View source for Kazuo Koike

{{short description|Japanese manga writer (1936–2019)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2016}}
{{Infobox comics creator

| name_nonEN    = 小池 一夫
| image         = Kozuo Koike.jpg
| caption       = Koike at [[New York Comic Con]], 2013
| birth_name    = 
| birth_date    = {{birth date|1936|05|08}}
| birth_place   = [[Daisen, Akita]], Japan
| death_date    = {{death date and age|2019|04|17|1936|05|08}}
| death_place   = 
| area          = 
| cartoonist    = 
| write         = y
| art           = 
| pencil        = 
| ink           = 
| edit          = 
| publish       = 
| letter        = 
| color         = 
| alias         = 
| signature     = 
| notable works = ''[[Lone Wolf and Cub]]''<br>''[[Lady Snowblood (manga)|Lady Snowblood]]''<br>''[[Crying Freeman]]''
| awards        = Hall of Fame [[Eisner Award]] (2004)
| website       = 
| nonUS         = ja
}}
{{Anime and manga}}
{{nihongo|'''Kazuo Koike'''|小池 一夫|Koike Kazuo|May 8, 1936 – April 17, 2019}} was a prolific Japanese [[manga]] writer ([[Mangaka#Etymology|gensakusha]]), novelist, screenwriter, lyricist and entrepreneur. He is best known for his violent, artful ''[[seinen]]'' manga, notably ''[[Lone Wolf and Cub]]'' (with [[Goseki Kojima]], 1970–6), ''[[Lady Snowblood (manga)|Lady Snowblood]]'' (with [[Kazuo Kamimura]], 1972–3) and ''[[Crying Freeman]]'' (with [[Ryoichi Ikegami]], 1986–8), which – along with their numerous media adaptations − have been credited for their influence on the international growth of [[Japanese popular culture]].

==Career==
Early in Koike's career, he studied under [[Takao Saito]] (the creator of ''[[Golgo 13]]),'' and served as a writer on the series.

Koike, along with artist [[Goseki Kojima]], made the [[manga]] ''Kozure Okami'' (''[[Lone Wolf and Cub]]''), and Koike also contributed to the scripts for the 1970s film adaptations of the series, which starred famous Japanese actor [[Tomisaburo Wakayama]]. In 1992 he himself produced a Lone Wolf and Cub's film [[Lone Wolf and Cub: Final Conflict]] which starred [[Masakazu Tamura]].<ref>{{cite web|url= http://db.eiren.org/contents/01050505701.html|title=Kozure Ōkami: Sono chiisaki te ni|publisher= 日本映画製作者連盟|access-date=2 March 2019}}</ref> Koike and Kojima became known as the "Golden Duo" because of the success of ''Lone Wolf and Cub''.

Another series written by Koike, ''[[Crying Freeman]]'', which was illustrated by [[Ryoichi Ikegami]], was adapted into a 1995 live-action film by French director [[Christophe Gans]]. In addition to his more violent, action-oriented manga, Koike, an avid golfer, has also written golf manga. He has also written [[mahjong]] manga, as he himself is a former professional mahjong player.

In the early 2000s, he wrote a [[Wolverine (character)|Wolverine]] story for Marvel.<ref>[http://www.animenation.net/blog/2003/05/20/kazuo-koike-to-write-wolverine Kazuo Koike to Write Wolverine] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151015001622/http://www.animenation.net/blog/2003/05/20/kazuo-koike-to-write-wolverine/ |date=October 15, 2015 }}</ref> In 2011, Koike announced his intention to write a magical girl manga series titled ''[[Maho Shojo Mimitsuki Mimi no QED]].''<ref>[http://www.animenation.net/blog/2011/11/11/kazuo-koike-to-write-a-magical-girl-manga/ Kazuo Koike to Write a Magical Girl Manga] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004214226/http://www.animenation.net/blog/2011/11/11/kazuo-koike-to-write-a-magical-girl-manga/ |date=October 4, 2013 }}, Oppliger, John (November 11, 2011), AnimeNation</ref>

Koike started the ''Gekiga Sonjuku'', a college course meant to teach people how to be a manga artist.

==Death==
On April 17, 2019, Kazuo Koike died due to [[pneumonia]] at the age of 82. His death happened just five days after the death of the fellow prolific manga author [[Monkey Punch]] on April 11, who also died of pneumonia and who Koike considered his rival in the ''[[Weekly Manga Action]]'' magazine.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Hodgkins |first1=Crystalyn |title=Lone Wolf & Cub Manga Creator Kazuo Koike Passes Away |url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2019-04-19/lone-wolf-and-cub-manga-creator-kazuo-koike-passes-away/.145900 |website=[[Anime News Network]] |access-date=April 19, 2019 |date=April 19, 2019}}</ref>

== Graduates of Koike's ''Gekiga Sonjuku'' ==
* [[Rumiko Takahashi]] – manga artist: ''[[Urusei Yatsura]]'', ''[[Ranma ½]]'', ''[[InuYasha]]''<ref name="DQ2023">{{Cite web|url=https://news.denfaminicogamer.jp/kikakuthetower/230626b/3|title=初代『ドラクエ』から37年、堀井雄二と伝説の編集者・Dr.マシリトが初めて公の場で語り合う！ "鳥山明"という最強のマンガ家を用意したこの人なしに国民的RPGの誕生はあり得なかった…！|work=Denfaminico Gamer|language=Japanese|date=2023-06-26|access-date=2024-10-05}}</ref>
* [[Akira Sakuma]] – game designer, freelance writer: ''[[Momotaro Densetsu]]'' series
* [[Hideyuki Kikuchi]] – [[horror fiction|horror]] writer: ''[[Vampire Hunter D]]''
* [[Tetsuo Hara]] – manga artist: ''[[Fist of the North Star]]''<ref name="DQ2023"/>
* [[Yuji Horii]] – game designer, freelance writer: ''[[Dragon Quest]]'' series<ref name="DQ2023"/>
* [[Keisuke Itagaki]] – manga artist: ''[[Baki the Grappler]]''<ref name="DQ2023"/>
* [[Naoki Yamamoto (manga artist)|Naoki Yamamoto]] – manga artist: ''[[Dance till Tomorrow]]''
* [[Takayuki Yamaguchi (artist)|Takayuki Yamaguchi]] – manga artist: ''[[Apocalypse Zero]]'' and ''[[Shigurui]]''

== Bibliography ==
* ''[[Lone Wolf and Cub]]'', with artist [[Goseki Kojima]], 1970–1976
* ''[[Hulk: The Manga]]'', with artist Yoshihiro Morifuji, November 24, 1970 – January 6, 1971
* ''[[Lady Snowblood (manga)|Lady Snowblood]]'', with artist [[Kazuo Kamimura]], 1972–1973
* ''[[Samurai Executioner]]'', with artist [[Goseki Kojima]], 1972–1976
* The script to the film ''[[Lady Snowblood (film)|Lady Snowblood]]'', 1973
* ''[[Musashi (manga)|Musashi]]'', with artist [[Noboru Kawasaki]], 1974–1977
* ''[[Kei no Seishun]]'',, with artist [[Goseki Kojima]], 1978–1980
* ''[[Seishun Dobutsuen Zoo|Adolescent Zoo]]'', with artist [[Hiromi Yamasaki]], 1978–1981
* ''[[Nijitte Monogatari]]'', with artist {{Interlanguage link|Satomi Koe|ja|3=神江里見}}, 1978–2003
* ''[[Path of the Assassin]]'', with artist [[Goseki Kojima]], 1978–1984
* ''[[Hanappe Bazooka]]'', with artist [[Go Nagai]], June 7, 1979 – January 7, 1982
* ''[[Wounded Man]]'', with artist [[Ryoichi Ikegami]], 1983–1986
* ''[[Mad Bull 34]]'', with artist [[Noriyoshi Inoue]], 1985–1991
* ''[[Crying Freeman]]'', with artist [[Ryoichi Ikegami]], 1986–1988
* ''[[Kawaite sōrō]]'', with artist [[Goseki Kojima]], 1995–1999
* ''[[X-Men Unlimited]]'' #50, 2003
* ''[[Kajō (manga)|Kajō]]'', with artist [[Hideki Mori]], 2003–2006
* ''[[New Lone Wolf and Cub]]'' (Shin Kozure Okami), with artist [[Hideki Mori]], 2003–2006
* ''[[Yume Genji Tsurugi no Saimon]]'', with artist [[Natsuki Sumeragi]], 2006–?
* ''[[Shura Yukihime Gaiden]]'', with artist [[Ryoichi Ikegami]], 2009–?
* ''[[Oda Nobunaga]]'', with artist [[Goseki Kojima]], ?-?
* ''[[Offered]]'', with artist [[Ryoichi Ikegami]], ?-?
* ''[[Color of Rage]]'', with artist [[Seisaku Kano]], ?-?
* Goyokiba, with artist Takeshi Kanda, ?-?

==Awards==
* 2004: Won the Hall of Fame [[Eisner Award]]<ref>[http://www.hahnlibrary.net/comics/awards/eisner04.php 2004 Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards], Comic Book Awards Almanac</ref>

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

==References==
* {{gcdb|type=credit|search=Kazuo+Koike|title=Kazuo Koike}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb name|0463521}}
* {{comicbookdb|type=creator|id=5345|title=Kazuo Koike}}
* Macias, Patrick (June 2008). {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060508103007/http://www.pulp-mag.com/archives/6.08/feature_koike.shtml |date=May 8, 2006 |title="The Writer from Hell" }}. Manga Hell! Archived via the [[Wayback Machine]]. Retrieved October 3, 2013.

{{Lone Wolf and Cub}}
{{Lady Snowblood}}
{{Inkpot Award 2000s}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Koike, Kazuo}}
[[Category:Kazuo Koike| ]]
[[Category:1936 births]]
[[Category:2019 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Daisen, Akita]]
[[Category:Writers from Akita Prefecture]]
[[Category:Will Eisner Award Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:Manga writers]]
[[Category:Gekiga creators]]