Harumo SANAZAKI
A prolific artist in many varied genres, Harumo SANAZAKI has worked on more than a hundred manga. Come meet her at Japan Expo Sud, in partnership with isan manga which is publishing her adaptation of The Phantom of the Opera!
Biography
Harumo SANAZAKI has always been keen on theatre and first thought about becoming an actress but her poor health stopped her plans. She sought other means of expression and started to write plays. As a kid, she also loved Osamu TEZUKA’s and Leiji MATSUMOTO’s manga, and fell for shôjo a bit later when reading the magazine Margaret. Mangaka like Sumika YAMAMOTO (Aim for the Ace!) or Kyoko ARIYOSHI (Swan, a manga about ballet), with whom she will later work as her assistant, will influence her work a lot, her drawing as well as her writing. Harumo SANAZAKI was good at drawing so she decided to adapt her plays as manga. Soon she sent her first manga, realized with a friend, to a publisher who contacted her for an actual professional project which will be the beginning of her career, in 1981 with Ai Wo Kibô Shimasu published by Akita Shoten, a publisher with whom she will keep on working.
Since her beginning and up to now, she tackled many different genres, such as mystery or romance, including original works and adaptations, also publishing at Bunkasha, Shûeisha or Kôdansha. Among her major works, let’s mention Angel Wars, Maihime Shichihenge, Tenshi no Ryôriban, or Abe no Seimei. One of her major works is Asakusa Young Yôhinten, on which she has worked for six years. She shared a lot of herself and her philosophy in those stories inspired from actual facts, and had a lot of success in Japan from them.
Harumo SANAZAKI’s style has evolved with time and her new activity as a film producer gives her a new strength to create her manga, even if she insists on keeping on hand-drawing. Right now, she works on a lot of romances for a specialized magazine. She loves to make people dream with that kind of stories and also to depict characters’ feelings and emotions. That’s also part of the reason why she loves Shakespeare’s work so much and has adapted several of his plays.
Vidéo
Among her many adaptations, The Phantom of the Opera is to be released in France by isan manga on March 8, 2018. Harumo SANAZAKI had wanted to adapt Gaston LEROUX’s novel for a long time and had watched many adapted theatre plays and movies. Charmed by the French atmosphere of the novel, she finally did it. Her love for France can also be seen in Tenshi no Ryôriban, a tribute to French culture and cuisine. This manga is about a French chef who opens a restaurant in Tokyo.
She’s also been involved in international exchanges since 1997, giving manga masterclasses in China, in Taipei, in Korea, in France, in the US or in Belgium. She is also currently writing two stories to be adapted in China.
Harumo SANAZAKI will be meeting you at the festival. Attending all three days, she’ll be holding signings (at the Sumiré area and at isan manga's booth) and panels, one with Yoko HANABUSA and another solo including a live drawing.
Signing at isan manga's booth
Meet Harumo SANAZAKI at her signings at isan manga's booth (M054 in hall 3), along with Yoko HANABUSA:
- on Friday from 4.15 to 5.15 pm
- on Saturday from 3.30 to 4.30 pm
- on Sunday from 11.45 am to 12.45 pm
Harumo SANAZAKI will also be signing at the Sumiré area: you'll find her signing schedule below and on the festival schedule page.
Selection of her work
Manga
- Angel Wars
- Maihime Hengeka
- Abe no Seimei
- Bishin
Romance Comics
- Romance Shineitai (adapted from a work by Debbie MACOMBER)
- The 3-volume series Yôsei no Okurimono (adapted from a work by Nora ROBERTS)
Original romances
- The series Megami no Musuko
- Opera-za no Kaijin (adapted from The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston LEROUX)
- Kurayami no Requiem
- Asakusa Young Yôhinten
Drama CD
- Abe no Seimei (original idea, screenplay)
- Opera-za no Kaijin (screenplay)
- Abe no Seimei Ibun – 3 parts, released in 2016
Films
- Rikisha
- Rikisha – Kusatsu Nettô-hen -
Artbook
- Sanazaki Harumo Gengashû
In partnership with isan manga