Photo: yves Tennevin from La Garde, France / CC BY-SA 3.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Naoki Urasawa stands, for me, in a class of his own among manga artists. Monster, 20th Century Boys, Pluto, Master Keaton, each is a suspense engine that simply will not let you put it down. Drawing since the age of four, he is a born storyteller, and the awards, from Seiun prizes to Angouleme's, confirm that his appeal jumps borders effortlessly. He plays guitar and hosts radio too, but what truly floors me is his ability to render human darkness and human decency wearing the same face. That lingering moral weight after the final page is something almost no one else in the medium achieves.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Naoki Urasawa
- Name (Japanese)
- 浦沢直樹
- Reading
- 不明
- Born
- January 2, 1960 (age 66)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Capricorn / Rat
- Origin
- Fuchū, Tokyo, Japan
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- mangaka / songwriter / guitarist / radio personality / illustrator
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Private
- University
- Meisei University
Awards & achievements
- 2013 Grand Prix de l'Imaginaire for Best Manga
- 2008 Seiun Award for Best Comic
- 2010 Seiun Award for Best Comic
- 2006 Best foreign work published in Spain
- 2004 Angoulême International Comics Festival Prize for a Series
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
5. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | 20th Century Boys | — | |
| Notable work | Monster | — | |
| Notable work | Yawara! | — | |
| Notable work | Master Keaton | — | |
| Notable work | Pineapple Army | — | |
| Notable work | Pluto | — |
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Naoki Urasawa born?
Born January 2, 1960 (age 66).
Where is Naoki Urasawa from?
Naoki Urasawa is from Fuchū, Tokyo, Japan.
What does Naoki Urasawa do?
Naoki Urasawa works as mangaka, songwriter, guitarist, radio personality, illustrator.
What is Naoki Urasawa known for?
Notable works include 20th Century Boys, Monster, Yawara!.
Songwriter — see all → · More people from Japan →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-17
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.