisuke Harada.{{cite web|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2014-11-04/attack-on-titan-creator-named-tourism-ambassador-of-hometown/.80679|last=Hodgkins|first=Crystalyn|title=Attack on Titan Creator Named Tourism Ambassador of Hometown |work=Anime News Network|date=November 4, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210204111310/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2014-11-04/attack-on-titan-creator-named-tourism-ambassador-of-hometown/.80679|archive-date=February 4, 2021|url-status=live|access-date=November 5, 2014}}
In December 2018, he announced in his blog that he had gotten married earlier that year.
In November 2022, Isayama made his first-ever appearance in the United States at Anime NYC, an anime convention in New York City.{{cite web|url= https://kodansha.us/2022/10/19/attack-on-titan-creator-hajime-isayama-comes-to-anime-nyc-2022/|title= Attack on Titan Creator Hajime Isayama Comes to Anime NYC 2022|date= 19 October 2022|publisher=Kodansha USA|accessdate= 30 August 2024}}
Works
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" |
| style="background:#ccc; text-align:center;"
! scope="col" |Title ! scope="col" |Year ! scope="col" |Publisher(s) ! scope="col" |Notes ! scope="col" class="unsortable"|Ref. |
| scope="row" | Attack on Titan (進撃の巨人 Shingeki no Kyojin) | 2006 | | One-shot version |
|---|
| scope="row" | Heart Break One (ハート ブレイク ワン Hāto Bureiku Wan) | 2008 | | One-shot |
| scope="row" | Orz
| 2008 | | One-shot |
| scope="row" | Attack on Titan (進撃の巨人 Shingeki no Kyojin) | 2009–2021 | Kodansha {{small|(Japanese)}} | Manga | |
| scope="row" | Attack on Titan Inside (進撃の巨人 INSIDE 抗 Shingeki no Kyojin Inside Kou) | 2013 | | Character profiles, interviews | |
| scope="row" | Attack on Titan Outside (進撃の巨人 OUTSIDE 攻 Shingeki no Kyojin OUTSIDE Osamu) | 2013 | | Concept art, interviews. Includes a draft from chapter 1 (2009) | |
| scope="row" | Attack on Avengers
| 2014 | Brutus {{small|(Japanese)}} | Crossover with Marvel Comics. | align="center"|{{cite web|url=https://www.cbr.com/new-attack-on-titanmarvel-crossover-details-revealed/|title=New "Attack on Titan"/Marvel Crossover Details Revealed|website=CBR|date=November 6, 2014|access-date=October 12, 2018|last=Melrose|first=Kevin}} |
| scope="row" | The Killing Pawn (ザ・キリング・ポーン Za Kiringu Pōn) | 2014 | | One-shot; art by Ryōji Minagawa. This was later added to Minagawa's short story collection "Tensousha"(2021). | align="center"|{{cite web|url=https://natalie.mu/comic/news/122253|title=諫山創×皆川亮二がタッグ！進撃以外の初作品|trans-title=Hajime Isayama × Ryoji Minagawa collaboration! First work besides 'Attack on Titan'|website=Natalie|language=ja|date=July 29, 2014|access-date=October 12, 2018}}{{Cite web|date=April 12, 2021|title=転送者 皆川亮二短編集|url=https://www.shogakukan.co.jp/books/09850486|access-date=April 12, 2021|website=小学館|language=ja}} |
| scope="row" | The Theory of Ill-Natured Men and AI (性悪男とAIのセオリー Showaru Otoko to AI no Theory) | 2025 | Kodansha | One-shot; art by Kai Noshigami, featuring a character created by Yuki Kaji. |
Awards
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.lambiek.net/artists/i/isayama_hajime.htm Lambiek Comiclopedia biography.]
- [http://blog.livedoor.jp/isayamahazime/ Hajime Isayama official blog]
- {{IMDb name|4697729}}
- {{Rotten-tomatoes-person|hajime_isayama}}
- {{anime News Network|people|97559}}
{{Attack on Titan}}
{{Kodansha Manga Award - Shōnen}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Isayama, Hajime}}
Category:Manga artists from Ōita Prefecture