Kentaro Yabuki

Kentaro Yabuki (Japanese: 矢吹 健太朗, Hepburn: Yabuki Kentarō, born February 4, 1980) is a Japanese manga artist, best known for his series Black Cat (2000–2004) and for illustrating To Love Ru (2006–2009) and To Love Ru Darkness (2010–2017) alongside author Saki Hasemi. His mentor was Takeshi Obata, the illustrator of Hikaru no Go, Death Note and Bakuman.

Kentaro Yabuki
矢吹 健太朗
Born (1980-02-04) February 4, 1980
Kōchi, Japan
NationalityJapanese
Area(s)Manga artist, illustrator
Notable works
Black Cat
To Love Ru
To Love Ru Darkness
CollaboratorsSaki Hasemi, Tomohiro Matsu

Overview

Yabuki has stated that everything he learned about drawing manga, he learned from Akira Toriyama's Dragon Ball. He even admitted that his first publication in Jump was not his own work but actually an illustration combining, or rather fusing together, its characters Gohan and Trunks that he sent in to a 1995 contest and won a prize for.[1] Yabuki was an extra in the 2003 movie Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S., running through the streets of Roppongi Hills.[2]

Yabuki's first popular series, Black Cat, was serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump between July 2000 and June 2004. It sold over 12 million copies in Japan and was adapted into an anime television series by Gonzo.[3] Both were released in North America. Upon its ending, Yabuki expressed desire to make a sequel or make its characters reappear in another work.[4] Yabuki then teamed up with Saki Hasemi and illustrated the Weekly Shōnen Jump series To Love Ru (2006–2009) while Hasemi wrote it. It was released in North America and adapted into several anime television series and original video animations (OVAs), which have also been released internationally.

In January 2010, Yabuki began illustrating a manga adaptation of Tomohiro Matsu's Mayoi Neko Overrun! light novel series for Jump SQ. before it changed to Jump SQ.19 in May 2010.[5] At the end of the year, Yabuki and Hasemi began To Love Ru Darkness in Jump SQ.. In August 2011 the editorial department suddenly announced that Mayoi Neko Overrun! had ended without giving an explanation.[6] To Love Ru Darkness ran until 2017 and, like the original, the sequel series was released in North America and adapted into several anime television series and OVAs, which have also been released internationally.

In 2014, Yabuki began providing the illustrations for a different Matsu light novel series, Hatena Illusion. But the fourth installment released in November 2015 became the last due to Matsu's death in 2016.[7] However, a series titled Hatena Illusion R began in 2019, and Yabuki continues his role as illustrator of the novels. From 2018 to 2020, he illustrated a manga adaptation of the Darling in the Franxx anime for the Shōnen Jump+ app and website.[8] Yabuki launched a new manga series titled Ayakashi Triangle in the June 15, 2020 issue of Weekly Shōnen Jump.[9]

Personal life

Yabuki has a daughter with his ex-wife and former manga assistant Shiho Kashiwagi (柏木 志保). She worked with him on Black Cat and To Love Ru, and contributed omake to several tankōbon volumes of the former.[10][11] The two divorced after Kashiwagi had an affair.[12]

In August 2015, Yabuki announced in the September 2015 issue of Jump SQ. that he had gotten married.[13] He is the brother-in-law of fellow manga artist Kenta Shinohara.[14]

Works

Manga
  • Yamato Gensōki (邪馬台幻想記, 1998)[15]
  • Black Cat (ブラックキャット, Burakku Kyatto, 2000–2004)
  • Trans Boy (トランスボーイ, 2004)
  • To Love Ru (To LOVEる -とらぶる-, To LOVEru -Toraburu-, 2006–2009) – Illustrator, written by Saki Hasemi
  • Mayoi Neko Overrun! (迷い猫オーバーラン!, Mayoi Neko Ovāran!, 2010) – Illustrator, written by Tomohiro Matsu
  • Futagami Double (フタガミ*ダブル, Futagami Daburu, 2010)
  • To Love Ru Darkness (To LOVEる -とらぶる- ダークネス, To LOVEru -Toraburu- -Dākunesu-, 2010–2017) – Illustrator, written by Saki Hasemi
  • Darling in the Franxx (ダーリン・イン・ザ・フランキス, Dārin In Za Furankisu, 2018–2020) – Illustrator, written by Code:000
  • Ayakashi Triangle (あやかしトライアングル, Ayakashi Toraianguru, 2020–present)

Other work
  • Jigen Bakuju (時限爆呪, 1999)[15] – Illustrations, light novel written by Kaya Kizaki
  • Hatena Illusion (はてな☆イリュージョン, Hatena☆Iryūjon, 2014–2015) – Illustrations, light novel series written by Tomohiro Matsu
  • Hatena Illusion R (はてな☆イリュージョンR, 2019–present) – Illustrations, light novel series written by Tomohiro Matsu and StoryWorks

References
  1. Suzuki, Haruhiko, ed. (December 19, 2003). "5: Dragon Ball Children". Dragon Ball Landmark (in Japanese). Shueisha. p. 174. ISBN 4-08-873478-5.
  2. Yabuki, Kentaro (2008) [2003]. Black Cat. 16. Viz Media. p. 1. ISBN 978-1-4215-1607-3.
  3. "GDHDH グループ中間決算説明会" (PDF) (in Japanese). Gonzo. November 21, 2005. p. 14. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 27, 2010. Retrieved February 13, 2014.
  4. Yabuki, Kentaro (2009) [2004]. Black Cat. 20. Viz Media. p. 212. ISBN 978-1-4215-2379-8.
  5. "Shonen Jump, Jump Square to Launch New Spinoff Mags". Anime News Network. April 13, 2020. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  6. "Mayoi Neko Overrun! Manga Abruptly Ends in Japan". Anime News Network. August 3, 2011. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  7. "Tomohiro Matsu's Hatena Illusion Light Novels Get Anime". Anime News Network. March 25, 2017. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  8. "Kentaro Yabuki's DARLING in the FRANXX Manga to End in 3 Chapters". Anime News Network. December 15, 2019. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  9. "Kentarō Yabuki, Ryūhei Tamura Launch New Manga in Weekly Shonen Jump Magazine in June". Anime News Network. June 7, 2020. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  10. Yabuki, Kentaro (2007) [2002]. Black Cat. 7. Viz Media. p. 203. ISBN 978-1-4215-1036-1.
  11. Yabuki, Kentaro (2007) [2002]. Black Cat. 9. Viz Media. p. 188. ISBN 978-1-4215-1038-5.
  12. "重要なお知らせ" (in Japanese). Ameba. June 20, 2009. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  13. "To Love-Ru/Black Cat Manga Artist Kentaro Yabuki Gets Married". Anime News Network. August 1, 2015. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  14. Llanes, Jeric (February 7, 2021). "Mangaka Musings 02/07/2020". Viz Media. Retrieved February 7, 2021.
  15. 矢吹 健太朗 (in Japanese). Shueisha. Archived from the original on September 26, 2012. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
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