TABLE OF CONTENTS
Who is Junji Ito?
Junji Ito is an Eisner Award-winning horror manga artist. He is renowned as the Illustrator and writer of Japanese manga including Tomie, Uzumaki, and Gyo.
Last, in 2019, he published the Japanese Horror and sci-fi manga, Sensor.
Junji Ito- Age, Parents, Siblings, Education
Early Childhood
Junji was born on the 31st of July 1963 in Sakashita, Gifu. Currently, he is 61 years old. The details regarding his family background are still a mystery to the outer world.
However, the manga artist has two elder siblings; Kazuo Umezu and Shinichi Koga who introduced him to the manga world. His first manga Mummy Teacher by the manga artist, Kazuo Umezu happens to be one of his favorite. Besides Umezu, Umezu, he was also fond of the work of Shinichi Koga.
Regarding his childhood, she started drawing manga when he was just 4 years old as the result of his fondness for magazines that he read with his sisters. As a child, he used to spend a lot of time with spider crickets at the house he used to live. That reflection can be seen in his later works too.
Educational Background & Early Career
As per academics, he is a dental technician who took his degree in 1984 from a vocational school. Following that, he worked for three years as a technician. During that time, he was also engaged with with manga.
However, his love for art and drawing led his path as a manga artist as a full-timer leaving his professional career as a dental technician.
Junji Ito- Career
In 1987, he started his journey as a writer and manga artist with Japanese Manga Magazine with a short story. For the story, he received an honorable mention in the Kazuo Umezu Prize. The story was later serialized as a Japanese Horror manga series, Tomie.
The psychological horror series, Tomie follows the life of a character named Tomie Kawakami. The series has 3 volumes and ran for 13 years. Later, in 1999, the anime adaption of the manga took place directed by Toshira Inomata.
Following the manga, he wrote and illustrated the Japanese manga, Uzumaki based on the town where the people are obsessed with the spiral shape which led to the destruction of the entire town by the curse. In 2024, the anime adaptation of the manga was released on Adult Swim.
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Junji Ito’s Mangalist
Year | Manga Title |
1987 | Tomie |
1998 | Uzumaki |
November 12, 2001 | Gyo |
2007 | Black Paradox |
Junji Ito’s Awards and Nomination
Year | Awards | Remarks |
2007 | Eisner Award | Nomination for Uzumaki |
2019 | Eisner Award | Manga Adaption of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein |
2021 | Eisner Award for Best U.S. Edition of International Material – Asia | Award for Remina |
2021 | Eisner Award for Best Writer/Artist. | Venus in the Blind Spot |
2023 | Inkpot Award |
Junji Ito- Height, Weight, and Appearance
He has black eyes with black hair. His height is 5 feet and 6 inches and has a decent weight.
Junji Ito- Relationship
Junji Ito is a married man. His wife, Ayako Ishiguro is a picture book artist by profession. Together, the couple has two daughters.
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