Hizuru Imai
Description
Hizuru Imai, also known by the name今井ひづる, was a Japanese manga artist and original creator born in Yamagata Prefecture. She was a female artist who graduated from the commercial design program at Tokyo Designer Gakuin College. Her professional career began in 1983 when she received an honorable mention at the 6th Fujiko F. Fujio Award for her work Boku no Mai, marking her official debut as a manga creator.
Imai is best known as the artist of the manga Karaoke Senshi Mike Jirō, which was serialized in Deluxe Bonbon magazine from December 1993 to February 1995. The series, based on an original concept by Akiyuki Kondo, centers on a protagonist who uses karaoke as a form of combat, blending music-themed elements with action-oriented storytelling. This work represents her most recognized contribution to the anime and manga industry.
Beyond this notable series, Imai created several other manga works. She authored Shōten! Akatsuki no Fundoshi Musume in 1993, and later produced Parian no Sono in 2005. She also illustrated The Manzai, a comedy manga written by Atsuko Asano, which was published by Jive in Japan from 2005 to 2009 and later released in English by Aurora Publishing under the title The Comedy Team. The story follows two students forming a comedy duo, and critical reception noted Imai's character designs for female characters, describing them with particular stylistic qualities.
Imai maintained a significant professional relationship with the animation studio Gainax, contributing original artwork to several projects. She worked on computer graphics and illustration collections including Doll in the HOUSE WINDY, Doll in the HOUSE LINDY, and W&M Imai Hizuru Variety H during the late 1990s. She also contributed to the parody game Eva to Yukai na Nakamatachi Datsui Hokan Keikaku! in 1999, based on the Neon Genesis Evangelion franchise. These collaborations suggest her artistic identity was connected to the aesthetic trends and creative circles surrounding Gainax during that era.
Her artistic career spanned nearly four decades until her death on July 30, 2022, caused by appendiceal cancer and pseudomyxoma peritonei. While her public profile remained modest compared to mainstream manga artists, her work on Karaoke Senshi Mike Jirō and her contributions to Gainax projects established her as a creator with a distinctive presence in the industry, particularly within niche and comedy-oriented genres.
Imai is best known as the artist of the manga Karaoke Senshi Mike Jirō, which was serialized in Deluxe Bonbon magazine from December 1993 to February 1995. The series, based on an original concept by Akiyuki Kondo, centers on a protagonist who uses karaoke as a form of combat, blending music-themed elements with action-oriented storytelling. This work represents her most recognized contribution to the anime and manga industry.
Beyond this notable series, Imai created several other manga works. She authored Shōten! Akatsuki no Fundoshi Musume in 1993, and later produced Parian no Sono in 2005. She also illustrated The Manzai, a comedy manga written by Atsuko Asano, which was published by Jive in Japan from 2005 to 2009 and later released in English by Aurora Publishing under the title The Comedy Team. The story follows two students forming a comedy duo, and critical reception noted Imai's character designs for female characters, describing them with particular stylistic qualities.
Imai maintained a significant professional relationship with the animation studio Gainax, contributing original artwork to several projects. She worked on computer graphics and illustration collections including Doll in the HOUSE WINDY, Doll in the HOUSE LINDY, and W&M Imai Hizuru Variety H during the late 1990s. She also contributed to the parody game Eva to Yukai na Nakamatachi Datsui Hokan Keikaku! in 1999, based on the Neon Genesis Evangelion franchise. These collaborations suggest her artistic identity was connected to the aesthetic trends and creative circles surrounding Gainax during that era.
Her artistic career spanned nearly four decades until her death on July 30, 2022, caused by appendiceal cancer and pseudomyxoma peritonei. While her public profile remained modest compared to mainstream manga artists, her work on Karaoke Senshi Mike Jirō and her contributions to Gainax projects established her as a creator with a distinctive presence in the industry, particularly within niche and comedy-oriented genres.
Works
- Topics: Anime overview