Waki Yamato (Japanese: 大和 和紀, Hepburn: Yamato Waki, born March 13, 1948)[1] is a Japanese manga artist. She debuted in 1966 with the short story Dorobō Tenshi.[1][2][3]

Waki Yamato
Born一ノ関 和紀
(later 木野 和紀[1])
(1948-03-13) March 13, 1948 (age 76)
Sapporo, Japan
NationalityJapan
Area(s)Manga artist
Notable works
Awards1st Kodansha Manga Award for shōjo manga - Haikara-san ga Tōru

Since her debut, Yamato steadily created and published a variety of works in the genre of shōjo manga.[1] Among her early time works, Mon Cherie CoCo, 1971, was adapted into an anime television series, and her work, Haikara-san ga Tōru, 1975 to 1977, was very successful, winning the 1st Kodansha Manga Award for shōjo manga in 1977.[3][4] It was also made into a musical for the Takarazuka Revue, an anime series (which reached an international audience through TV broadcasts in Italy and France), and a live-action film. Through these early works, she established her position as one of the most popular manga artists.

Life and works

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After the success of Haikara-san ga Tōru, she continued to create many manga, including the comedy Aramis '78 (series), Yokohama Monogatari (The Story of Yokohama), and N. Y. Komachi (The Belle of New York). The latter two were historical manga, set during the Meiji period.

The heroines of these stories were active girls who traveled overseas. Yamato's early work Reidii Mitsuko (Lady Mitsuko), 1976, was based on the true story of Mitsuko Aoyama, who was the mother of Richard von Coudenhove-Kalergi.

Similarly, in Yokohama Monogatari, Uno visits California, marries her Japanese lover there and returns to Yokohama, while Mariko visits London to meet her Japanese husband. In N. Y. Komachi tomboy Shino travels to New York and becomes a camerawoman. At the end she settles in America with her husband Danny.

Asaki Yume Mishi

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Yamato's major work is Asaki Yume Mishi. Yamato spent 13 years (1980–93) completing this famous long work, based on Murasaki Shikibu's The Tale of Genji. Yamato studied the historical details of the Heian period. But she made radical changes to the characters and plot, to fit contemporary mores. Yet her work remains one of the best visualizations of the Heian era.

List of works

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Book information from Media Arts Database.[5] (in progress, incomplete).

N Title ja-Title Label Vol. Date of Pub. Publisher Magazine Date Remark
01 Thief Angel 泥棒天使 Teen comics deluxe 1 1972-10-10 Wakagi shobo Shojo Friend 1966 (37th) Debut short story
02 Mon Cheri CoCo モンシェリCoCo KC 3 1972-08-28 Kodansha Shojo Friend 1968 adapted into TV anime (1972)
03 Haikara-san ga Tōru はいからさんが通る KC friend 8 1975-1977 Kodansha adapted into TV anime (1978-79)
04 Lady Mitsuko レディーミツコ KC friend B 1 1977 Kodansha
05 Killa Killa KC friend 5 1978-1979 Kodansha
06 End of Heaven, Border of Earth 天の果て地の限り KC mimi 1 1979-10-15 Kodansha
07 Aramis ’78 アラミス’78 KC friend B 4 1979–1984 Kodansha
08 Playball in the Year 2600 紀元2600年のプレイボール KC friend 5 1979–1980 Kodansha
09 The One with Wings 翼ある者 KC friend 1 198008-15 Kodansha
10 Asaki Yume Mishi あさきゆめみし KC mimi 13 1980-1993 Kodansha based on Murasaki Shikibu's The Tale of Genji
11 Moonlight Shining Tree 月光樹 KC friend B 1 1980 Kodansha
12 Myth of Dark-blue Color あい色神話 KC friend 1 1980-12-15 Kodansha
13 The Story of Yokohama ヨコハマ物語 KC friend 8 1981-1984 Kodansha
14 The Belle of New York NY小町 KC friend 8 1986-1988 Kodansha
15 High Hheels Cop ハイヒールCOP KC mimi deluxe 5 1990-1993 Kodansha
16 Wow, He is Prince!? なんと王子さま!? KC friend 1 1990-09-13 Kodansha
17 Fruits of the Angel 天使の果実 KC mimi 3 1993-1994 Kodansha based on novel by Shizuka Ijuin
18 Natascha of Rainbow 虹のナターシャ KC mimi 5 1995-1997 Kodansha based on novel by Mariko Hayashi
19 Samurai facing to the West にしむく士 KC BE LOVE 5 1997-2001 Kodansha
20 Baby-sitter Gin! ベビーシッター・ギン! K Comics kiss 9 1998-2007 Kodansha
21 The Scent of Crimson 紅匂ふ KC BE LOVE 4 1998-2007 Kodansha
22 The Daughter of Ishtar イシュタルの娘 KC BE LOVE 16 2010-2017 Kodansha (The Life of Ono no Otsū)

Reception

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Yamato's story manga Haikara-san ga Tōru series had been sold over 10 million copies. Also, the total sales number of her representative work Asaki YUmemishi had been over 12 million, as of 1997.[1]

Notes and references

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  1. ^ a b c d e Nichigai Associates Editorial Department (1997), p.462.
  2. ^ According to 「BOOK著者紹介情報」, which can be confirmed in this Amazon page etc.
  3. ^ a b 「あさきゆめみし PerfectBook」 p.181 Special Interview
  4. ^ Joel Hahn. "Kodansha Manga Awards". Comic Book Awards Almanac. Archived from the original on August 16, 2007. Retrieved August 21, 2007.
  5. ^ "Waki Yamato". Mediaarts-db. Retrieved November 8, 2024. (in Japanese)
  • Waki Yamato manga Archived 2016-03-08 at the Wayback Machine at Media Arts Database (in Japanese)
  • List of Works Archived 2010-12-01 at the Wayback Machine fan site, based on 「大和和紀自選集5」(Author's Selected Works, Vol.5) Kodansha, (Japanese)
  • List of Works Archived 2007-03-02 at the Wayback Machine fan site, based on 「大和和紀自選集5」(Author's Selected Works, Vol.5) Kodansha, (Japanese)
  • Yamato Waki Haikara-san ga Tooru Kodansha (Japanese comic)
  • Yamato Waki Lady Mitsuko Kodansha (Japanese comic)
  • Yamato Waki Yokohama Monogatari 8 volumes, Kodansha (Japanese comic)
  • Yamato Waki N. Y. Komachi 8 volumes, Kodansha (Japanese comic)
  • Yamato Waki Asaki Yume Mishi 13 volumes, Kodansha (Japanese comic)

Bibliography

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  • Nichigai Associates Editorial Department (April 21, 1997), Dictionary of Manga and Anime artists. Nichigai Associates Co., Ltd. ISBN 4-8169-1423-4
  • Hiroyuki Hirosaki ed. (July 30, 2021), Bungei Special Feature: Yamato Waki, the 55th Anniversary of Debut. Kawade Shobo Shinsha Co. Ltd. ISBN 978-4-309-98032-4
  • 「あさきゆめみし PerfectBook」宝島社 (Takarajima co.ltd.), 2003/2007 ISBN 978-4-7966-3603-2