Naoki Shigeno
Description
Naoki Shigeno, born December 28, 1976 in Chiba Prefecture, Japan, is a manga artist and original creator known for his work in the seinen demographic. He is a graduate of Yamanashi Gakuin University.
Shigeno is best recognized as the author and illustrator of the long-running four-panel manga series Nobunaga no Shinobi, which is known in English as Ninja Girl & Samurai Master. The series began serialization in Hakusensha's Young Animal magazine on June 13, 2008, and concluded on July 25, 2025, with its chapters collected into 23 tankobon volumes. The story follows a fictional young female ninja named Chidori who serves the historical Japanese daimyo Oda Nobunaga on his quest to unify Japan.
The success of the original manga led to a significant expansion of the franchise. Shigeno is the credited original creator for the anime television series adaptation, which was directed by Akitaro Daichi and produced by TMS Entertainment. The anime premiered with its first season of 26 episodes from October 2016 to March 2017. This was followed by a second season, Ninja Girl & Samurai Master 2nd, which aired from April 8 to September 30, 2017, and a third season, Ninja Girl & Samurai Master 3rd, which aired from April 7 to September 29, 2018. Shigeno is consistently credited as the original creator for all three seasons of the anime.
Beyond the main series, Shigeno has written and illustrated several spin-off manga set in the same historical vein. These include Nobunaga no Shinobi: Owari Tōitsu-ki, which was serialized from 2012 to 2017; Gunshi Kuroda Kanbee Den, which began in 2013; Masamune-sama to Kagetsuna-kun, serialized from 2013 to 2020; and Sanada Tamashii, which began in 2015. His other manga works include Uchi no Daikazoku from 2004 and Joshimon from 2009.
A defining characteristic of Shigeno's artistic identity is his focus on the Sengoku period of Japanese history, often blending comedic elements with the lives and exploits of famous historical figures. His work is predominantly in the four-panel manga format, known as yonkoma, which structures the narrative in a concise, gag-driven style. This combination of historical setting and accessible comedy defines his significant body of work, making him a notable creator within the genre of historical parody and comedy manga.
Shigeno is best recognized as the author and illustrator of the long-running four-panel manga series Nobunaga no Shinobi, which is known in English as Ninja Girl & Samurai Master. The series began serialization in Hakusensha's Young Animal magazine on June 13, 2008, and concluded on July 25, 2025, with its chapters collected into 23 tankobon volumes. The story follows a fictional young female ninja named Chidori who serves the historical Japanese daimyo Oda Nobunaga on his quest to unify Japan.
The success of the original manga led to a significant expansion of the franchise. Shigeno is the credited original creator for the anime television series adaptation, which was directed by Akitaro Daichi and produced by TMS Entertainment. The anime premiered with its first season of 26 episodes from October 2016 to March 2017. This was followed by a second season, Ninja Girl & Samurai Master 2nd, which aired from April 8 to September 30, 2017, and a third season, Ninja Girl & Samurai Master 3rd, which aired from April 7 to September 29, 2018. Shigeno is consistently credited as the original creator for all three seasons of the anime.
Beyond the main series, Shigeno has written and illustrated several spin-off manga set in the same historical vein. These include Nobunaga no Shinobi: Owari Tōitsu-ki, which was serialized from 2012 to 2017; Gunshi Kuroda Kanbee Den, which began in 2013; Masamune-sama to Kagetsuna-kun, serialized from 2013 to 2020; and Sanada Tamashii, which began in 2015. His other manga works include Uchi no Daikazoku from 2004 and Joshimon from 2009.
A defining characteristic of Shigeno's artistic identity is his focus on the Sengoku period of Japanese history, often blending comedic elements with the lives and exploits of famous historical figures. His work is predominantly in the four-panel manga format, known as yonkoma, which structures the narrative in a concise, gag-driven style. This combination of historical setting and accessible comedy defines his significant body of work, making him a notable creator within the genre of historical parody and comedy manga.
Works
- Topics: Anime overview
- Topics: Anime overview
- Topics: Anime overview