Yoshitoshi Abe
Yoshitoshi Abe | |
|---|---|
安倍 吉俊 | |
| Born | August 3, 1971 |
| Alma mater | Tokyo University of the Arts (MFA) |
| Occupation(s) | Manga artist, illustrator, screenwriter, character designer |
| Years active | 1994-present |
| Website | tokagegarou |
, often written as yoshitoshi ABe, is a Japanese visual artist known for his contributions to anime and manga. He rose to prominence through his distinctive work on the avant-garde series Serial Experiments Lain and played a key role in the conceptual and character design aspects of NieA_7. His self-published dōjinshi Haibane Renmei was subsequently adapted into an anime series.
Abe partnered with Chiaki J. Konaka on projects such as Serial Experiments Lain and Texhnolyze. The stylization "yoshitoshi ABe," featuring a capital "B," reflects his early pseudonym, "AB."
Beginning his career as a graffiti artist in Tokyo, Abe’s initial artistic influences contributed to the darker motifs seen in his character creations. He is widely recognized for the 2004 science fiction novel "All You Need Is Kill," which served as the foundation for the 2014 movie "Edge of Tomorrow." Known for embracing digital technology, Abe has showcased digital painting techniques on devices like the iPad and independently published digital dōjinshi, including Pochiyama at the Pharmacy (2008) for iPhone/iPod Touch and I am an Alien, I have a Question (2010) available on Kindle, circumventing conventional print publishing routes.
Personal life
On November 11, 2011, Abe wed fellow artist Sasaki Yukari, who had been assisting him with manga since 2010. Their daughter was born on September 21, 2012.
Anime
- Serial Experiments Lain (1998) (original character design)
- NieA_7 (2000) (original character design, scenario)
- Haibane Renmei (2002) (original creator, original character design, series composition, screenplay)
- Texhnolyze (2003) (original character design)
- Welcome to the N.H.K. (2006) (original character design)
- RErideD: Derrida, who leaps through time (2018) (original character design, screenplay for episodes 4, 8, and 10)
- Housing Complex C (2022) (original character design)
- Despera (TBA) (original character design)
Music
- Love Song (2005) (cover art and booklet illustrations)
Video games
- Wachenröder (1998)
- Phenomeno (2012)
Printed works
- Dōjinshi
- Furumachi (August 1996)
- Shooting Star (December 1996)
- White Rain (July 1997)
- Sui-Rin (August 1998)
- Charcoal Feather Federation (Haibane Renmei) (December 1998)
- T.Prevue Version 0.9 (August 1999)
- Faces (December 1999)
- K.S.M.E (July 2000)
- Sketches (December 2000)
- NieA Under 7 - Under (August 2001)
- Haibane Renmei - The Haibanes of Old Home (Ch.1) (August 2001)
- Haibane Renmei - The Haibanes of Old Home (Ch.2) (December 2001)
- Haibane Renmei - Haibane Lifestyle Diary (August 2002)
- Haibane Renmei - The Haibanes of Old Home (Extra) (December 2002)
- Ryuu Tai (July 2003)
- Not Found (December 2003)
- Haibane Renmei - Kyakuhonshuu - Volumes 1–6 (August 2004 – August 2006)
- Miscellaneous (December 2004)
- GRID. (August 2005)
- Yakkyoku no Pochiyamasan series, versions 1.0 to 4.0 (December 2005 – December 2008)
- f.p.o. (Fixed Point Observation) and Ryuhshika (August 2008)
- Artbooks
- Serial Experiments Lain - An Omnipresence in the Wired (May 1999)
- Visual Experiments Lain
- Essence (May 2001; US release)
- NieA Under 7 - Scrap (July 2001)
- Haibane Renmei - In the Town of Guri, in the Garden of Charcoal Feathers (December 2003)
- yoshitoshi ABe lain illustrations - ab# rebuild an omnipresence in the wired (Japan: December 2005; US: April 2006)
- Gaisokyu (August 2007)
- Manga
- Debut: Ame no Furu Basho, published in Afternoon magazine, April 1994
- NieA Under 7, Volumes 1–2 (June and August 2001)
- Adaptation manga for All You Need Is Kill (December 2004)
- Ryushika Ryushika (2009)
- Contributions
- Various doujinshi and art collaborations including work with Range Murata and Foo Swee Chin
- Provided sketches and wall paintings for episode thirteen of Hell Girl
- Cover Illustrations
- Book covers for titles such as Kami no Keifu, Welcome to the N.H.K., and All You Need is Kill
- Additional covers including works like Negative Happy Chainsaw Edge, and the bunko edition of Chojin Keikaku
- Miscellaneous
- "AB Note" yoshitoshi ABe Sketchbook along with limited edition portfolio sets distributed at conventions
- "Kaira" Wani Magazine Comics Special issue released July 2008
External links
- Yoshitoshi ABe manga , anime at the Media Arts Database