Masakazu Katsura
Description
Masakazu Katsura is a Japanese manga artist and character designer born on December 10, 1962, in Fukui Prefecture, Japan. He is known for creating a diverse body of work that includes superhero action, science fiction, and romantic comedy series, many of which have been adapted into anime.
Katsura's entry into the manga industry was unusual, as his initial motivation was not a passion for the medium but a desire to win prize money to buy a stereo system. He submitted work to the Tezuka Award contest, receiving an honorable mention in 1980. His talent was recognized by editor Kazuhiko Torishima, who would become a significant figure in his career. After attending the Asagaya College of Art and Design, Katsura dropped out to focus on his first serialized work.
His debut serialization was the superhero manga Wing-Man, which ran in Weekly Shonen Jump from 1983 to 1985. The series was a tribute to the tokusatsu hero shows Katsura enjoyed as a child, such as Kamen Rider and Ultraman. Wing-Man was quickly adapted into a television anime series, marking the first of many of his works to be brought to the screen. Following this, he created shorter series like Present from Lemon before shifting his focus to a genre that would bring him wider recognition.
In 1989, Katsura began serializing Video Girl Ai in Weekly Shonen Jump, a series that blended romantic comedy with science fiction. The story follows a heartbroken boy who uses a magical video tape to bring a girl from a television screen into the real world. This work became a major hit, solidifying his reputation and demonstrating his skill in depicting adolescent emotion and relationships. It was later adapted into an original video animation and a live-action film. He continued to explore romantic themes mixed with speculative elements in subsequent works like DNA², which involved time travel and genetic mutation, and the long-running high school romance I"s, which was serialized from 1997 to 2000.
After years of balancing romance with his interest in superheroes, Katsura returned to a darker, more adult-oriented action genre with Zetman. Serialized in Weekly Young Jump from 2002 to 2014, the story focuses on two young men, one a genetically engineered being and the other a scion of a powerful corporation, as they grapple with themes of justice, humanity, and monstrosity. The series was adapted into an anime in 2012 and represents his longest continuous work.
Beyond his own manga, Katsura has contributed significantly to other projects as a character designer. His notable work in this role includes the original video animation Iria: Zeiram the Animation, the superhero television anime Tiger & Bunny, and the Nintendo video game Astral Chain. He also collaborated with his close friend and fellow manga artist Akira Toriyama on several short manga, including Sachie-chan Good!! and Jiya, for which Katsura provided the artwork for Toriyama's stories.
Katsura's artistic identity is defined by a synthesis of several key influences. His work displays a meticulous attention to detail and a realistic rendering of characters and backgrounds, a style he developed to make the fantastical elements of his stories feel more believable. He is particularly renowned for his depictions of beautiful girls, a skill his editor encouraged him to cultivate, and his art is often noted for its refined linework and contemporary fashion sense. While he has stated that his romantic comedies are not based on personal experience, he draws heavily from films and novels for narrative inspiration. His stories frequently center on the perspective of an adolescent boy navigating complex and often unfortunate romantic situations, while a recurring passion for tokusatsu heroics ensures that themes of protection and transformation remain close to the surface, even in his romance-driven narratives.
Katsura's industry significance stems from his role in popularizing and refining the romantic comedy genre within Weekly Shonen Jump during the late 1980s and 1990s, creating a template for many series that followed. His ability to move between genres, from the lighthearted romance of I"s to the grim violence of Zetman, demonstrates a notable range. His longstanding friendship and creative exchange with Akira Toriyama, which included discussions that may have influenced the concept of fusion in Dragon Ball, also marks him as a central figure in a generation of influential Jump artists.
Katsura's entry into the manga industry was unusual, as his initial motivation was not a passion for the medium but a desire to win prize money to buy a stereo system. He submitted work to the Tezuka Award contest, receiving an honorable mention in 1980. His talent was recognized by editor Kazuhiko Torishima, who would become a significant figure in his career. After attending the Asagaya College of Art and Design, Katsura dropped out to focus on his first serialized work.
His debut serialization was the superhero manga Wing-Man, which ran in Weekly Shonen Jump from 1983 to 1985. The series was a tribute to the tokusatsu hero shows Katsura enjoyed as a child, such as Kamen Rider and Ultraman. Wing-Man was quickly adapted into a television anime series, marking the first of many of his works to be brought to the screen. Following this, he created shorter series like Present from Lemon before shifting his focus to a genre that would bring him wider recognition.
In 1989, Katsura began serializing Video Girl Ai in Weekly Shonen Jump, a series that blended romantic comedy with science fiction. The story follows a heartbroken boy who uses a magical video tape to bring a girl from a television screen into the real world. This work became a major hit, solidifying his reputation and demonstrating his skill in depicting adolescent emotion and relationships. It was later adapted into an original video animation and a live-action film. He continued to explore romantic themes mixed with speculative elements in subsequent works like DNA², which involved time travel and genetic mutation, and the long-running high school romance I"s, which was serialized from 1997 to 2000.
After years of balancing romance with his interest in superheroes, Katsura returned to a darker, more adult-oriented action genre with Zetman. Serialized in Weekly Young Jump from 2002 to 2014, the story focuses on two young men, one a genetically engineered being and the other a scion of a powerful corporation, as they grapple with themes of justice, humanity, and monstrosity. The series was adapted into an anime in 2012 and represents his longest continuous work.
Beyond his own manga, Katsura has contributed significantly to other projects as a character designer. His notable work in this role includes the original video animation Iria: Zeiram the Animation, the superhero television anime Tiger & Bunny, and the Nintendo video game Astral Chain. He also collaborated with his close friend and fellow manga artist Akira Toriyama on several short manga, including Sachie-chan Good!! and Jiya, for which Katsura provided the artwork for Toriyama's stories.
Katsura's artistic identity is defined by a synthesis of several key influences. His work displays a meticulous attention to detail and a realistic rendering of characters and backgrounds, a style he developed to make the fantastical elements of his stories feel more believable. He is particularly renowned for his depictions of beautiful girls, a skill his editor encouraged him to cultivate, and his art is often noted for its refined linework and contemporary fashion sense. While he has stated that his romantic comedies are not based on personal experience, he draws heavily from films and novels for narrative inspiration. His stories frequently center on the perspective of an adolescent boy navigating complex and often unfortunate romantic situations, while a recurring passion for tokusatsu heroics ensures that themes of protection and transformation remain close to the surface, even in his romance-driven narratives.
Katsura's industry significance stems from his role in popularizing and refining the romantic comedy genre within Weekly Shonen Jump during the late 1980s and 1990s, creating a template for many series that followed. His ability to move between genres, from the lighthearted romance of I"s to the grim violence of Zetman, demonstrates a notable range. His longstanding friendship and creative exchange with Akira Toriyama, which included discussions that may have influenced the concept of fusion in Dragon Ball, also marks him as a central figure in a generation of influential Jump artists.
All Characters
- JapaneseAnime overview: Wingman
- Japanese