Mitsuru Adachi

Mitsuru Adachi (あだち充 or 安達 充) is a mangaka born February 9, 1951 in Isesaki, Gunma Prefecture, Japan. After graduating from Gunma Prefectural Maebashi Commercial High School in 1969, Adachi worked as an assistant for Isami Ishii. He made his manga debut in 1970 with Kieta Bakuon, based on a manga originally created by Satoru Ozawa. Kieta was published in Deluxe Shōnen Sunday (a manga magazine published by Shogakukan).

Adachi is well known for romantic comedy and sports manga (especially baseball) such as Touch, H2, Slow Step, and Miyuki. He has been described as a writer of "delightful dialogue", a genius at portraying everyday life, "the greatest pure storyteller", and "a master mangaka". He is one of the few mangaka to write for shōnen, shōjo, and seinen manga magazines, and be popular in all three.

His works have been carried in manga magazines such as Weekly Shōnen Sunday, Ciao, Shōjo Comic, Big Comic, and Petit Comic, and most of his works are published through Shogakukan and Gakken. He was one of the flagship authors in the new Monthly Shōnen Sunday magazine which began publication in June 2009. Only two short story collections, Short Program and Short Program 2 (both through Viz Media), have been released in North America.

He modelled his use of あだち rather than 安達 after the example of his older brother Tsutomu Adachi. In addition, it has been suggested that the accurate portrayal of sibling rivalry in Touch may come from Adachi's experiences while growing up with his older brother. Adachi did the character designs for the OVA anime series Nozomi Witches, so he is sometimes incorrectly given credit for creating the original series.

Brief history
Prior to 1969, Adachi began submitting works to the manga magazine COM. In 1969, he followed his older brother's lead and moved to Tokyo to begin work as an assistant to mangaka Isami Ishii The following year, he made his professional debut with Kieta Bakuon. He continued publishing various short stories and shorter series throughout the 1970s based on works created by others, the most well known being his adaptation of Rainbowman from 1972-1973. In 1978, he published his first original series, Nine, in Weekly Shōnen Sunday. He published two other original series, Hiatari Ryōkō! from 1979 to 1981 in Weekly Shōjo Comic, and Miyuki from 1980-1984 in Shōnen Big Comic.

Adachi became a household name with the publication of his series Touch from 1981 to 1986 in Weekly Shōnen Sunday. In 1982, Hiatari Ryōkō! was adapted into a live action TV drama series. The following year, 1983, was a big year for Adachi. He received the 28th Annual Shogakukan Manga Award for shōnen/shōjo manga his two series Touch and Miyuki. His Miyuki series was adapted into both a TV anime series and a live-action film, and Nine was adapted into three films, with another following in 1984.

Touch was adapted into a TV anime series in 1985, and the series ran for two years on Fuji TV. Adachi's romantic shōjo manga series, Slow Step was serialized in Ciao from 1986 to 1991, and another romantic comedy series, Rough, appeared in Weekly Shōnen Sunday from 1987 to 1989. Adachi then released Niji Iro Tōgarashi, a fantasy medieval romantic comedy manga series, from 1990 to 1992 in Weekly Shōnen Sunday.

Jinbē, a romantic comedy about the relationship between a stepfather and stepdaughter, was serialized in Big Comic Original from 1992 to 1997. Adachi's longest manga series, H2 was serialized in Weekly Shōnen Sunday from 1992 to 1999 and compiled in 34 volumes. This manga was adapted into a TV anime series which aired on TV Asahi from 1995 to 1996.

From 2000 to 2001, Adachi published a fantasy romantic comedy series in Weekly Shōnen Sunday titled Itsumo Misora. His next longer series was the boxing romantic comedy, Katsu!, published from 2001 to 2005 in Weekly Shōnen Sunday. In 2005, H2 was adapted into a live action drama series aired on TBS in Japan, and Touch was adapted into a live action movie released by Toho. He also began his manga series Cross Game, serialized in Weekly Shōnen Sunday. The following year, Rough was adapted into a live action movie, also released by Toho.

Due to achieving total manga sales numbering over 200 million volumes, Weekly Shōnen Sunday devoted issue 26 in 2008 to Adachi and his works. In 2009, Adachi won the 54th Annual Shogakukan Manga Award for shōnen manga for Cross Game, which was adapted into a TV anime series which began airing on TV Tokyo in April 2009.

Adachi began a new manga series, Q and A, in the inaugural issue of Monthly Shōnen Sunday in June 2009.

Works
In chronological order.

Short works
Many of Adachi's short works have been collected in Short Program, an anthology series with four volumes. He has also had a set of related short stories serialized in Big Comic Original and collected in one volume as Bōken Shōnen. These stories are about men connecting (sometimes literally) with their youth.


 * Ruthless Trap (無情の罠) (March 1971, Deluxe Shōnen Sunday)
 * The Foghorn Sounded (裂けた霧笛) (1971, summer vacation issue, Weekly Shōnen Sunday, originally created by Hisao Maki)
 * Fresh Blood of the Final Round (鮮血の最後ラウンド) (November 1973, Bessatsu Shōnen Sunday, originally created by Tomoaki Inoue)
 * Dream Slugger (まぼろしの強打者) (February 1974, Bessatsu Shōnen Sunday, originally created by Kōta Seki)
 * Little Boy (1974, originally created by Mamoru Sasaki)
 * A Blow for That Girl! (あの娘に一本!) (1975 issue 4/5, Weekly Shōjo Comic)
 * Ace of Hearts (ハートのA) (1975 issues 33-38, Weekly Shōjo Comic, originally created by Akira Saiga)
 * Gamushara (がむしゃら) (1976 issues 5/6 - 18, Weekly Shōnen Sunday, originally created by Jūzō Yamasaki)
 * Whimsical Punch (きまぐれパンチ) (1977 issue 34, Weekly Shōjo Comic)
 * A Word from the Freeloader (居候よりひとこと) (1978 issue 11, Weekly Shōjo Comic)
 * Pair of Aces (エースふたり) (1978 issue 16, Weekly Shōjo Comic)
 * Wind in the Green Leaves (青葉に風) (1978 issue 20, Weekly Shōjo Comic)
 * Ken (ケン) (1978 issue 28, Weekly Shōjo Comic)
 * The Youthful Path (青春一直線) (1978 issue 37, Weekly Shōjo Comic)
 * Teens (ティーンズ) (1978, issue 42, Weekly Shōjo Comic)
 * What's Going On? (なにがなんだか) (1985 issues 1-2, Shōnen Big Comic)
 * Purple (むらさき) (June 1985, Ciao)
 * Change (チェンジ) (October 1985 special issue, Weekly Shōnen Sunday)
 * At the Intersection (交差点前) (1986 issue 4, Shōnen Big Comic)
 * Plus 1 (プラス1) (June 1986, Ciao)
 * The Current State of Affairs (近況) (January 1987, Shōnen Big Comic)
 * Short Program (ショートプログラム) (1987 special issue, Young Sunday)
 * Take Off (テイク・オフ) (1988 issue 7, Young Sunday)
 * 4 on the Richter Scale (震度4) (1988 issue 27, ''Weekly Shōnen Sunday')
 * The Road Home (帰り道) (1989 issues 20-21, Young Sunday)
 * Square Sea (四角い海) (1998 30th Anniversary Special Issue, Weekly Shōnen Sunday)
 * Sayonara Game (さよならゲーム) (Spring Special Issue 1991, Big Comic)
 * Before Spring Comes... (春がくる前に…) (April 1992, Petit Comic)
 * Blowing Any Which Way (どこ吹く風) (1992 issue 8, Big Comic Spirits)
 * #Short Program 2|5x4P (1992 issues 14-18, Big Comic Superior)
 * Aim at the Ace! (エースをつぶせ!) (October-November 1992, Elementary 4th Graders)
 * Spring Call (スプリング・コール) (1993 issue 15, Weekly Shōnen Sunday)
 * Spring Passes (ゆく春) (1993 issue 17, Big Comic Spirits)
 * A Stop on the Way (途中下車) (1994 issue 36, Weekly Shōnen Sunday)
 * Target Wakaba (若葉マーク) (1995 issue 1, Young Sunday)
 * Angel's Hammer (天使のハンマー) (1998 issue 6, Big Comic)
 * Geta and Diamonds (下駄とダイヤモンド) (1999 issue 17, Young Sunday)
 * Memory Off (メモリーオフ) (2000 issues 6-7, Weekly Shōnen Sunday)
 * White Summer (白い夏) (2002 issues 36-37, Weekly Shōnen Sunday, originally created by Buronson)
 * Idol Ace (2005 issue 36/37 - 2007 issue 5/6, Young Sunday)
 * The Runaway God (逃げた神様) (16 October 2005 issue, Big Comic One)
 * Short Mail (ショートメール) (2006 Special Winter Issue, Shōnen Sunday Super)
 * A Word from the Freeloader, Continued (続・居候よりひとこと) (??)
 * It's Hard Being a Freeloader (居候はつらいよ) (??)
 * Lovers Declaration (恋人宣言) (??)
 * Season (??)

Sources:

Adaptations
These series were based on works originally created by another author or artist.
 * Rainbowman (October 1972 - October 1973, TV Magazine, originally created by Kōhan Kawauchi)
 * Fang Match (牙戦) (1975, issues 2-34, Weekly Shōnen Sunday, originally created by Kai Takizawa)
 * Hirahira-kun Youthful Duty (ヒラヒラくん青春仁義) (April 1975 - March 1976, Chūichi Course, originally created by Mamoru Sasaki)
 * First Love Kōshien (初恋甲子園) (1976, issues 34-51, Weekly Shōjo Comic, originally created by Jūzō Yamasaki)
 * Hirahira-kun Seishun Ondo (1976-1977, originally created by Mamoru Sasaki)
 * Crybaby Kōshien (泣き虫甲子園) (1977, issues 15-46, Weekly Shōjo Comic, originally created by Jūzō Yamasaki)
 * Hirahira-kun Seishun Taiko (1977-1978, originally created by Mamoru Sasaki)
 * Rise, Setting Sun!! (夕陽よ昇れ!!) (1979, issues 8-19, Weekly Shōjo Comic, originally created by Jūzō Yamasaki)

Sources:

Original
These are original series created by Adachi.
 * Nine (October 1978 - November 1980, Weekly Shōnen Sunday)
 * Oira Hōkago Wakadaishō (1979-1980)
 * Hiatari Ryōkō! (1979 issue 2 - 1981 issue 15, Weekly Shōjo Comic)
 * Miyuki (1980 issue 17 -1984 issue 18, Shōnen Big Comic)
 * Touch (1981 issue 36 -1986 issue 50)
 * Slow Step (September 1986 - March 1991, Ciao)
 * Rough (1987 issue 17 - 1989 issue 40, Weekly Shōnen Sunday)
 * Niji Iro Tōgarashi (1990 issue 4/5 - 1992 issue 19, Weekly Shōnen Sunday)
 * Jinbē (20 June 1992 - 20 March 1997, Big Comic Original)
 * H2 (1992 issue 32 - 1999 issue 50, Weekly Shōnen Sunday)
 * Itsumo Misora (2000 issue 22/23 - 2001 issue 24, Weekly Shōnen Sunday)
 * Katsu! (2001 issue 36/37 - 2005 issue, Weekly Shōnen Sunday)
 * Cross Game (2005-2010, Weekly Shōnen Sunday)
 * Q and A (since June 2009, Monthly Shōnen Sunday)

Sources:

Other

 * Legendary Girls Calendar (1992, Petit Comics)

Sources:

Related people

 * Tsutomu Adachi
 * Mitsuru's older brother was a manga artist and an assistant to Fujio Akatsuka. He died of stomach cancer in 2004.


 * Shinji Nagashima
 * Adachi became a fan of Nagashima around the age of 10, and began tracing his works. He became an assistant to Nagashima for a short time after graduating from high school. However, Nagashima suddenly moved overseas, so he then became an assistant to Isami Ishii. In the 16 October 2005 issue of Big Comic, Adachi published a short work titled The Runaway God which was meant as a memorialization of Nagashima.


 * Rumiko Takahashi
 * From the early 1980s, both Adachi and Takahashi were popular authors in Weekly Shōnen Sunday and they formed a friendly rivalry. He even commented about how he had a lot to live up to with how popular Takahashi was, especially with it being a shōnen magazine. Several times a year they meet and share their thoughts and ideas with each other. At the end of Weekly Shōnen Sunday issue 43 in 2006, the authors were asked, "If you could pick one penname to use which was different than your own, which one would you pick?", and Takahashi replied, "Adachi Mitsuru."


 * Kazuhiko Shimamoto
 * Shimamoto and Adachi are mutual fans of each others' works. The main character in his Blazing Transfer Student manga series, Noboru Takizawa, made a guest appearance in Touch.


 * Mr. Pogo
 * Pogo and Adachi graduated in the same class and have spoken about this in various magazine interviews. The character Kōtarō Matsudaira from Touch is modeled after Pogo.