Waki Yamato


Waki Yamato is a Japanese manga artist. She debuted in 1966 with the short story Dorobō Tenshi.
Since her debut, Yamato steadily created and published a variety of works in the genre of manga. Among her early time works, Mon Cherie CoCo, 1971, was adapted into an anime television series, and her work, Haikara-san ga Tōru, 1975 to 1977, was very successful, winning the 1st Kodansha Manga Award for manga in 1977. It was also made into a musical for the Takarazuka Revue, an anime series, and a live-action film. Through these early works, she established her position as one of the most popular manga artists.

Life and works

After the success of Haikara-san ga Tōru, she continued to create many manga, including the comedy Aramis '78, Yokohama Monogatari, and N. Y. Komachi. The latter two were historical manga, set during the Meiji period.
The heroines of these stories were active girls who traveled overseas. Yamato's early work Reidii Mitsuko, 1976, was based on the true story of Mitsuko Aoyama, who was the mother of Richard von Coudenhove-Kalergi.
Similarly, in Yokohama Monogatari, Uno visits California, marries her Japanese lover there and returns to Yokohama, while Mariko visits London to meet her Japanese husband. In N. Y. Komachi tomboy Shino travels to New York and becomes a camerawoman. At the end she settles in America with her husband Danny.

Asaki Yume Mishi

Yamato's major work is Asaki Yume Mishi. Yamato spent 13 years completing this famous long work, based on Murasaki Shikibu's The Tale of Genji. Yamato studied the historical details of the Heian period. But she made radical changes to the characters and plot, to fit contemporary mores. Yet her work remains one of the best visualizations of the Heian era.

List of works

Book information from Media Arts Database..

NTitleja-TitleLabelVol.Date of Pub.PublisherMagazineDateRemark
01Thief Angel泥棒天使Teen comics deluxe11972-10-10Wakagi shoboShojo Friend1966 Debut short story
02Mon Cheri CoCoモンシェリCoCoKC31972-08-28KodanshaShojo Friend1968adapted into TV anime
03Haikara-san ga Tōruはいからさんが通るKC friend81975-1977Kodanshaadapted into TV anime
04Lady MitsukoレディーミツコKC friend B11977Kodansha
05KillaKillaKC friend51978-1979Kodansha
06End of Heaven, Border of Earth天の果て地の限りKC mimi11979-10-15Kodansha
07Aramis ’78アラミス’78KC friend B41979–1984Kodansha
08Playball in the Year 2600紀元2600年のプレイボールKC friend51979–1980Kodansha
09The One with Wings翼ある者KC friend1198008-15Kodansha
10Asaki Yume MishiあさきゆめみしKC mimi131980-1993Kodanshabased on Murasaki Shikibu's The Tale of Genji
11Moonlight Shining Tree月光樹KC friend B11980Kodansha
12Myth of Dark-blue Colorあい色神話KC friend11980-12-15Kodansha
13The Story of Yokohamaヨコハマ物語KC friend81981-1984Kodansha
14The Belle of New YorkNY小町KC friend81986-1988Kodansha
15High Hheels CopハイヒールCOPKC mimi deluxe51990-1993Kodansha
16Wow, He is Prince!?なんと王子さま!?KC friend11990-09-13Kodansha
17Fruits of the Angel天使の果実KC mimi31993-1994Kodanshabased on novel by Shizuka Ijuin
18Natascha of Rainbow虹のナターシャKC mimi51995-1997Kodanshabased on novel by Mariko Hayashi
19Samurai facing to the Westにしむく士KC BE LOVE51997-2001Kodansha
20Baby-sitter Gin!ベビーシッター・ギン!K Comics kiss91998-2007Kodansha
21The Scent of Crimson紅匂ふKC BE LOVE41998-2007Kodansha
22The Daughter of Ishtarイシュタルの娘KC BE LOVE162010-2017Kodansha


Reception

Yamato's story manga Haikara-san ga Tōru series had been sold over 10 million copies. Also, the total sales number of her representative work Asaki YUmemishi had been over 12 million, as of 1997.