Koyoharu Gotouge

Japanese manga artist

Koyoharu Gotouge

吾峠 呼世晴

Born|  (1989-05-05) May 5, 1989 (age 36)
Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan
Nationality| Japanese
Area(s)| Manga artist

Notable works

| Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba
Awards|

* Noma Prize (2020)
* Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize (2021)
* Japan Cartoonists Association Award (2021)

Signature

Koyoharu Gotouge (Japanese: 吾峠 呼世晴, Hepburn: Gotōge Koyoharu, born May 5, 1989) is a Japanese manga artist, known for the manga series Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba (2016–2020). By February 2021, the manga had over 150 million copies in circulation (including digital copies), making it one of the best-selling manga series of all time.

Gotouge was included as "Phenoms" in Time's annual list of 100 Most Influential People, becoming the first manga artist to receive the achievement.

## Early life

[edit]

Gotouge was born in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan, on May 5, 1989.[1] The author uses a pen name to maintain anonymity.[2]

## Career

[edit]

In 2013, Gotouge debuted in the 70th Jump Treasure Newcomer Manga Awards with the one-shot work Kagarigari (過狩り狩り).[3][4] Three more one-shots followed: Monju Shirō Kyōdai (文殊史郎兄弟), published in Jump Next! in 2014; Rokkotsu-san (肋骨さん), published in Weekly Shōnen Jump in 2014; and Haeniwa no Zigzag (蠅庭のジグザグ), published in Weekly Shōnen Jump in 2015.[5]

After Haeniwa no Zigzag failed to become a series, Tatsuhiko Katayama (Gotouge's first editor) suggested starting a series with an "easy-to-understand theme".[6] Gotouge's debut work Kagarigari would serve as a basis for Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba.[6] The series was published in Weekly Shōnen Jump from February 15, 2016, to May 18, 2020.[7][8] It became a success, with over 150 million copies in circulation (including digital copies) by February 2021, making it one of the best-selling manga series of all time.[9][10]

In February 2021, Gotouge commented that their next project would be a science fiction romantic comedy story.[11]

## Influences

[edit]

Gotouge has mentioned Hirohiko Araki's JoJo's Bizarre Adventure; Masashi Kishimoto's Naruto; Tite Kubo's Bleach; and Hideaki Sorachi's Gintama as influences on their work.[12][13][14]

## Awards and honors

[edit]

In 2020, Gotouge received the 2nd Kodansha's Noma Publishing Culture Award, which honors those who have contributed to "reinventing publishing". Gotouge received the award due to the franchise's sales, which boosted the entire publishing industry from 2019 to 2020.[15] In the same year, Gotouge also won the award for best screenplay/original story at the Tokyo Anime Award Festival.[16]

In February 2021, Gotouge was included as "Phenoms" in Time's annual list of 100 Most Influential People, making them the first manga artist to receive the achievement.[2][17] In March 2021, Gotouge won the Newcomer Award in the media fine arts category of the 2020 Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Fine Arts Recommendation Awards.[18][19][20] In 2021, Gotouge received the Special Prize of the 25th annual Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize.[21][22] In 2021, Gotouge won the Comic division's grand prize of the 50th Japan Cartoonists Association Awards.[23]

## Works

[edit]

* Kagarigari (過狩り狩り) (2013; one-shot)
* Monju Shirō Kyōdai (文殊史郎兄弟) (2014; one-shot published in Shueisha's Jump Next!)
* Rokkotsu-san (肋骨さん) (2014; one-shot published in Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump)
* Haeniwa no Zigzag (蠅庭のジグザグ) (2015; one-shot published in Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump)
* Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba (鬼滅の刃, Kimetsu no Yaiba) (2016–2020; serialized in Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump, and collected in 23 tankōbon volumes)[24][25]
* Koyoharu Gotouge Before Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba (吾峠呼世晴短編集, Gotōge Koyoharu Tanpenshū) (2019; collected volume of Gotouge's four one-shots published by Shueisha)

## References

[edit]

1. ^ ついに最終回！『鬼滅の刃』作者「吾峠呼世晴」ちゃんと読めてる？ファンなら常識クイズ！. News Livedoor (in Japanese). May 18, 2020. Archived from the original on February 18, 2021. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
2. ^ a b Moon, Kat (February 17, 2021). "Koyoharu Gotouge Is on the TIME100 Next 2021 List". Time. Archived from the original on February 18, 2021. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
3. ^ Ressler, Karen (January 31, 2016). "Weekly Shonen Jump Launches 2 New Series in February". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on December 13, 2017. Retrieved May 27, 2018.
4. ^ 2013年のJUMPトレジャー新人漫画賞. shonenjump.com (in Japanese). Shueisha. Archived from the original on February 7, 2020. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
5. ^ ジャンプで新鋭が描く心優しき少年の冒険譚、連載記念に過去の読切も公開. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. February 15, 2016. Archived from the original on November 19, 2021. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
6. ^ a b "The birth of "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba"". Manga Plus. Shueisha. Archived from the original on February 11, 2020. Retrieved February 23, 2020.
7. ^ ジャンプで新鋭が描く心優しき少年の冒険譚、連載記念に過去の読切も公開. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. February 15, 2016. Archived from the original on November 19, 2021. Retrieved January 8, 2021.
8. ^ 「鬼滅の刃」4年3カ月の連載に幕. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. May 18, 2020. Archived from the original on February 25, 2021. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
9. ^ Loo, Egan (February 14, 2021). "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga Tops 150 Million Copies in Circulation". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on February 14, 2021. Retrieved February 14, 2021.
10. ^ 「鬼滅の刃」累計1億5000万部を突破！3月には塗絵帳が2冊同時発売. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. February 15, 2021. Archived from the original on February 14, 2021. Retrieved February 14, 2021.
11. ^ Pineda, Rafael Antonio (February 3, 2021). "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Creator Koyoharu Gotouge Wants to Make Sci-Fi Romantic Comedy Next". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on February 17, 2021. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
12. ^ 『鬼滅の刃』完結?ジョジョ方式で続く?予想合戦が過熱 過去ジャンプ作品から展開考察. Oricon (in Japanese). May 15, 2020. Archived from the original on May 21, 2020. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
13. ^ 『鬼滅の刃』大ブレイクの陰にあった、絶え間ない努力―――初代担当編集が明かす誕生秘話. News Livedoor (in Japanese). February 5, 2020. Archived from the original on February 5, 2020. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
14. ^ Schley, Matt (October 21, 2020). "Koyoharu Gotoge Reveals the Manga That Inspired Demon Slayer". Otaku USA. Archived from the original on November 1, 2020. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
15. ^ Mateo, Alex (November 2, 2020). "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba's Koyoharu Gotouge Wins Noma Publishing Culture Award". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on November 2, 2020. Retrieved November 2, 2020.
16. ^ Loveridge, Lynzee (February 6, 2020). "Uta no Prince-sama Movie Nabs TAAF 2019 Anime Fan Vote". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on September 29, 2021. Retrieved September 29, 2021.
17. ^ Mateo, Alex (February 17, 2021). "Time Magazine Selects Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba's Koyoharu Gotouge on Time100 Next List". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on February 17, 2021. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
18. ^ 「巡り合わせていただいた御縁に感動」…「鬼滅」作者の吾峠呼世晴さん. Yomiuri Shimbun (in Japanese). March 3, 2021. Archived from the original on March 3, 2021. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
19. ^ 「作品通した縁に感動」 漫画家の吾峠呼世晴さん、芸術選奨新人賞. Jiji Press (in Japanese). March 3, 2021. Archived from the original on March 3, 2021. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
20. ^ Pineda, Rafael Antonio (March 4, 2021). "Director Masaaki Yuasa, Demon Slayer's Gotouge Wins Agency for Cultural Affairs' Media Arts Award". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on March 4, 2021. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
21. ^ Loo, Egan (February 25, 2021). "Demon Slayer, Jujutsu Kaisen, Promised Neverland Nominated for Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on March 18, 2021. Retrieved February 26, 2021.
22. ^ Pineda, Rafael Antonio (April 27, 2021). "Land, Frieren, Demon Slayer Manga Win Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prizes". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on April 28, 2021. Retrieved April 28, 2021.
23. ^ Pineda, Rafael Antonio (July 26, 2021). "Demon Slayer Manga Wins Japan Cartoonists Association Award". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on July 27, 2021. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
24. ^ 鬼滅の刃 1 (in Japanese). Shueisha. Archived from the original on May 9, 2018. Retrieved May 27, 2018.
25. ^ 鬼滅の刃 23 (in Japanese). Shueisha. Archived from the original on February 25, 2021. Retrieved August 15, 2020.

## External links

[edit]

* Koyoharu Gotouge at Anime News Network's encyclopedia

* v
* t
* e

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba by Koyoharu Gotouge

Media|

| Manga|

* Chapters

|

Anime|

* Episodes
* Season 1
* 2
* 3
* 4

Films|

* Mugen Train
* To the Swordsmith Village
* To the Hashira Training
* Infinity Castle

Video games|

* The Hinokami Chronicles
* Sweep the Board

Characters|

* Tanjiro Kamado
* Nezuko Kamado

Music|

* "Gurenge"
* "Kamado Tanjiro no Uta"
* "Homura"
* "Akeboshi"
* "Zankyōsanka/Asa ga Kuru"
* "Kizuna no Kiseki"
* "Koi Kogare"

Related|

* Koyoharu Gotouge Before Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba

Category

* v
* t
* e

Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize

Grand Prize|

| 1990s|

* Fujiko Fujio for Doraemon (1997)
* Jiro Taniguchi and Natsuo Sekikawa for the trilogy Bocchan No Jidai (1998)
* Naoki Urasawa for Monster (1999)

|

2000s|

* Daijiro Morohoshi for Saiyū Yōenden (2000)
* Reiko Okano and Baku Yumemakura for Onmyōji (2001)
* Takehiko Inoue for Vagabond (2002)
* Fumiko Takano for The Yellow Book: A Friend Named Jacques Thibault (2003)
* Kyoko Okazaki for Helter Skelter (2004)
* Naoki Urasawa for Pluto (2005)
* Hideo Azuma for Disappearance Diary (2006)
* Ryoko Yamagishi for Terpsichora (2007)
* Masayuki Ishikawa for Moyashimon (2008)
* Fumi Yoshinaga for Ōoku: The Inner Chambers and Yoshihiro Tatsumi for A Drifting Life (2009)

2010s|

* Yoshihiro Yamada for Hyouge Mono (2010)
* Motoka Murakami for Jin and Issei Eifuku and Taiyō Matsumoto for Takemitsuzamurai (2011)
* Hitoshi Iwaaki for Historie (2012)
* Yasuhisa Hara for Kingdom (2013)
* Chica Umino for March Comes In like a Lion (2014)
* Yoiko Hoshi for Aisawa Riku (2015)
* Kei Ichinoseki for Hanagami Sharaku and Kiyohiko Azuma for Yotsuba&! (2016)
* Fusako Kuramochi for Hana ni Somu (2017)
* Satoru Noda for Golden Kamuy (2018)
* Shinobu Arima for Sono Onna, Jiruba (2019)

2020s|

* Kan Takahama for Nyx no Lantern (2020)
* Kazumi Yamashita for Land (2021)
* Uoto for Orb: On the Movements of the Earth (2022)
* Kiwa Irie for Yuria-sensei no Akai Ito (2023)
* Mari Yamazaki, Miki Tori for PLINIVS (2024)
* Rintaro for 1-byō 24-koma no Boku no Jinsei (2025)

Special
Award|

| 1990s|

* Toshio Naiki (1997)
* Shotaro Ishinomori (1998)
* Fusanosuke Natsume (1999)

|

2000s|

* Frederik L. Schodt (2000)
* Akira Maruyuma (2001)
* Shigeru Mizuki (2003)
* Tarō Minamoto (2004)
* Kawasaki City Museum (2005)
* Kousei Ono (2006)
* International Institute for Children's Literature, Osaka Prefecture (2008)

2010s|

* Yoshihiro Yonezawa (2010)
* Weekly Shōnen Jump (2012)
* Fujiko Fujio (A) (2014)
* Chikako Mitsuhashi for Chiisana Koi no Monogatari (2015)
* Kyoto International Manga Museum (2016)
* Osamu Akimoto for Kochira Katsushika-ku Kameari Kōen-mae Hashutsujo (2017)
* Tetsuya Chiba for Ashita no Joe (2018)
* Takao Saito for Golgo 13 (2019)

2020s|

* Machiko Hasegawa for Sazae-san (2020)
* Koyoharu Gotouge for Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba (2021)
* Kazuo Umezu for Zoku Shingo: Chiisana Robot Shingo Bijutsukan (2023)
* COMITIA (2024)

Award for
Excellence|

* Moto Hagio for A Cruel God Reigns (1997)
* Yūji Aoki for Naniwa Kin'yūdō (1998)
* Akira Sasō for Shindō (1999)
* Minetarō Mochizuki for Dragon Head (2000)
* Kotobuki Shiriagari for Yajikita in Deep (2001)
* Kentaro Miura for Berserk (2002)

Creative
Award|

* Yumi Hotta and Takeshi Obata for Hikaru no Go (2003)
* Takashi Morimoto for Naniwadora ihon (2004)
* Fumiyo Kōno for Town of Evening Calm, Country of Cherry Blossoms (2005)
* Asa Higuchi for Big Windup! (2006)
* Nobuhisa Nozoe, Kazuhisa Iwata and Kyojin Ōnishi for Shinsei Kigeki (2007)
* Toranosuke Shimada for Träumerei (2008)

New Artist
Prize|

* Suehiro Maruo for The Strange Tale of Panorama Island (2009)
* Haruko Ichikawa for Mushi to Uta (2010)
* Hiromu Arakawa for Fullmetal Alchemist (2011)
* Yu Itō for Shut Hell (2012)
* Miki Yamamoto for Sunny Sunny Ann! (2013)
* Machiko Kyō for Mitsuami no Kami-sama (2014)
* Yoshitoki Ōima for A Silent Voice (2015)
* Yuki Andō for Machida-kun no Sekai (2016)
* Haruko Kumota for Descending Stories: Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju (2017)
* Paru Itagaki for Beastars (2018)
* Sansuke Yamada for Areyo Hoshikuzu (2019)
* Rettō Tajima for Mizu wa Umi ni Mukatte Nagareru (2020)
* Kanehito Yamada and Tsukasa Abe for Frieren: Beyond Journey's End (2021)
* Natsuko Taniguchi for Kyōshitsu no Katasumi de Seishun wa Hajimaru and Konya Sukiyaki da yo (2022)
* Ganpu for Danchōtei Nichijō (2023)
* Akihito Sakaue for Neighborhood Craftsmen: Stories from Kanda's Gokura-chou (2024)
* Shiho Kido for When the Chameleon Flowers Bloom (2025)

Short Story
Award|

* Hisaichi Ishii for Gendai Shisō no Sōnanshātachi (2003)
* Risu Akizuki for OL Shinkaron (2004)
* Rieko Saibara for Jōkyō Monogatari and Mainichi Kaasan (2005)
* Risa Itō for One Woman, Two Cats, Hey Pitan!, Onna no Mado (2006)
* Hiromi Morishita for Ōsaka Hamlet (2007)
* Yumiko Ōshima for Cher Gou-Gou...mon petit chat, mon petit ami (2008)
* Hikaru Nakamura for Saint Young Men (2009)
* Mari Yamazaki for Thermae Romae (2010)
* Keisuke Yamashina for C-kyū Salaryman Kōza, Papa wa Nanda ka Wakaranai (2011)
* Roswell Hosoki for Sake no Hosomichi (2012)
* Yoshiie Gōda for Love of Machine (2013)
* Yuki Shikawa for Onnoji (2014)
* Sensha Yoshida (2015)
* Tatsuya Nakazaki for Jimihen (2016)
* Kahoru Fukaya for Yomawari Neko (2017)
* Taro Yabe for Oya-san to Boku (2018)
* Ken Koyama for Little Miss P (2019)
* Yama Wayama for Captivated, by You (2020)
* Hiroko Nobara for Kieta Mama Tomo and Tsuma wa Kuchi o Kiite Kuremasen (2021)
* Izumi Okaya for Ii Toshi o and Hakumokuren wa Kirei ni Chiranai (2022)
* Ebine Yamaji for Onna no Ko ga Iru Basho wa (2023)
* Miri Masuda for Tsuyukusa Natsuko no Isshō (2024)
* Shunji Enomoto for The Kinks (2025)

* v
* t
* e

Tokyo Anime Award for Best Screenplay

* Takashi Yamada / Hayao Miyazaki (2002)
* Ichirō Ōkouchi (2003)
* Sho Aikawa (2004)
* Mamoru Oshii (2005)
* Dai Satō (2006)
* Satoko Okudera (2007)
* Keiichi Hara (2008)
* Ichirō Ōkouchi (2009)
* Satoko Okudera (2010)
* Miho Maruo (2011)
* Gen Urobuchi (2012)
* Satoko Okudera / Mamoru Hosoda (2013)
* Yasuko Kobayashi / Hayao Miyazaki / Reiko Yoshida (2014)
* Jukki Hanada (2015)
* Shū Matsubara (2016)
* Reiko Yoshida (2017)
* Kinoko Nasu (2018)
* Jukki Hanada (2019)
* Koyoharu Gotouge (2020)
* Reiko Yoshida (2021)
* Hideaki Anno (2022)
* Reiko Yoshida (2023)
* Takehiko Inoue (2024)
* Hiroyuki Yoshino (2025)

Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI
* VIAF
* 2
* WorldCat

National|

* United States
* France
* BnF data
* Japan
* Czech Republic
* Korea

Artists|

* MusicBrainz

Other|

* IdRef

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