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Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox comics creator

Template:Nihongo was a Japanese manga artist. She made her debut in 2010 with the one-shot title Non-Sugar Coffee. She later published two series, Haven't You Heard? I'm Sakamoto (2012–2015) and Migi & Dali (2017–2021), which were both adapted into anime series.

Early life

Sano was born in Nishinomiya, Hyōgo, on 17 April 1987.[1][2] She attended Template:Ill, where she served as the head of the tennis club.[3] She later attended and graduated from Template:Ill.[3] According to a former classmate, Sano was a quiet student but was skilled in painting, stating that she drew the background for a class play during their school's cultural festival.[4] She had wanted to be a manga artist since she was in elementary school and started drawing manga while in high school.[5] Sano graduated from Kyoto Seika University under its Cartoon Manga course.[6] Twin Star Exorcists author Template:Ill, an alumni and professor at the university, said that Sano once served as his assistant.[6]

Career

At age 20, Sano submitted her comics to three publishers, from which she received a reply from Tatsuya Shiode, an editor for the magazine Harta (formerly named Fellows!).[5] Shiode said that he "felt a lot of energy" in Sano's drawings despite them not being polished.[5] She debuted as a manga artist in April 2010 with the one-shot Non-Sugar Coffee, which was published in Fellows![1] The following year, Sano's one-shot Katahaba Hiroshi was included in the Costume Fellows! 2011 booklet.[7] Her next one-shot Taylor's House was released in Fellows! that year.[8]

Sano's debut series was originally planned to be a "romantic comedy about [a] boy who can see the five seconds into the future, and how he falls in love with other girls."[5] After Sano sent some storyboards, Shiode said the story was "not funny at all", prompting her to change it into a gag manga.[5] The series Haven't You Heard? I'm Sakamoto was initially a one-shot published in Fellows! in August 2011, before being serialized in the same magazine from April 2012 to December 2015.[1][9] It revolves around a high school student named Sakamoto who has a reputation for being the "coolest" person in the entire student body.[5] It was compiled into four Template:Transl volumes, which have collectively sold over 3.5 million copies.[10] The series won the Comic Natalie Grand Prize in 2013 and was nominated for the Manga Taishō in 2014.[11][12] Studio Deen adapted the manga into an anime series in 2016; a spin-off one-shot titled Hito Yonde 8823 was published in Harta in the same year.[13][14] Sano was a special guest at Anime Expo 2016 where she held autograph sessions.[5]

Sano stated that her next series would also be a comedy, but it would focus more on the characters' feelings and a goal that they would work towards.[5] The series was titled Migi & Dali, which was serialized in Harta from July 2017 to November 2021.[15][16] It follows the titular twins Migi and Dali who pose as a boy named Hitori while finding out the truth surrounding their mother's death.[17] Seven Template:Transl volumes were released, which have a total of 350,000 copies in circulation.[18] It was adapted into an anime series by Geek Toys and CompTown in 2023.[19] Sano drew the illustrations shown in the anime's ending sequence;[20] they were later included in a 28-page booklet titled The Timeless Collection of Arts from "Migi & Dali" that was bundled with an issue of Harta.[17] She also illustrated the cover art of Nulbarich's "Skyline", the anime's ending song.[21] Sano finished supervising the adaptation prior to her death.[22]

Death

In May 2023, Sano went for a checkup after she felt tension in her abdomen.[22] A tumor was discovered in her ovary; a month before her death,[23] it was diagnosed as malignant and already in its fourth stage.[22] Sano died of ovarian cancer on 5 August 2023 at age 36;[22] a funeral was held on 7 and 8 August. She was in the process of planning a new manga while undergoing treatment. Her death was made public on 16 August.[24] The announcement included a passage from her final letter, which stated, "This ended up being a fun life. I am now going to a more free world. Goodbye."[23] Template:Ill, author of Hakumei and Mikochi, and voice actors Ayumu Murase and Shun Horie were among those who offered their condolences.[25] Sano, Haven't You Heard? I'm Sakamoto, Migi & Dali, and the phrase "one month of illness" also became trending topics on Twitter in Japan following the announcement.[26][27]

Style, influences and legacy

Sano has cited Magical Circle Guru Guru as her inspiration to become a manga artist, calling the story "very down to earth" and adding that she liked the humor.[5] She was also inspired by manga artist Kaoru Mori.[5] The Asahi Shimbun called Sano's style unique, stating that she does not incorporate a straight man character into the story, but rather leaves the humor to the reader's interpretation.[22] Reviewers for Anime News Network said that she had "a distinctive perspective and gauge for hilarity" and "a unique knack for absurdist humor."[28][29]

The setting of Haven't You Heard? I'm Sakamoto is primarily modeled after locations in Sano's hometown of Nishinomiya, particularly those along the Hanshin Main Line.[4] In 2016, a collaboration was held between the anime adaptation, the city of Nishinomiya, and Hanshin Electric Railway which involved various projects, including a stamp rally and posters being displayed in various locations in the city.[30] The collaboration led to local and overseas fans traveling to Nishinomiya as a form of pilgrimage.[4] After the announcement of Sano's death, the local community offered their condolences.[4] A column published by the Nishinomiya Mayor's Office thanked her for "sharing the wonders" of the city.[31] In December 2023, a special program about Sano was presented during the Fureai Festival at Gakubun Junior High School.[3]

Works

Serials

One-shots

Other

  • Harta volume 81 (magazine; 2021) – cover illustration[34]
  • Migi & Dali (anime; 2023) – ending sequence illustrations[20]
  • "Skyline" (song; 2023) – cover illustration[21]

References

Template:Reflist

External links

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