Shigeru Mizuki

[Angilasman]

I'm sad to report that Shigeru Mizuki, one of the world's most beloved cartoonists, has passed away at age 93. Famous for reintroducing Japanese folklore back into Japanese pop culture with manga like GeGeGe no Kitaro, Mizuki served in WWII and has chronicled his harrowing experiences in the slightly fictionalized Onwards Towards Our Noble Deaths and in the pages of his multi-volume Showa: A History of Japan, in which he ties his own biography with a meticulously told history of country itself during his lifetime.

http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0002595823

While beloved in his home country, his work has only recently been accessible on this side of the pond thanks to English language editions published by Drawn and Quarterly. These are some of the best comics around, and while D&Q have focused mostly on his historical work, next year they'll embark on a multi-volume Kitaro series. He's the real deal, and I hope people will celebrate his legendary life by checking out his work and becoming big fans.

[Joker]

Hell of a life and an amazing, gigantic and diverse body of work. RIP, Shigeru Mizuki.