OBATA Takeshi (Teen)

[Drmke]

Welcome to the Obata Takeshi thread!! Obata is a manga artist who has drawn for many different mangaka over his 20 year career. Though his real popularity has only come in the last ten years, his art has become some of the most recognizable in popular manga today. Below is a list of his series and one-shots in chronological order:

Cyborg Jiichan G


Serialized in: Weekly Shonen Jump (1989)
Author: Hijikata Shigeru
Genre: Action, Comedy, Sci-fi
Japanese Status: 4 volumes (Completed)
International Status: Unlicensed
Online Status: Chapter 20
Age Ranking: Teen

His name is Tokijirou Kaizou, a brilliant scientist who has decided to spend his waning years taking things much easier: caring for his family, farming on his own plot of land... and transforming himself into a 2000-horsepower cyborg!?

Rampou


Serialized in: Weekly Shonen Jump (1991-1992)
Author: Sendo Susumu
Genre: Adventure, Fantasy
Japanese Status: 3 volumes (Completed)
International Status: Unlicensed
Online Status: Chapter 11 (Inactive)
Age Ranking: Teen

In a world where djinn rule and humans are enslaved, Toto and Loukir break the seals of the century-old prison of the "gentle genie," Rampou, in order to try and save their country...

Rikijin Densetsu


Serialized in: Weekly Shonen Jump (1992-1993)
Author: Miyazaki Masaru
Genre: Martial Arts, Sports
Japanese Status: 3 volumes (Completed)
International Status: Unlicesnsed
Online Status: N/A
Age Ranking: Teen

No Summary...

Ayatsuri Sakon


Serialized in: Weekly Shonen Jump (1995-1996)
Author: Sharaku Maro
Genre: Horror, Mystery
Japanese Status: 4 volumes (Completed)
International Status: Unlicensed
Online Status: Chapter 19 (Inactive)
Age Ranking: Teen

Born in a Bunraku family, Tachibana Sakon is trained to become a Bunraku puppet master. With a pretty face, timid character and such reliance and dependence on his puppet friend Ukon, no one would expect that he is the one his policewoman aunt Kaoruko would turn to when she faces perfect crimes. With Ukon on his hand, Sakon instantly changes from a timid boy into a careful, quiet, observant, calculating detective. Quite a contrast to Ukon, who is a chatterbox that is much more into popstars and talking to girls. This uncanny pair can see through the criminal`s plots as well as the victim's mind. As Sakon's grandfather once said: "Controlling a puppet is reading the heart. You have to put yourself in the shoes of the one you want to portray."

Hikaru no Go


Serialized in: Weekly Shonen Jump (1999-2003)
Author: Hotta Yumi
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Supernatural, Slice of Life
Japanese Status: 23 volumes (Completed)
International Status: 20 volumes (VIZ)
Online Status: 23 volumes (Completed)
Age Ranking: Teen

A regular school boy, Hikaru Shindo stumbles upon an old GO board while looking through his grandpa's old storage room for something worth money. From inside the board came an old spirit named Sai who once dedicated his life to GO. Together, Sai continues to search for the move people call "The god's hand" while Hikaru slowly began interest in this ancient game and walks down the road of GO.

Death Note


Serialized in: Weekly Shonen Jump (2004-2006)
Author: Ohba Tsugumi
Genre: Drama, Horror, Mystery, Psychological, Supernatural
Japanese Status: 12 volumes (Completed)
International Status: Completed (VIZ)
Online Status: Completed
Age Ranking: Teen

Light Yagami is an ace student with great prospects--and he's bored out of his mind. But all that changes when he finds the Death Note, a notebook dropped by a rogue Shinigami death god. Any human whose name is written in the notebook dies, and now Light has vowed to use the power of the Death Note to rid the world of evil. But when criminals begin dropping dead, the authorities send the legendary detective L to track down the killer. With L hot on his heels, will Light lose sight of his noble goal… or his life?

Hajime


Serialized in: N/A
Author: Otsuichi
Genre: Mystery, Psychological, School Life, Supernatural
Japanese Status: 1 volumes (Completed)
International Status: Unlicensed
Online Status: Completed
Age Ranking: Teen

Two kids, Kouhei and Akio, made up an imaginary girl named Hajime to take the blame for destruction of the principal's copper statue. But one day, they meet a girl that is exactly like their description of Hajime, but only they can see her.

Ral Grad


Serialized in: Weekly Shonen Jump (2007)
Author: Takano Tsuneo
Genre: Action, Adventure, Ecchi, Fantasy
Japanese Status: 4 volumes (Completed)
International Status: Completed (VIZ)
Online Status: Completed
Age Ranking: Teen

In the days of war, a baby fused together with a 'shadow' called Blue dragon also a legend among the 'shadows'. Because of that, he was locked in darkness ever since birth up till now which is 15 years later to prevent his shadow to activate. Up till now, the only person he knew was his tutor who would come see him everyday but since 'shadows' have gone rampage as they escape 'Noir' through living beings, they call for the release of Blue dragon in order to help man kind thus their journey begins to seal the shadows along with antagonist, their queen.

Hello Baby (One-Shot)


Serialized in: Jump SQ (2007)
Author: Morita Masanori
Genre: Action, Drama, Tragedy
Japanese Status: One-shot (Completed)
International Status: Unlicensed
Online Status: Completed
Age Ranking: Teen

A story of love, life, and betrayal.

Set in a certain city, a would-be gangster wanting to be recognized takes on a dangerous offer, to kill a boss of a Yakuza.

Urooboe Uroboros! (One-Shot)


Serialized in: Weekly Shonen Jump (2008)
Author: NishiOisiN
Genre: Action, Drama, Martial Arts
Japanese Status: One-shot (Completed)
International Status: Unlicensed
Online Status: Completed
Age Ranking: Teen

What's a guy to do when a militant girl demands he date her little sister? Crazy right? Well, it's exactly what happens to transfer student Kakizaki Kokera. The Harimoto Sisters have a strange love-hate relationship he just can't help but get dragged into. And what's more, there's a strange town legend about a middle schooler who cleaned up the town with overwhelming violence five years ago called Urooboe Uroboros (Half-Remembered Uroboros).

Bakuman


Serialized in: Weekly Shonen Jump
Author: Ohba Tsugumi
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance, Slice of Life, School Life
Japanese Status: 8 volumes (Ongoing)
International Status: 1 volume (Ongoing, VIZ)
Online Status: Caught up (Ongoing)
Age Ranking: Teen

It's not easy to become and live as a mangaka, as Mashiro knows from his late uncle.

At 9th grade, while trying to keep up with reality, school and then a normal job, he left his notebook with a sketch of Azuki, a girl he likes. Takagi, a first-rate student found it and tries to convince Mashiro to draw a manga with his story. Mashiro doesn't like the idea and declines.

Takagi, however, sticks to his dream and found out that Azuki wants to be a voice actress and has already gotten a good reply from a production company. Takagi then brought Mashiro to her house and told her his dream... Mashiro then tells her that he will write a manga with Takagi and will ask Azuki to voice their anime.

Out of confusion, Mashiro asks her if their dreams become reality, will she marry him? She says yes, only if their dreams become true, and not otherwise!! Now, the lives of wannabe mangakas begin!!!

[Asarii]

The earliest work from Obata was Ayatsuri Sakon, and I was impressed with how much he grew as an artist. I don't know what happened while he was working on Hikaru no Go, but his art style in its first chapter is strikingly different from its last.

Some people think he regressed during Bakuman, but I think he was just adapting to the story's tone. There was greater emphasis on characters so that's why they were drawn more stylistically with exaggerated features. There was a colour page he did during Bakuman's serialization, and the art was similar to Death Note's so he's still well capable of drawing in a serious tone.

I have huge respect for him as an artist and can't wait to see who he's going to work with next.

[kaname]

He is one of my favorite mangakas. I like his drawing style. He really is an amazing mangaka.