Yoko Higashi

Yoko Higashi (東陽子,ひがし ようこ,December 20,1974-) is Japanese Manga illustrator, and, she is amateur's songwriter, poet.She is born in Kakogawa City in Hyogo Prefecture in Japan as first child of a Higashi family on December 20, 1974.

Personal history
She liked a drawing, singing, dancing, etc. from the childhood.However, it was the course of the illustrator which she chose in these.By rumor, she is always loud voice and is the vocal quality more than soprano with a high key. In addition, both her parents are the natives of Izumi-shi, Kagoshima.Though she is "the people from Kansai", an edge with Izumi-shi is strong.

According to her report of the Internet, seemingly, she cannot talk fundamentally, although she can understand rough English. She made her media magazine debut in 2003. And,she began to exhibit the work in the Internet in 2006. Although it was the announcement of the illustration by reader contribution at first, it was adopted as the publishing company as a professional.

Now, digital books have announced the collection of illustrations. Her illustration pattern sometimes is changeing.The work is work from realistic sketch and Pen-drawing, a pastel tone work, a drawing in India ink, CG, etc.YOKO mainly draws a comic illustration (Japanese Manga illustration). Now present, compared with Japan, many works of hers can be seen on the website in the English and Europe area in the past several years.

The drawing works of Yoko Higashi was broadcast at the NHK broadcasting station in Japan in 1983.This work already got other prizes.(rank : "fine works")Moreover, seemingly, she is very interested in Yoko Tsuno.(Although there is no Japanese version of the work)

Yoko Higashi's Activity
YOKO was awarded the "fine work" with the theme pictures(The Ugly Duckling)work in 1983. The work subscribes for the corner of "the NHK television child's pictures" by the teacher who was a teacher of drawing and manual arts, it is adopted, and its media debut of the YOKO is made at the age of eight.YOKO began to sketch a MANGA illustration from 1987, and, also in the school, was later evaluated as eminent "one of the skillful persons of a picture." YOKO contributes an illustration work after that.

Although contributed to many publishing companies, it did not accept easily.At the time, although the illustration was contributed to the publishing company as reader's contribution, this attained to about 100 publication.

Although YOKO became famous as a frequenter of the illustration contributor in the Japanese country-wide major newspaper and a Japanese major magazine, as commercial publication, it still becomes futurely. The style in which YOKO masters an illustration by self-education has the strong individuality which was widely different with fashion of present Japan.

YOKO will be suffered from Panic disorder in 1996.Although YOKO was carrying out creative activity, going a hospital frequently still now, possibly it was good on the contrary.Since more works were announced. Yoko plays an active part mainly as an illustrator of a magazine after that. It is main, or although there is still no masterpiece, YOKO has announced the collection of illustrations gratuitously in Digital Shobo. Moreover, she is creating the script with drawings of comics.

It seems that the illustration style for which she will not use any screen tone from 1994 is considered apparently at a retro illustration. However, she says,"This is my style and is drawing the work, as the belief". It is Sankei Shimbun of Gakken.Co.Ltd. and Japan that this was accepted. She is playing an active part in these media now. The occult magazine "MU" of Gakken is welcoming especially YOKO. Here, to the full, the style which she wanted to express is exhibited. Especially an illustration has many works of the 19-20th century Western style fantasy. Furthermore, there was a place in which the style of YOKO is accepted.

It is the America and Europe area site of the Internet. It seems that her peculiar style of painting was accepted in them although there were few exhibition works. Especially the work "Chaotic mind" is liked (which was taken up by the corner "Daily Deviation" of the picture community site deviantart).

Her illustration blog announced from 2006. And, the illustration webpage of an original domain established in 2007. '''Above total 500,000 unique access has gathered from all over the world by the present. '''

The domain of the website was changed into the present "yoko.me" in 2008.

Work and Activity (in Japan Publishing company)
Other illustration contest etc.
 * NHK (1983)on TV
 * Daito company (1993)
 * Sankei Shimbun pamphlet (2003～)
 * Sankei Shimbun morning newspaper (2003～2006)
 * Mainichi Shimbun morning newspaper (2003～2005)
 * Broccoli free paper(2004)
 * Yomiuri Shimbun evening newspaper (2004)
 * Aret publication(2004)
 * Gakken Co. Ltd.(2004～)
 * Yomiuri life(2004)
 * PHP (Magazine)(2004～)
 * Nippon Bungei company(2004)
 * Seibundo Shinkosha(2005～2006)
 * Sankei Shimbun evening newspaper（2004～2007)
 * Digital Shobo(2009～)