Santa Inoue

Santa Inoue (井上 三太) is a Japanese manga artist and owner of the Santastic! clothing line. Inoue's manga series was greatly influenced by hip hop culture, with some of the characters being modeled after rappers.

Biography
Santa Inoue was born in Paris, France in 1968 and debuted with his work Murder in 1989 and was granted the Weekly Young Sunday newcomers prize. The following year of 1990, Santa made his first serialized work, Bunpuku Chagama Daimaō which was also published in Weekly Young Sunday. His third work Tamashii Rettsha was published straight to tankōbon by Yōsensha. His second serialized work was The Neighbor No. Thirteen, which was partially published in Comic Scholar by Gentosha. The Neighbor No. Thirteen was published in tankōbon format under the Birz Comics line. In 1993, Santa Inoue created Tokyo Tribe, one of his more famous works, which was first published straight to tankōbon by JICC Shuppankyoku under the Takarajima Comics Deluxe line. In 1995, Mon Mon was serialized in Manga Pachinker published by Byakuya Shobo, Tirauchi Kantaro was serialized in Rockin' on Japan, and Born 2 Die was serialized in Quick Japan by Ota Shuppan. A short story compilation entitled Santa Inoue was published by Shodensha under the Feel Comics line and in the same year of 1996, Tokyo Tribe was republished by Bijutsu Shuppansha. In 1997 Mon Mon was finally published by Byakuya Shobo and Tokyo Tribe was additionally serialized in the Boon fashion magazine published by Shodensha. Born 2 Die was published by Ota Shuppan in 1998 and Santa created his masterwork Tokyo Tribe2, which was serialized in the previously mentioned fashion magazine Boon by Shodensha. By the time of Tokyo Tribe2, Santa has achieved celebrity status and the series garnered international acclaim. The Neighbor No. Thirteen went on to be published by Gentosha in 1999 and in 2000, Tokyo Drive was serialized in Weekly Young Magazine by Kodansha. In 2001, Tokyo Graffiti was serialized in the Weekly Young Jump magazine by Shueisha. In 2002, the second compilation book was published, Santa Inoue2 and a flagship store opened in Shibuya, Tokyo. In 2003, Tokyo Graffiti was published by Shueisha as well as Tokyo Tribe once again being reprinted by the company, both under the Young Jump Comics line. In 2004, Tokyopop acquired the license to Tokyo Tribe2, and renamed it Tokyo Tribes to complete with another hip-hop related OEL manga named @Large, which was already award-nominated. In 2005, Tokyo Drive was released in tankōbon by Kodansha as well as The Neighbor No. Thirteen being adaptated into a feature film. In the same year, Santa Inoue collaborated with Samurai fashion magazine to make the single issue, Samurai VS Santa Inoue. In the meantime of 2005, the United States edition of Tokyo Tribe2, Tokyo Tribes was nominated for a Eisner Award. In 2006, Tokyo Tribe2 was adaptated into a anime series by WOWOW and Shodensha helped publish the single issue magazine ''Santastic! Magazine "Saru"''. The DVD's of Tokyo Tribe2 were released in 2007, Tokyo Burger was serialized in urban fashion magazine Ollie by Saneishobo, and Tokyo Tribe2 Spin off! was serialized in Boon by Shodensha. In 2008, both Tokyo Burger and Tokyo Tribe2 Spin off! were published in tankōbon format and Tokyo Tribe3 began serialization in Ollie. Additional pocket bunkobon editions of The Neighbor No. Thirteen were released under the Gentosha Comics Manga Bunko line by Gentosha. Santa Inoue created promotional drawings for T.I.'s Paper Trail also in 2008. Currently in 2009, Santa Inoue is working on Dan da Barbarian, his latest work, which will be serialized in Comic Birz. Tokyo Tribe was reprinted under ''Santastic! Books'' by Santastic! Entertainment.

Santastic! Entertainment
Santa Inoue is also notable for his merchandise line Santastic! Entertainment. The line primarily relaseses clothing (i.e. shirts, hoodies, pants, caps) by Santa , however Santastic! also releases diamond necklaces and pinky rings and others such as key chains, bumper stickers, and limited edition items. Santa Inoue's website primariy supports the line and even has Santastic! Wear limited to the web. Items and web limitation items can be dilivered through the website as well. Also a part of the Santastic! line is Santastic! Gangu, figurines include Tokyo Tribe2 Gang's History [Kai] regular and limited color, Larry Frinco, Hasheeme, Mon, and Santastic! Box2. Also on the web is Santastic! TV, a series of YouTube and Vimeo videos uploaded by Santastic! employee Hori2Williams. Santastic! Shops are also opened in Shibuya, Tokyo and Shanghai, China, which both sell Santastic! Wear and accessories. Occasionally, when new clothes are made photo shoots will take place which are shown on the website and in the Ollie magazine.