Akiko Higashimura is a Japanese manga artist and fashion designer known for her successful manga series including Princess Jellyfish, Tokyo Tarareba Girls, and Tokyo Love Story.
- Born on August 29, 1975, in Gifu, Japan.
- Graduated from the Department of Design at Kyoritsu Women's College.
- Made her professional debut as a manga artist in 1997 with the one-shot 'Okashina Futari'.
- Published several successful manga series, including 'Kuragehime' (Princess Jellyfish), 'Tokyo Tarareba Girls', and 'Tokyo Love Story'.
- Has won multiple awards for her work, including the Kodansha Manga Award and the Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize.
- Her manga series 'Princess Jellyfish' was adapted into a live-action TV drama in Japan in 2018.
- Also worked as a fashion designer, launching her own women's clothing brand, 'Massive Swerve' in 2001.
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A manga series that follows a group of otaku women who live in a shared apartment building, and their interactions with a beautiful, fashionable woman who moves in with them.
A manga series that follows a group of 30-something women living in Tokyo, as they navigate their careers, relationships, and the pressures of society and their own expectations.
A manga series that follows a young couple's relationship in Tokyo, as they struggle to balance their personal aspirations and their love for each other.
Aside from Princess Jellyfish, Tokyo Tarareba Girls, and Tokyo Love Story, Akiko Higashimura has also written several other manga series including Mama's A Temparist and Kuragehime Gaiden: Barakura - Bara no Aru Kurashi.
Yes, Princess Jellyfish has been translated into English and is available in North America through Kodansha Comics.
It's unclear how successful Massive Swerve was, but the brand was known for its cute, retro-inspired designs and was stocked in several stores throughout Japan.
Yes, Princess Jellyfish has been adapted into an anime series, which aired in Japan from October to December 2010.
Akiko Higashimura has cited the manga series Touch, by Mitsuru Adachi, as a major influence on her decision to become a manga artist.