Abstract

This work is a departure from the West Coast flavor of "Heart Cocktail," and is an ambitious work that breaks new ground for Watase Seizo, depicting a Japanese world with a young couple living in an ancient capital as the main characters. The work has won new fans with its seasonal almanac-like flavor, featuring an abundance of beautiful scenery, customs, and traditional events in Japan. The original 12 volumes have been reorganized into 6 volumes to include all episodes, and the complete edition will be republished with unpublished drafts, name cards, and other materials.

Author’s Information

Seizo Watase was born in Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture in 1945, and grew up in Kokura, Kitakyushu. After graduating from the Faculty of Law at Waseda University, he began creating manga while working as an office worker. He began his professional career after winning the 13th Big Comic Comic Award in 1974, and his serialization of "Heart Cocktail" began in 1983, becoming extremely popular. In addition to his manga works that depict the subtleties of adult romance, he also creates numerous illustrations for music jackets, corporate advertisements, magazines, etc. He has opened permanent galleries in Shirokanedai, Muko-no-sho, and Mojiko. To mark the 50th anniversary of his career as an artist, he has been publishing and exhibiting a series to commemorate the occasion.