Taiyō Matsumoto

is an influential manga artist. He made his debut in "Afternoon", Kodansha's monthly seinen manga magazine, but is probably best known for his works with Kodansha's rival publisher Shogakukan, including "Tekkonkinkreet", "Ping Pong" and "Number Five". He has received critical praise for his unconventional and often surrealist art style. "Ping Pong" and "Aoi Haru" ("Blue Spring") have been adapted into live-action feature films, much more famous than the original manga in the west, and acclaimed animation studio Studio 4°C adapted "Tekkonkinkreet" into an animated feature film. In 2007 he received an Excellence Award for manga at the Japan Media Arts Festival for the art of "Takemitsu Zamurai".

He is the cousin of Santa Inoue, another critically acclaimed mangaka.

Biography

While Matsumoto made his debut in 1986, it was a trip to France that would have the most profound effect on his professional career. Impressed by artists such as Moebius, Matsumoto's subsequent works would bear a unique art style that reflected both Japanese and European influences. His art is best described as surreal, with frenzied line-work and bizarre backgrounds. The energy of his artwork is mirrored in the stories he tells. Matsumoto's manga has covered a variety of topics, from sports to family comedy to science fiction epic, but each work bears a unique brand of storytelling. While his unique approach to storytelling has only resulted in mild commercial success, it has earned him many devoted fans around the world. He is also highly regarded in critical circles; some people even consider him to be one of the best mangaka of his generation.

The "Tekkonkinkreet" anime was released in Japan in late 2006; US distribution rights lie with Sony Pictures Releasing. VIZ has announced plans to republish the manga (previously published in English as "Black & White") in one volume and under the original title.

elected works

The ISBNs are those of the most recent English editions.
* "Brothers of Japan" ("Nihon no Kyōdai")
* "ZERO"
*
*; ISBN 1-4215-1867-8
** "Tekkonkinkreet" by Michael Arias of Studio 4°C
*
** "Ping Pong" (film) by Fumihiko Sori
*; ISBN 1-59116-645-4
** "Blue Spring" (film), by Toshiyaki Toyada
*
*; ISBN 1-56931-738-0, 1-59116-056-1
*, a collaboration with Issei Eifuku as the scenarist

External links

* [http://lambiek.net/artists/m/matsumoto_t.htm Lambiek.net entry on Matsumoto]
* [http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=6531 "Tekkonkinkreet" at Anime News Network]
* [http://www.tekkon.net "Tekkonkinkreet" official site] (Japanese)
* [http://www.pingmag.jp/2006/11/22/making-taiyo-matsumoto-tekkon-kinkreet-into-anime "Tekkonkinkreet" "making of" on Pingmag.jp]
* [http://www.animationinsider.net/article.php?articleID=1267 AnimationInsider.net critical essay of Michal Arias' "Tekkonkinkreet"]