Kenichi Kitami
Description
Kenichi Kitami is a Japanese manga artist born on December 11, 1940, in Manchukuo, China. After graduating in 1959, he briefly worked for a vinyl production corporation before studying photography at an art school. Following his graduation, he worked at a photo studio. In 1964, editors from Shonen Sunday introduced him to the renowned gag manga artist Fujio Akatsuka, and Kitami subsequently became Akatsuka's assistant in the same year.
During his time as an assistant, Kitami occasionally published his own manga, including a 1974 work titled Yakeato Zengakiren. At the age of 39, he left Akatsuka's studio in 1979 to pursue a full-time solo career. In that same year, he began his most famous work, Tsuribaka Nisshi, also known as The Fishing Fool's Diary, which became an instant hit. This series is a collaboration with writer Juzo Yamasaki, with Yamasaki providing the story and Kitami responsible for the art. The manga follows Densuke Hamazaki, a white-collar worker whose passion for fishing often takes precedence over his career and family obligations. Tsuribaka Nisshi was adapted into a 36-episode television anime in 2002 and has also inspired a long-running series of live-action films. The copyright for the anime adaptation is held jointly by Juzo Yamasaki, Kenichi Kitami, Shogakukan, and Toei Animation.
Beyond Tsuribaka Nisshi, Kitami has created numerous other manga series. His other long-running work includes Genki-kun after the Fire, which was serialized in Japanese newspapers from 1983 to 2008. He has also produced works such as Dojokko Funakko, Downtown Boys, and Baseball Boy, with many of his titles falling into the comedy, seinen, and slice of life genres. In addition to his collaborations with Juzo Yamasaki, Kitami previously collaborated with his mentor Fujio Akatsuka and other artists on projects like The Amazing Atomic Bomb and Gag Guerrilla, where he contributed finished art and handwriting for dialogue.
Kitami's artistic identity is strongly rooted in comedy and the creation of joyful, humorous work. He has stated that manga was always meant to make people laugh. This philosophy extended beyond the printed page; at the age of 77, he was one of six artists commissioned to create fusuma sliding door paintings for the Shinjuan sub-temple of Daitokuji in Kyoto, a project instigated by the head priest who is an old friend of Kitami. His painting, titled Paradise, spans sixteen screens and depicts a large party featuring nearly 400 characters, including figures from Tsuribaka Nisshi, his late wife, and his mentor Fujio Akatsuka. The work reflects his belief that no one can live alone and serves as a joyous gathering place for the living, the dead, and fictional characters. Despite his advanced age and three ongoing manga serializations, Kitami made repeated visits to the temple to work on the project.
During his time as an assistant, Kitami occasionally published his own manga, including a 1974 work titled Yakeato Zengakiren. At the age of 39, he left Akatsuka's studio in 1979 to pursue a full-time solo career. In that same year, he began his most famous work, Tsuribaka Nisshi, also known as The Fishing Fool's Diary, which became an instant hit. This series is a collaboration with writer Juzo Yamasaki, with Yamasaki providing the story and Kitami responsible for the art. The manga follows Densuke Hamazaki, a white-collar worker whose passion for fishing often takes precedence over his career and family obligations. Tsuribaka Nisshi was adapted into a 36-episode television anime in 2002 and has also inspired a long-running series of live-action films. The copyright for the anime adaptation is held jointly by Juzo Yamasaki, Kenichi Kitami, Shogakukan, and Toei Animation.
Beyond Tsuribaka Nisshi, Kitami has created numerous other manga series. His other long-running work includes Genki-kun after the Fire, which was serialized in Japanese newspapers from 1983 to 2008. He has also produced works such as Dojokko Funakko, Downtown Boys, and Baseball Boy, with many of his titles falling into the comedy, seinen, and slice of life genres. In addition to his collaborations with Juzo Yamasaki, Kitami previously collaborated with his mentor Fujio Akatsuka and other artists on projects like The Amazing Atomic Bomb and Gag Guerrilla, where he contributed finished art and handwriting for dialogue.
Kitami's artistic identity is strongly rooted in comedy and the creation of joyful, humorous work. He has stated that manga was always meant to make people laugh. This philosophy extended beyond the printed page; at the age of 77, he was one of six artists commissioned to create fusuma sliding door paintings for the Shinjuan sub-temple of Daitokuji in Kyoto, a project instigated by the head priest who is an old friend of Kitami. His painting, titled Paradise, spans sixteen screens and depicts a large party featuring nearly 400 characters, including figures from Tsuribaka Nisshi, his late wife, and his mentor Fujio Akatsuka. The work reflects his belief that no one can live alone and serves as a joyous gathering place for the living, the dead, and fictional characters. Despite his advanced age and three ongoing manga serializations, Kitami made repeated visits to the temple to work on the project.
Works
- Topics: Anime overview