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Hajime Isayama

Hajime Isayama is a Japanese manga artist, best known for his work on the manga series Attack on Titan which has been turned into successful anime and has seen global success. Isayama's storytelling and dramatic artwork have earned him acclaim worldwide.

Quick Facts

  • Known for creating and illustrating the popular manga series Attack on Titan.
  • His work has been adapted into an anime series, which has become internationally successful.
  • His debut manga series Attack on Titan won the Kodansha Manga Award in 2011.
  • Most of his work belongs to the genres of action, dark fantasy, and post-apocalyptic fiction.
  • Isayama's books have sold millions of copies worldwide, making him one of the most successful manga artists of his generation.

Background

Isayama was born in 1986 in Oyama, Ōita, Japan, and raised in a rural setting. As a boy, he was fascinated by the paranormal and loved reading and drawing. His love for drawing naturally led him to apply to the manga department at Kyushu Designer Gakuin, a vocational school specializing in manga illustration. After graduating, he moved to Tokyo to work as an assistant to Yasuki Tanaka. He initially struggled to find success in the field, but that changed when he started to create what would be his most successful work, "Attack on Titan". The manga series was first published in 2009 and has since been adapted into a critically acclaimed anime series. The series has generated a multi-media franchise and made Isayama one of the best-selling manga authors in the world. His work is credited for its character-driven narratives and complex world-building.

Writing Style and Impact

Isayama's writing style is dark and mysterious, with deep psychological elements. His work, often set in dystopian futures, revolves around characters fighting against despair and the horrors of their environments. He creates intricate plots filled with unexpected twists and turns. His stories tend to explore themes like freedom, oppression, and the human will to survive. His manga series, Attack on Titan, has had a significant impact on the manga and anime industry worldwide due to its popularity and distinctive narrative.

Notable Works

  • Attack on Titan manga series (2009-2021)
  • No Regrets: The Beginning (2013)
  • Before the Fall manga series (2013-2019)
  • Lost Girls manga series (2015-2016)