Maki Murakami
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese
manga artist
most famous for the boys love manga Gravitation
, which, in addition to the Gravitation novel, is published by in the U.S. by Tokyopop
. Gravitation was the first BL to have broken into mainstream leading way for the overwhelming popularity of yaoi/shounen-ai today. There are twelve volumes currently available; and she is continuing the series with Gravitation EX, there are also two novels (one of which is written by Murakami herself). She also has written several issues of yaoi
doujinshi, published by her doujinshi circle; Crocodile Avenue. Rimigra aka Remix Gravitation is the most popular and consists of sexual content but of quite a mild nature, unlike Megamix Gravitation, which is very explicit and detailed. Gravitation was so successful it has its own anime
series, which consists of 13 episodes as well as two "Lyrics of Love" OVAs. She has created other manga, but Gravitation is the most famous.
She began working as an assistant to the older sister of one of her friends, drawing hentai
manga, while she was still in high school, and produced many dojinshi
about musicians.
Maki Murakami has continued the Gravitation series with Gravitation EX, which has also been licensed by Tokyopop
. Gravitation EX only consists of 1 volume in English and the second one is currently being published by Gentosha comics in Japanese.
Her work Gamerz Heaven
was licensed by ADV Films in North America with the first two volumes, but the third and fourth are not yet translated.
She is also the creator of Kanpai!
which was published by Tokyopop, but only has two volumes and it is unknown if it will eventually be continued by her.
She is one of many manga artists who draws her own doujinshi including Gravitation Remix 1-12, Gravitation Megamix EST, Gravitation Megamix Panda, Gravitation Megamix Kumagoro, Gravitation Megamix Capybara, Kanpai! DJ: Unapai, Gamerz Heaven DJ: Director's Cut.
She is shy of being photographed, as it was reported on the Otakon
2007 website, where it is stated that "A condition of her visit is that there be no photographs taken of her while she's at Otakon".
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
manga artist
Mangaka
is the Japanese word for a comic artist or cartoonist. Outside of Japan, manga usually refers to a Japanese comic book and mangaka refers to the author of the manga, who is usually Japanese...
most famous for the boys love manga Gravitation
Gravitation (manga)
is a shōnen-ai manga series written by Maki Murakami.The story follows the attempts of Shuichi Shindo and his band, Bad Luck, to become Japan's next musical sensation and his struggles to capture Yuki's heart...
, which, in addition to the Gravitation novel, is published by in the U.S. by Tokyopop
Tokyopop
Tokyopop, styled TOKYOPOP, and formerly known as Mixx, is a distributor, licensor, and publisher of anime, manga, manhwa, and Western manga-style works. The existing German publishing division produces German translations of licensed Japanese properties and original English-language manga, as well...
. Gravitation was the first BL to have broken into mainstream leading way for the overwhelming popularity of yaoi/shounen-ai today. There are twelve volumes currently available; and she is continuing the series with Gravitation EX, there are also two novels (one of which is written by Murakami herself). She also has written several issues of yaoi
Yaoi
In careful Japanese enunciation, all three vowels are pronounced separately, for a three-mora word, . The English equivalent is . also known as Boys' Love, is a Japanese popular term for female-oriented fictional media that focus on homoerotic or homoromantic male relationships, usually created by...
doujinshi, published by her doujinshi circle; Crocodile Avenue. Rimigra aka Remix Gravitation is the most popular and consists of sexual content but of quite a mild nature, unlike Megamix Gravitation, which is very explicit and detailed. Gravitation was so successful it has its own anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
series, which consists of 13 episodes as well as two "Lyrics of Love" OVAs. She has created other manga, but Gravitation is the most famous.
She began working as an assistant to the older sister of one of her friends, drawing hentai
Hentai
is a Japanese word that, in the West, is used when referring to sexually explicit or pornographic comics and animation, particularly those of Japanese origin such as anime, manga, and computer games. The word hentai is a kanji compound of 変 and 態...
manga, while she was still in high school, and produced many dojinshi
Dojinshi
is the Japanese term for self-published works, usually magazines, manga or novels. Dōjinshi are often the work of amateurs, though some professional artists participate as a way to publish material outside the regular industry. The term dōjinshi is derived from and . Dōjinshi are part of a wider...
about musicians.
Maki Murakami has continued the Gravitation series with Gravitation EX, which has also been licensed by Tokyopop
Tokyopop
Tokyopop, styled TOKYOPOP, and formerly known as Mixx, is a distributor, licensor, and publisher of anime, manga, manhwa, and Western manga-style works. The existing German publishing division produces German translations of licensed Japanese properties and original English-language manga, as well...
. Gravitation EX only consists of 1 volume in English and the second one is currently being published by Gentosha comics in Japanese.
Her work Gamerz Heaven
Gamerz Heaven
is a manga by Maki Murakami, author of the popular manga Gravitation. The story is about young gamer Kaito Suzuki, who one day discovers a video game that transports the player to a different dimension....
was licensed by ADV Films in North America with the first two volumes, but the third and fourth are not yet translated.
She is also the creator of Kanpai!
Kanpai!
Kanpai!, or , is a Japanese manga by Maki Murakami, which has been licensed and is currently being published in English by TOKYOPOP. Although Kanpai! is the title officially acknowledged by TOKYOPOP and used on the covers and the TOKYOPOP title page , only kimi no unaji ni kanpai! is used in the book...
which was published by Tokyopop, but only has two volumes and it is unknown if it will eventually be continued by her.
She is one of many manga artists who draws her own doujinshi including Gravitation Remix 1-12, Gravitation Megamix EST, Gravitation Megamix Panda, Gravitation Megamix Kumagoro, Gravitation Megamix Capybara, Kanpai! DJ: Unapai, Gamerz Heaven DJ: Director's Cut.
She is shy of being photographed, as it was reported on the Otakon
Otakon
Otakon is a fan convention in the United States focusing on East Asian popular culture and its fandom. The name is a portmanteau derived from convention and the Japanese word otaku...
2007 website, where it is stated that "A condition of her visit is that there be no photographs taken of her while she's at Otakon".
Works
- GravitationGravitation (manga)is a shōnen-ai manga series written by Maki Murakami.The story follows the attempts of Shuichi Shindo and his band, Bad Luck, to become Japan's next musical sensation and his struggles to capture Yuki's heart...
(1996–2002, GentoshaGentoshais a Japanese publisher, headquartered in Shibuya, Tokyo. Gentosha publishes manga magazine Comic Birz, Web comic magazines GENZO, SPICA, Comic MAGNA, literary magazines Lynx, papyrus, as well as business magazine GOETHE.- Publications :...
) - Kanpai!Kanpai!Kanpai!, or , is a Japanese manga by Maki Murakami, which has been licensed and is currently being published in English by TOKYOPOP. Although Kanpai! is the title officially acknowledged by TOKYOPOP and used on the covers and the TOKYOPOP title page , only kimi no unaji ni kanpai! is used in the book...
(2001, Gentosha) - Gamerz HeavenGamerz Heavenis a manga by Maki Murakami, author of the popular manga Gravitation. The story is about young gamer Kaito Suzuki, who one day discovers a video game that transports the player to a different dimension....
(2003–2005, serialized in Comic Blade, Mag GardenMag Gardenis a Japanese publishing company that focuses on manga-related publications and is also involved in the development of anime and live-action adaptations. It was founded on June 5, 2001 by Yoshihiro Hosaka along with former manga artists of Enix...
) - Gravitation Ex (2007-ongoing, Gentosha)