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11. Keiichi Tanaami & Fujio Akatsuka

Fujio Akatsuka (1935–2008) was a celebrated manga artist whose numerous hits included Osomatsu-kun, Himitsu no Akko-chan, and Tensai Bakabon. Tanaami, born just a year after Akatsuka, got to know his work during his teenage years. As a young aspiring manga artist, Tanaami frequently contributed to the monthly magazine Manga Shonen (published from 1947 to 1955), to which Akatsuka was also a regular contributor. However, Tanaami’s passion for manga dimmed after the death of his mentor, the manga artist Kazushi Hara (1915–1957). Almost two decades later, in the mid-1970s, Tanaami frequently ran into Akatsuka in Shinjuku and Roppongi at bars popular with celebrities. Having once harbored his own manga ambitions, Tanaami felt somewhat intimidated and was unable to actively engage with Akatsuka during these encounters.

The opportunity for Tanaami to collaborate on Akatsuka’s works only materialized after the latter’s death. In 2015, seven years after Akatsuka’s demise, an exhibition was held to commemorate what would have been his 80th birthday, and Tanaami contributed a painting. A more significant opportunity emerged in 2022 when Shueisha, marking the phase-out of the gravure printing process in Japan, commissioned Tanaami to create a series of gravure prints. These works featured essential elements of Akatsuka’s manga, from characters like Akko-chan and Iyami to his distinctive onomatopoeic lettering. A collection of these works was published in 2023, and Tanaami expanded his tribute into other media including paintings, neon pieces, and a tea room installation. All of these works, merging the essence of Akatsuka’s manga with Tanaami’s inimitable motifs and vibrant color palette, are celebratory and overflow with delight and enthusiasm, constituting the ultimate homage to Akatsuka.