But who is Minetaro Mochizuki? For those who have forgotten him, or who simply do not know him, he is the mangaka of famous series and one of the precursors of horror manga.
Minetaro Mochizuki, the best mangaka of his generation?
Born in 1964, Minetaro Mochizuki began his career with Bataashi Kingyo, a manga about swimming, pre-published in Kodansha's Young Magazine in 1984. His first work was also adapted into a film in 1990. Nine years later, The Lady of the Closed Room, a classic horror-fantasy manga will be published by Kodansha. This One-shot has become a reference in the fantasy genre! In France, the series was published by Glénat. Subsequently, in 1995, a series that became famous, and published several times by Pika Edition in recent years, will see the light of day, Dragon Head ! This work is probably the best known of the author. Three editions have been published to date. However, the first edition, dating from 2001, is no longer marketed. You will have to search on specialized sites to hope to add it to your collection. In 2003, a new series was published by Pika Edition, Maiwai. This time, horror gives way to a manga full of adventure, suspense and all under humorous features. Five years later, Minetaro Mochizuki will plunge us into a different atmosphere once again since this time, his series will revolve around medicine. 
Indeed, Tokyo Kaido, a series completed in three volumes, tells us the story of children and adolescents with unusual pathologies. It is with this series that the career of the mangaka will take a new turn. Indeed, his pencil stroke will be more refined and will offer new graphics to his works. One can also notice a change in the pre-publication magazine. Until now, all of his series had been pre-published in Young Magazine. But, Tokyo Kaido will be pre-published in the Morning, a more "adult" magazine. In France, this series was published by Le Lézard Noir.
"You're just a poor man… Narcissistic hypocrite who wants to be noticed… I want you to die… "
Subsequently, it is a series more oriented on society, in the genre drama and slice of life that will first be prepublished by Big Comic Spirits then, in France, published by Le Lézard Noir. This is Chiisakobé, a series completed in four volumes. Adapted from the eponymous novel written by Shûgorô Yamamoto, Minetaro Mochizuki situates the story in our time, rather than in the twentieth century, in order to give more realism to its narrative. Finally, the last work available to date is Isle of Dogs. Adapted from Wes Anderson's film, this one shot revolves around animals, as the title of this seinen obviously tells us. This title is also available at Le Lézard Noir. Katsuhiro Otomo (author of Akira and president of the Angoulême Festival in 2016) even considers him the "most gifted mangaka of his generation"!
Well-deserved rewards!
Minetaro Mochizuki has received a number of awards and accolades throughout his career. The first award he received was in 1997. Indeed, his Dragon Head series earned him the Kōdansha Manga Award. But that's not all, because three years later, thanks to this same series, it is the Award of Excellence of the Osamu Tezuka Cultural Award that our mangaka will receive. However, this is not his only work to be recognized internationally since in 2016, his title Chiisakobé won the ACBD Asia Critics' Prize at Japan Expo 2016 and the following year, the series prize at the Angoulême International Comic Strip Festival 2017.
Adaptations on the big screen!
What author wouldn't dream of seeing his work adapted on the big screen? Well, for Minetaro Mochizuki, it's done and from his first title! Indeed, Bataashi Kingyo was adapted into a film in 1990. This film, by Joji Matsuoka and produced by Haruo Umekawa, lasts 1 h 35 min. In addition, we can also find his famous horror series in film, Dragon head. Released in 2003, this film was directed by Iida Joji and lasts 2h02. Finally, this last work is not adapted from a manga, but Minetaro Mochizuki remains the original author of this film, Shark Skin Man and Peach Hip Girl. Released in 1999, this film is a thriller revolving around the yakuza. Minetaro Mochizuki is therefore a renowned author, who, we hope, has not finished entertaining us! And you, what are the achievements that have marked you the most?
