Baku Yumemakura

Baku Yumemakura (夢枕 獏, Yumemakura Baku, born 1951 in Odawara, Kanagawa) is a Japanese science fiction and adventure writer. His works have sold more than 20 million copies in Japan spread across more than 280 titles. He is published in a variety of formats including feature films, television shows, movies and comic books.

His works are influenced by outdoor interests such as fishing, particularly Ayu fishing, mountain climbing, canoeing as well as Manga, Photography, pottery, art, calligraphy, Martial Arts. He has published a number of photo collections of his journeys through Nepalese mountains.

He is best known for writing Jōgen no Tsuki wo Taberu Shishi (The Lion that Ate the Crescent Moon), which won both the Seiun Award and the Nihon SF Taisho Award. He also has written film scripts, including the one to Onmyoji.

One of his popular martial arts serials that has been adapted into manga is "Garouden", "The legend of the fighting wolves" that has also two videogames to date.

He's been nicknamed "The artisan of violence" due to one of his popular martial arts novel series "Shishi no mon" (獅子の門 Gate of fierce lions) and currently in 2014 he's working the scripts of a manga series "Shin Garouden" with renown manga artist Masami Nobe

He is also a past president of Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of Japan.

Early life

• 1951: Born on January 1 in Odawara-shi

• 1973: Graduated with a degree in Japanese Literature from Tokai University

• 1975: Visited Nepal for the first time

• 1977: His first works were published in the science fiction coterie magazines Neo Null curated by Yasutaka Tsutsui and UchÅ«jin curated by Takumi Shibano. A typographic experiment story titled Kaeru no Shi, dubbed as "Typografiction", was published in Neo Null and received a great deal of attention within the industry. It was reprinted in the science fiction magazine Kisou Tengai, which became his first appearance in commercial magazine. He followed this success by releasing the novella Kyojin Den and enjoyed enough success to become a full-time author.

• 1979: From the Shueisha Cobalt Collection, Nekohiki no Oruorane was published as his first stand alone title.

• 1981: Futabasha Corporation published GenjÅ« Henge, his first full-length novel.

• 1982: The first volume of the Kimaira Kou Series, GenjÅ« Shōnen Kimaira, was published by Asahi Sonorama Paperbacks. Cover and illustrations by Yoshitaka Amano.

• 1984: The MajÅ«gari trilogy was published by Shodensha.

Collaborators

Over the span of his career, Baku Yumemakura worked with a wide range of historically important figures in the Japanese art scene.

• Yoshitaka Amano - He was in charge of stage design for Nayotake produced by Bandō Tamasaburō V, where Yoshitaka Amano introduced him to Baku Yumemakura. The three would also collaborate on Yang Guifei, with Baku Yumemakura writing the lyrics and Yoshitaka Amano in charge of stage design. The animation title Amon Saga was written by Baku Yumemakura with character design by Yoshitaka Amano. A manga version of Amon Saga was also released. Among Baku Yumemakura’s works, He also did the illustrations and cover page design for Garouden, Taitei no Ken and Yamigarishi, as well as the Kimaira series. He was key visual and costume designer for movies written by Baku Yumemakura including Onmyoji (film), Onmyoji 2 and Taitei no Ken. They also collaborated on the story and pottery of Yōkihi no Bansan, for both a book and exhibition, in addition to ceramic work by Shōkoku Kanō.
• Katsuya Terada - He was in charge of the book cover and illustrations for the Kimaira series written by Baku Yumemakura, and was in charge of cover design and illustrations for Garouden, Shin Majugari, and Yamigarishi.
• Osamu Tezuka - Baku Yumemakura was influenced by one of his seminal works, Phoenix. Baku Yumemakura would go on to write the script for Boku no Son Goku.
• Reiko Okano - She is married to the Osamu Tezuka's son, Makoto Tezuka, and Onmyōji was drawn by Reiko Okano and received the Tezuka Osamu Cultural Manga Award. She went on to produce the serialized version as Onmyōji Tamatebako in the comic magazine Melody.
• Keisuke Itagaki - In 1996, he began working on Garouden, an original work by Baku Yumemakura. He has also collaborated on the series Garouden Boy.
• Jiro Taniguchi - Illustrated Baku Yumemakura’s works, Garouden from 1989-1990 and Kamigami no itadaki from 2000-2003. Kamigami no itadaki” received awards at the Angoulême International Comics Festival in 2002 and 2005.
• Yōjirō Takita - In 2001, he directed Onmyoji. It became an international hit and received a prize at The Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival in 2002. He directed Onmyoji 2 in 2003.
• Yukihiko Tsutsumi - Directed Taitei no Ken, an original work by Baku Yumemakura, in 2007.
• Bandō Tamasaburō V - The dance production Yōkihi is based on the Chinese historical figure Princess Yang Guifei. Baku Yumemakura wrote the lyrics. In 1993, Baku Yumemakura wrote specially for Kabuki Sangoku denrai genjō banashi. Both of Yōkihi and Sangoku denrai genjō banashi were performed at The Kabuki-za Theater.
• Mansai Nomura - He played Abe no Seimei in Onmyoji and Onmyoji 2.He received the Best Actor prize at the Blue Ribbon Awards for his work in Onmyoji.

Translated works

• 1 - (October, 2012). Demon Hunters: Desires of the Flesh

Works in print in Japanese

The following works have been released in Japan.

References

• The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction page 641
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garouden
• http://www.amazon.com/Demon-Hunters-Desires-Psyche-ebook/dp/B009SJ3JPM

External links

• SFWJ
• J'Lit | Authors : Baku Yumemakura | Books from Japan (English)
• Baku Yumemakura at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database
• Baku Yumemakura at the Internet Movie Database