Fujiko F. Fujio

The pair was best known for their popular children's manga series, including Obake no Q-Tarō, Ninja Hattori-kun, Kaibutsu-kun, Perman, Kiteretsu Daihyakka and Doraemon. Some of their influences include Osamu Tezuka as well as international cartoons and comic books. Both artists base their writing style on a mix of morals with a subversive and wry sense of humor; their styles would evolve to the point of diversion, where Fujimoto focused on speculative science fiction in addition to children's works, while Abiko leaned towards the surreal and black comedy. Their work received critical acclaim and, on Fujimoto's part, universal recognition, with Doraemon being officially recognized as a cultural icon of modern Japan.

• Name — Fujiko Fujio • Native Name — 藤子 不二雄 • Birth Name — Hiroshi Fujimoto (藤本 弘) Motoo Abiko (安孫子 素雄) • Born — Fujimoto: 1933 12 1 in Takaoka, Toyama, Empire of Japan Abiko: 1934 3 10 in Himi, Toyama, Empire of Japan • Pen Name — Fujiko Fujio (common, 1953–1988) Fujiko F. Fujio (Fujimoto, 1989–) Fujiko A. Fujio (Abiko, 1988–) • Died — Fujimoto: 1996 9 23 in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan Abiko: 2022 4 6 in Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan • Occupation — Manga artists • Years Active — 1951–1987 (Fujiko Fujio) 1988–2022 (Fujiko A. Fujio) 1989–1996 (Fujiko F. Fujio) • Notable Works — * Obake no Q-Tarō • Ninja Hattori-kun • Kaibutsu-kun • Perman • Doraemon • Kiteretsu Daihyakka • Awards — * Shogakukan Manga Award (2 works in 1963, Doraemon in 1982) • Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize (Doraemon) • Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize Special Prize (Manga Michi etc.) • Illustration — Fujiko Fujio's activities and pen names Fujiko Fujio was a manga writing duo formed by Japanese manga artists December 1, 1933 – September 23, 1996 and March 10, 1934 – April 6, 2022. They debuted in 1951 as a duo under their real names. The Fujiko Fujio name was used for their respective works from 1953 until 1987, when Fujimoto became too ill to work consistently. The pair was best known for their popular children's manga series, including Obake no Q-Tarō, Ninja Hattori-kun, Kaibutsu-kun, Perman, Kiteretsu Daihyakka and Doraemon. Some of their influences include Osamu Tezuka as well as international cartoons and comic books. Both artists base their writing style on a mix of morals with a subversive and wry sense of humor; their styles would evolve to the point of diversion, where Fujimoto focused on speculative science fiction in addition to children's works, while Abiko leaned towards the surreal and black comedy. Their work received critical acclaim and, on Fujimoto's part, universal recognition, with Doraemon being officially recognized as a cultural icon of modern Japan.

For many years after their debut, they collaborated and wrote individually under one pen name. However, after 1988, they published under separate names. Pen names of each era • AD — Fujimoto — collaboration — Abiko • December 1951– — Hiroshi Fujimoto — — — Motoo Abiko • November 1952– — Ashizuka Fujio • July 1953–February 1988 — Fujiko Fujio • February 1988– — Fujiko Fujio F — — — Fujiko A. Fujio • January 1989– — Fujiko F. Fujio

From July 1953 to around January 1988, the two published both collaborations and individual works under one pen name, Fujiko Fujio.

Fujimoto used the pen name Fujiko F. Fujio, stylized as Fujiko・F・Fujio, from 1989 until his death.

Abiko used the pen name Fujiko Fujio A, stylized as Fujiko Fujio Ⓐ, from 1988 until his death. His pen name is romanized as Fujiko A. Fujio in Western publications.

Hiroshi Fujimoto and Motoo Abiko were both from Toyama Prefecture. Fujimoto was born on December 1, 1933, and Abiko on March 10, 1934. Abiko transferred to Fujimoto's elementary school in Takaoka City and happened to see Fujimoto drawing in a notebook. The two became lifelong friends, and during the early years of their friendship kept their illustrations hidden from friends and classmates out of embarrassment. In junior high school they were greatly influenced by Osamu Tezuka and his manga series Shin Takarajima. Fujimoto built a homemade episcope and together they wrote a piece for it called Tenküma, which was their first collaborative work. They started submitting work to periodicals such as Manga Shōnen and opened a joint savings account through Japan Post to which they both contributed funds and which they used to purchase art supplies. They divided all income and expenses equally between each other, a practice they continued throughout the life of their partnership. In high school, they made their publishing debut, Tenshi no Tama-chan being adopted for serialization by Mainichi Shogakusei Shimbun in 1951. That same year they paid a visit to Tezuka's residence in Takarazuka, Hyōgo and showed him illustrations for their work titled Ben Hur. Tezuka complimented the two's abilities, some years later commenting that he knew then they were going to be major figures in the manga industry. Abiko and Fujimoto treasured the meeting with the respected Tezuka, and kept the Ben Hur illustrations for their entire lives. It was at this time they decided to make their partnership permanent. The two initially adopted the name Tezuka Fujio out of respect, but later changed it to Ashizuka Fujio as they perceived the use of the name "Tezuka" as too close to that of their idol. Because both Fujimoto and Abiko were eldest sons respectively, they decided to take company jobs after graduating from high school in 1952. Fujimoto found employment with a confectionery company, and Abiko began working for the Toyama Newspaper Company. However, Fujimoto quit within a matter of days. Fujimoto then dedicated his time to submitting work to periodicals, with Abiko assisting him on the weekends. Their first serial as Ashizuka Fujio was terminated in a few episodes, followed by success with the post-apocalyptic science fiction series Utopia: The Last World War. At Fujimoto's urging, they elected to move to Tokyo in 1954 as professional manga artists, Abiko only reluctantly as he had steady employment at the Toyama Newspaper Company. Their first place of residence was a two-tatami mat room at the second floor of a watch shop. They eventually moved to the Tokiwa-sō apartment complex when Tezuka offered them a room that he was moving out of. Together with Hiroo Terada and several other manga artists of the period, they formed a collaborative group called "New Manga Party". At the apartment complex where the group was based, they enjoyed a period of productivity that had Fujimoto and Abiko carry up to six serials a month for publication. Additionally, Abiko contributed to Tezuka's works as an artist assistant, such as drawing a blizzard on the last page of Jungle Emperor. The workload proved excessive, and in 1955 on return to Toyama for Japanese New Year the pair missed all the deadlines for their serials. The loss of credibility with publishers hurt Fujimoto and Abiko for a year. During the Tokiwa-sō era, they purchased a television set in Akihabara and made independent films with an 8mm camera. By 1959 they left Tokiwa-sō and moved to Kawasaki in Kanagawa Prefecture. In the 1960s, Fujimoto and Abiko founded Fujiko Studio Co., Ltd., a joint manga production company. Fujimoto got married on October 31, 1962, at the age of 28. In 1963, Fujimoto and Abiko established Studio Zero with Shin'ichi Suzuki, Shotaro Ishimori, Jirō Tsunoda and Kiyoichi Tsunoda. Later Fujio Akatsuka joined, and at its peak the studio employed about 80 people. The studio produced several animated series and stood in for Mushi Production for an episode of Astro Boy. These were some of the duo's most productive years, resulting in series such as Obake no Q-Tarō which eventually were made into anime series on television. Abiko got married in 1966, at the age of 32. Fujimoto concentrated on titles for children, with a particular interest in science fiction. In 1968, Abiko started making manga for a more mature audience, with titles such as Kuroi Salesman. In the 1970s, Abiko focused on both adult and boys' manga. The style was full of black humor. Fujimoto focused on both adult and childhood manga. His style was notable for its sense of wonder. Doraemon was created in 1969. Since around 1974, its popularity has skyrocketed among Japanese children. CoroCoro Comic released its first issue in 1977 to showcase the works of Fujiko Fujio. With syndication of Doraemon on TV Asahi in 1979, a surge of popularity saw up to a dozen collaborative and solo works by Fujimoto and Abiko picked up for publication and syndication throughout the 1980s. Doraemon is the only work by the duo to ever get an official release in English-speaking countries, most notably the United States, though English dubs of work such as Perman and Ninja Hattori-kun have aired in Asia to less fanfare. Bones have produced an adaptation of Fujimoto's series Time Patrol Bon for Netflix, an unusual move due to the original series' obscurity. In 1987, citing creative differences, Fujimoto and Abiko ended their long partnership to concentrate on solo projects. From now on, Abiko would work at Fujiko Studio K.K. and Fujimoto in Fujiko F. Fujio Pro K.K. Abiko adopted the pen name Fujiko A. Fujio, while Fujimoto adopted the pen name Fujiko F. Fujio. According to Abiko, the cause for the dissolution of the partnership was due to Fujimoto discovering he had stomach cancer in 1986, and both Fujimoto and Abiko had a desire to settle copyright and financial issues before the other died. Fujimoto died of liver failure at a hospital in Shinjuku on September 23, 1996. A documentary was aired on TV Asahi on February 19, 2006, chronicling the life and times of Fujiko F. Fujio. The Fujiko F. Fujio Museum opened in Kawasaki, Kanagawa on September 3, 2011, which features a reproduction of Fujio's studio and a display of their artwork. Abiko died of natural causes at his home in Kawasaki on April 6, 2022.

• All works (Japanese) • Fujiko Fujio's Serialization list • Fujiko Fujio's One-shot list

• English title — Japanese title — Year • Angel Tama-chan — Tenshi no Tama-chan — 1951–1952 • Drifting for 40,000 Years — 4 Man-nen hyōryū — 1953 • UTOPIA: The Final World War — UTOPIA: Saigo no Sekai Taisen — 1953 • Prince of the Sea — Umi no Ōji — 1959–1965 • Invisible Racing Car — Kieru Kaisokusha — 1963 • Little Ghost Q-Taro — Obake no Q-Tarō — 1964–1966 • Wakatono — わかとの — 1964–1965 • Great Dog Tintin — Meiken Tantan — 1965–1968 • Beret Shin-chan — Berē no Shin-chan — 1965–1966 • Jirokichi — ジロキチ — 1965–1966 • Gloves Te-chan (1966) — Tebukuro Tetchan — 1966 • Perman (1966) — Pāman — 1966–1968 • Chintara Kami-chan — チンタラ神ちゃん — 1967 • New Little Ghost Q-Taro — Shin Obake no Q-Tarō — 1971–1973, 1976 • Senbe — Senbē — 1971–1972

• English title — Japanese title — Year • Gloves Te-chan (1960) — Tebukuro Tetchan — 1960–1963 • Go! Roboket — Susume Roboket — 1961–1965 • 21 Emon: The 21st Century Kid — 21 Emon — 1967–1969, 1981 • Super-san (one-shot) — スーパーさん — 1968 • Plum Star Denka — Umeboshi Denka — 1968–1970 • Mojacko — Mojakō — 1969–1970 • Doraemon — ドラえもん — 1969–1988 • Pokonyan (Rocky Rackat!) — ポコニャン — 1970–1978 • Bonom: Sokonuke-san (one-shot) — ボノム =底ぬけさん= — 1970 • Dojita Dojiro's Luck (one-shot) — Dojita Dojirō no Kōun — 1970 • Adventures of Dobinson — Dobinson Hyōryūki — 1971–1972 • Old Bachelor (one-shot) — Jijinuki — 1970 • Self Meeting (one-shot) — Jibun Kaigi — 1972 • Jungle Kurobe — Jungle Kurobē — 1973 • Pajamaman — パジャママン — 1973–1974 • Mokkoro-kun — モッコロくん — 1973–1975 • Bakeru-kun — バケルくん — 1974–1976, 1984 • Nostaljii (one-shot) — Nosutarujī — 1974 • Kiteretsu — Kiteretsu Daihyakka — 1974–1977 • Zo-kun and Risu-chan — Zō-kun to Risu-chan — 1974–1975 • Mikio and MIKIO — Mikio to MIKIO — 1974–1975 • Red-Haired Anko (one-shot) — Akage no Anko — 1974 • Fourth Dimension Hat P-Poko — 4 Jigen Bō P-Poko — 1975–1976 • 33,000 Square Meters (one-shot) — 3 Man 3 Zen Hēbē — 1975 • Lone War of the Worlds (one-shot) — Hitoribotchi no Uchū Sensō — 1975 • Ultra-Super-Deluxeman (one-shot) — ウルトラ・スーパー・デラックスマン — 1975 • Bellavo — Berabō — 1968–1969 • U-Bow — U-Bō — 1976–1978 • Minister Bowbow — Baubau Daijin — 1976 • Captain Bon — きゃぷてんボン — 1976 • Mami the Psychic — Esper Mami — 1976–1983 • Alien Report: Sample A and B (one-shot) — Uchūjin Report: Sample A to B — 1977 • Middle-aged Superman Mr. Saenai — Chūnen Superman Saenai-shi — 1977–1978 • That Idiot Aims for the Wilderness (one-shot) — Ano Baka wa Kōya wo Mezasu — 1977 • Time Patrol Bon — T. P. Bon — 1978–1985 • His Time Machine (one-shot) — Aitsu no Time Machine — 1979 • Mira-cle-1 — Mira-kuru-1 — 1979 • One Day... (one-shot) — Aru Hi... — 1982 • Worldscope (one-shot) — Shikaikyō — 1982 • Perman (1983) — Pāman — 1983–1986 • Chu-Poko — Chū-Poko — 1983 • Toppi the Space Puppy — Chūken Toppi — 1983–1984 • Chimpui — チンプイ — 1985–1988

• English title — Japanese title — Year • My name is X-kun — Wagana wa X-kun — 1957–1958, 1959–1962 • Silver Cross — シルバー・クロス — 1960–1963 • Galaxy Captain — Ginga Senchō — 1961–1962 • Big 1 — ビッグ・1 — 1962 • Prince Ciscon — Shisukon Ōji — 1963–1964 • Futa-kun — Fūta-kun — 1964–1967 • Ninja Hattori — Ninja Hattori-kun — 1964–1968, 1981–1988 • Three Z Men — スリーZメン — 1964–1965 • Tako-kun in My House — Bokunchi no Tako-kun — 1965–1967 • The Monster Kid — Kaibutsu-kun — 1965–1969, 1972, 1980–1982 • Masked X-kun — Mask no X-kun — 1965–1966 • Manganica — マンガニカ — 1967–1971 • Monster Boy Wakatono — Kaijin Wakatono — 1967–1968 • The Black Salesman (one-shot) — KUROI SEeRUSUMAN — 1968 • Biriken — ビリ犬 — 1969 • The Black Salesman (serialization) — KUROi SEeRUSUMAN — 1969–1971 • Kurobe — Kurobē — 1969–1970 • Masked Taro — Kamen Tarō — 1969–1970 • Madmen Team — Kyōjin Gun — 1969–1970 • Uncle HiTLer — HitTORAa Oji San — 1969, 1971 • Bolaevon — Bōraewon (ボラエヲン) — 1970-1993 • Mumako — 夢魔子 — 1970 • Gekiga Mao Zedong — Gekiga Mō Takutō Den — 1970–1971 • Phantom Hen-dayou — Maboroshi Hendayū — 1971–1972 • Mr. Nameless — Mumei-kun — 1971–1976 • Kappa Kappo — Kappa no Kappo — 1972–1974 • Mataro is Coming!! — Matarō ga Kuru!! — 1972–1975 • Mr. Tour Conductor — Tenjō-san — 1972–1974 • Nonsense Man — Zare Otoko — 1973 • Love Thief — Ai Nusubito — 1973 • Katsuagemaru Extortion Company — Katsuagemaru Yusuri Shōkai — 1973 • Sasurai-kun — Sasurai-kun — 1973–1981 • Saru the ProGolfer — ProGolfer Saru — 1974–1980, 1982–1988 • Love Traveler — Ai Tazunebito — 1974 • Old man Bo-Taro — Oyaji Bōtarō — 1975–1976 • Miss Dracula — ミス・ドラキュラ — 1975–1980 • I am Assistant Chief — Ore Kakarichō Hosa — 1975–1976 • Black Company Henkiro — Black Shōkai Henkirō — 1976–1977 • Manga Michi — まんが道 — 1977–1982, 1986–1988 • Parman's Days — Parman no Hibi — 1978–1980 • Shonen Jidai (Childhood Days) — Shōnen Jidai — 1978–1979 • Futa-kun NOW! — フータくん NOW! — 1982–1983 • Parman's Reserved Seat — Parman no Shiteiseki — 1982–1987 • Dream Tunnel — Yume Tonneru — 1983–1984 • Ninja Hattori + Perman — Ninja Hattori-kun + Pāman — 1983–1985 • Ultra B — ウルトラB — 1984–1988

• English title — Japanese title — Year • Doraemon — ドラえもん — 1988–1997 • Chimpui — チンプイ — 1988–1991 • Ginger X — (ぎんとご X) — 1988 • Future Memories — Mirai no Omoide — 1991 • Alien Mr. Andro (one-shot) — Ijin Andoro-shi — 1995

• English title — Japanese title — Year • Ninja Hattori — Ninja Hattori-kun — 1988 • Saru the ProGolfer — ProGolfer Saru — 1988, 1989 • Manga Michi — まんが道 — 1988 • Ultra B — ウルトラB — 1988–1989 • Biriken — ビリ犬 — 1988–1989 • Takamori Runs — Takamori ga Hashiru — 1988–1991 • Biriken All Trading Company — Biriken Nandemo Shōkai — 1988–1989 • Parasol Henbe — Parasol Hembē — 1989–1991 • The Laughing Salesman — WARAu SEeRUSUMAN — 1989–1995 • Love... When I knew it... • Youth of Maga Michio — Ai... Shirisomeshi Koro ni... • Maga Michio no Seishun — 1989, 1990, 1995–2013 • Sudden Death — サドンデス — 1991–1992 • Prince Demokin — プリンスデモキン — 1991–1999 • YOUM — YOUM — 1991–1995 • PARMAN's days — PARMAN no Hibi — 1991–1992 • Drifting Around The World — World Hyōryūki — 1993–1995 • Kirito Come!! — Kirito ga Kita!! — 1994–1996 • Parman's Days of Dream and Roses — Parman no Yume to Bara no Hibi — 1995–1996 • The Salesman Returns — KAEtTEKITA SEeRUSUMAN — 1996, 1998–2000 • Moguro Fukujiro's Work — Moguro Fukujirō no Shigoto — 1997–1998 • Yojimbo — Yōjinbō — 1998 • Hoa!! Koike-san — ホアー!! 小池さん — 1998–2001 • SARU — サル — 1998–2005 • The Dancing Salesman — ODORU SEeRUSUMAN — 2001, 2003–2006 • PARman's Passionate Days — PARman no Jōnetsuteki na Hibi — 2007–2015 • Life Proverb Funny "MAN" Encyclopedia — Jinsei Kotowaza Omoshiro "Man" Jiten — 2007–2022 • The Monster Kid (one-shot) — Kaibutsu-kun — 2011