Etsuyoshi Miyamoto
Description
Etsuyoshi Miyamoto is a Japanese illustrator known primarily as the co-creator of the Obake Zukan picture book series, which has been adapted into multiple anime television series and a live-action film.
Miyamoto’s most significant body of work is the Obake Zukan series, which he created in collaboration with writer Hiroshi Saito. The series, which began publication in 2013, consists of illustrated books that depict various monsters and spirits, explaining the nature of their scariness in a format aimed at children. Miyamoto is credited specifically as the illustrator of the series, with Saito serving as the author.
The Obake Zukan franchise expanded into animation with a television anime that premiered in July 2020 on TV Tokyo’s Oha-suta children’s variety program. The anime, produced by animation studio Fanworks and directed by Naomi Iwata, was based directly on the picture books created by Saito and Miyamoto. A second television anime series, titled Obake Zukan! with an exclamation point, premiered in October 2022, also airing on TV Tokyo’s Oha-suta program. Both anime adaptations retained the original picture books as their source material.
The franchise also received a live-action film adaptation titled Ghost Book, which was released in Japan in July 2022. Directed by Takashi Yamazaki, the film was based on the original children’s story by Hiroshi Saito and Etsuyoshi Miyamoto.
Miyamoto’s artistic identity is firmly tied to the Obake Zukan series, which is characterized by its exploration of yokai and supernatural creatures through a child-friendly lens. The work focuses on illustrating monsters and spirits and explaining the reasons they are considered frightening, blending elements of comedy and horror for a young audience. The series achieved significant commercial success, with 700,000 copies in circulation by early 2020.
In terms of industry significance, Miyamoto’s role as the illustrator of the Obake Zukan books established the foundational visual identity for a multimedia franchise that expanded from print to two television anime series and a major live-action film produced by Toho. The copyright for the original work is jointly held by Hiroshi Saito and Etsuyoshi Miyamoto, underscoring his integral role as a co-creator of the property.
Miyamoto’s most significant body of work is the Obake Zukan series, which he created in collaboration with writer Hiroshi Saito. The series, which began publication in 2013, consists of illustrated books that depict various monsters and spirits, explaining the nature of their scariness in a format aimed at children. Miyamoto is credited specifically as the illustrator of the series, with Saito serving as the author.
The Obake Zukan franchise expanded into animation with a television anime that premiered in July 2020 on TV Tokyo’s Oha-suta children’s variety program. The anime, produced by animation studio Fanworks and directed by Naomi Iwata, was based directly on the picture books created by Saito and Miyamoto. A second television anime series, titled Obake Zukan! with an exclamation point, premiered in October 2022, also airing on TV Tokyo’s Oha-suta program. Both anime adaptations retained the original picture books as their source material.
The franchise also received a live-action film adaptation titled Ghost Book, which was released in Japan in July 2022. Directed by Takashi Yamazaki, the film was based on the original children’s story by Hiroshi Saito and Etsuyoshi Miyamoto.
Miyamoto’s artistic identity is firmly tied to the Obake Zukan series, which is characterized by its exploration of yokai and supernatural creatures through a child-friendly lens. The work focuses on illustrating monsters and spirits and explaining the reasons they are considered frightening, blending elements of comedy and horror for a young audience. The series achieved significant commercial success, with 700,000 copies in circulation by early 2020.
In terms of industry significance, Miyamoto’s role as the illustrator of the Obake Zukan books established the foundational visual identity for a multimedia franchise that expanded from print to two television anime series and a major live-action film produced by Toho. The copyright for the original work is jointly held by Hiroshi Saito and Etsuyoshi Miyamoto, underscoring his integral role as a co-creator of the property.
Works
- Topics: Anime overview
- Topics: Anime overview