Kyosuke Usuta
Kyosuke Usuta (うすた 京介, Usuta Kyōsuke) is a Japanese manga artist and creator of the spin-off one-shot manga Toshikazu Hazamada's Questionable Adventure published in JOJO magazine 2024 WINTER.
Usuta primarily published gag manga in Weekly Shonen Jump. His notable works include Sexy Commando Gaiden, Pyo to Fuku! Jaguar, and Food Fighter Tabelu.
Biography
Personal Life
Kyosuke Usuta was born on May 25, 1974[2] in Aichi Prefecture.[1][3] He grew up in Koshi, Kumamoto and graduated from the Art Program at Kumamoto Prefectural Ozu High School.[3] In his school days, he was in both the kendo club and art club.
He is married to the manga artist Kenji Sakaki.[4] He loves kata yakisoba[5] and hates the pachinko industry.[6]
On December 29, 2016, he welcomed his first child, a boy.[7] His second child, a girl, was born on July 3, 2018.[8]
Usuta loves music and is a fan of the techno-pop girl group Perfume.[9]
Career
In 1990, Usuta won the 2nd GAG King Special Award for The★Tenuki-kun vs. Monosugo-kun. Part 2 of this work was published in Weekly Shonen Jump issue #5 in 1991, marking his debut (Part 1 was later published in the short story collection Chikusaku Call in March 2016). According to Usuta, he was surprised to see his black-and-white work published in bichrome (red and black ink).[2] He created the pen name "Sosuke Usuta" based on the Worcestershire sauce in his kitchen. However, due to a printing error, it appeared as "Kyosuke Usuta" in the award announcement, and he decided to keep it.[10]
In 1991, he won Honorable Mention in the 34th Akatsuka Award with Go For It! UFO Man, which was published in Weekly Shonen Jump Summer Special.
From 1995 to 1997, he serialized Sexy Commando Gaiden in Weekly Shonen Jump. The work was popular but Usuta abruptly ended it. Nonetheless, it was adapted into an anime in 1998. Toward the end of the series, there was a rumor in a magazine that he had "exhausted himself and fled, abandoning the manuscript". However, he later denied this, clarifying that while he almost reached a point of wanting to give up and run away, he never actually did. He emphasized that there's a difference between failing to submit a manuscript because he truly gave up and failing to submit it because he worked up until the last minute but still couldn't meet the deadline.
In 1999, he serialized Bushizawa Receive in issues 18-40 of Weekly Shonen Jump. In 2000, he started serializing Pyu to Fuku! Jaguar in Weekly Shonen Jump, which ran for 10 years, concluding in issue 38 of 2010. In 2015, he began serializing Food Fighter Tabelu on Shonen Jump+. By then, his wife Kenji Sakaki was also serializing Love Dester on the same site, making them a couple with concurrent serializations.[4] In 2016, the "Kyosuke Usuta Manga Award", a newcomer prize named after him, was established on Shonen Jump Rookie to discover new talent.[11]
In 2021, he joined the management team of the idol group Kinopo as the manga and character designer. However, he was dismissed from the group on September 28, 2022. Kinopo announced the matter on December 27, 2022, stating that they received a notification from Usuta's lawyer prohibiting the disclosure of the reasons and details, and they are unable to contact him directly.[12]
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure
In a 1997 interview, Hirohiko Araki stated that Kyosuke Usuta's Sexy Commando Gaiden manga caught his eye.[13]
Usuta had dinner with Araki on the last weekend of January 2010, saying he was really happy and had a lot of fun.[14] He had the opportunity to visit Araki's house on February 27, 2010. He posted that it was amazing, completely like another world, and so full of treasures that he was on the verge of peeing with excitement.[15]
Usuta is a fan of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure and drew an illustration for the 25th anniversary of the series in the 25 Years with JoJo booklet, which released on September 19, 2012. His illustration is based on the Sheer Heart Attack album by Queen, featuring all of the JoJos from Parts 1-8. He stated that although he likes Queen, the actual reason he drew it that way was because he really likes Yoshikage Kira.[16]
Works
Serialized Works
セクシーコマンドー外伝 すごいよ!!マサルさん (Sekushī Komandō Gaiden: Sugoi yo!! Masaru-san)
フードファイタータベル (Fūdo Faitā Taberu)
Miscellaneous
チクサクコール うすた京介短編集 (Chikusaku Kōru Usuta Kyōsuke Tanpenshū)
ザ★手ぬきくん対物酢御くん（パート2） (Za★Tenuki-kun Tai Monosugo-kun (Pāto 2))
それゆけ!未確認飛行物体男 (Sore Yuke! Mikakunin Hikou Buttai Otoko)
口うるさげなアンチクショウ (Kuchiurusagena Anchikusho)
ショルダータックルヤスザキマン (Shorudā Takkuru Yasuzaki Man)
Aボーイ〜溜め込んだ想い〜 (A-Bōi: Tamekonda Omoi)
ゆるキャラ伝説 くまモンじゃないヤツ物語 (Yurukyara Densetsu: Kumamon Janai Yatsu Monogatari)
パラレルワールドくん (Parareru Wārudo-kun)
きのうまでのポノガタリ (Kinō Made no Pono Gatari)
うすた京介の実際にみた人はいないが実在しないとも言い切れない不思議生物図鑑 (Usuta Kyōsuke no Jissai ni Mita Hito wa Inai ga Jitsuzai Shinai to mo Iikirenai Fushigi Seibutsu Zukan)
Commentary
25 Years With JoJoGallery
25 Years with JoJo Tribute Art
JOJO magazine 2024 WINTER Preview
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Kyosuke Usuta, "プロフィール", めくるめけ日々.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Kyosuke Usuta (October 13, 2006), "ウィキペディア", 前の日記.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "まんがseek・日外アソシエーツ共著『漫画家人名事典』", p. 61, February 25, 2003. ISBN: 4-8169-1760-8
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Kyosuke Usuta [@@k_usuta] (September 5, 2015), "About his wife", on Twitter / X.
- ↑ "かた焼きそば", 前の日記, September 24, 2006.
- ↑ "漫画家うすた京介さんのパチンコ業界へのTwitter発言がネット掲示板で話題に", Livedoor News, February 27, 2012.
- ↑ Kyosuke Usuta [@@k_usuta] (December 29, 2016), "About his son", on Twitter / X.
- ↑ "「すごいよ!!マサルさん」の漫画家うすた京介氏、第2子長女誕生を報告「母子共に健康です」", Sports Hochi, July 3, 2018.
- ↑ Kyosuke Usuta (June 30, 2008), "Perfume", Usuta Diary.
- ↑ Kyosuke Usuta [@@k_usuta] (January 28, 2010), "About his pen name", on Twitter / X.
- ↑ "『うすた京介漫画賞』創設、次世代の才能を発掘へ 10・31まで作品募集", Oricon News, July 29, 2016.
- ↑ Kinopo Official [@kinopo_idol] (December 27, 2022), "Usuta's Dismissal from Kinopo", on Twitter / X.
- ↑ Eureka (April 1997)
- ↑ Kyosuke Usuta [@@k_usuta] (February 1, 2010), "Dinner with Araki", on Twitter / X.
- ↑ Kyosuke Usuta [@@k_usuta] (February 28, 2010), "Visiting Araki's Home", on Twitter / X.
- ↑ Kyosuke Usuta [@@k_usuta] (September 18, 2012), "JoJo Anniversary Art", on Twitter / X.
