Hiromu Arakawa
Hiromu Arakawa is a Japanese manga artist. She is best known as the creator of the manga series Fullmetal Alchemist (2001–2010), which became a hit both domestically and internationally, and was adapted into two anime television series. She is also known for Silver Spoon (2011–2019), the manga adaptation of The Heroic Legend of Arslan novels (since 2013), and Daemons of the Shadow Realm (since 2021).
Also recorded as Hiromi Arakawa
Hiromu Arakawa
- Born
- 8 May 1973
- Birthplace
- Makubetsu, Tokachi Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan
- Nationality
- Japanese
- Occupation
- mangaka · artist · visual artist · screenwriter · draftsperson · comics artist
- Known for
- Fullmetal Alchemist · Silver Spoon · Daemons of the Shadow Realm
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Hiromu Arakawa is a Japanese manga artist. She is best known as the creator of the manga series Fullmetal Alchemist (2001–2010), which became a hit both domestically and internationally, and was adapted into two anime television series. She is also known for Silver Spoon (2011–2019), the manga adaptation of The Heroic Legend of Arslan novels (since 2013), and Daemons of the Shadow Realm (since 2021).
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Hiromu Arakawa was a Japanese artist, comics artist and draftsperson, among other activities. Works include Daemons of the Shadow Realm, Fullmetal Alchemist and Silver Spoon.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 27 September 2026
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In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name Nonen — 荒川 弘 • Nonus — ja • Born — 8 May 1973 • Birthplace — Makubetsu, Tokachi Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan • Nationality — Japanese • Area — Manga artist • Notable Works — * Fullmetal Alchemist • Silver Spoon • The Heroic Legend of Arslan • Daemons of the Shadow Realm • Manga — yes • Children — 3
Early life
Early life
Born on May 8, 1973, in Tokachi, Hokkaidō, Japan, Arakawa was born and raised on a dairy farm with three elder sisters and a younger brother. She aspired to be a manga artist from an early age. Throughout her school years, she would often draw on her textbooks. After graduating high school, she took oil painting classes once a month for seven years while working on her family's farm. During this time, she also created dōjinshi manga with her friends and drew yonkoma for a magazine. Arakawa moved to Tokyo in the summer of 1999.
Career
Career
Arakawa began her career in the manga world as an assistant to Hiroyuki Etō, author of Enix's Mahōjin Guru Guru. Her own manga Stray Dog was published in Enix's Monthly Shōnen Gangan in 1999. Stray Dog won the ninth 21st Century "Shōnen Gangan" Award. She published one chapter of Shanghai Yōmakikai in Monthly Shōnen Gangan in 2000.
Fullmetal Alchemist
Fullmetal Alchemist
In July 2001, Arakawa published the first chapter of Fullmetal Alchemist in Monthly Shōnen Gangan. The series spanned 108 chapters, with the last one published in July 2010, and the series was collected in twenty-seven volumes. The series won the 49th Shogakukan Manga Award in the shōnen category in 2004. Fullmetal Alchemist has been adapted into two anime series by Bones. When they were creating the first, Arakawa assisted them in its early development. However, she was not involved in the making of the script, so the anime has a different ending from the manga, which she developed further. When the second anime adaptation was reaching its ending, Arakawa showed director Yasuhiro Irie her plans for the manga's ending, making both end in near dates.
Other works
Other works
Arakawa has published more works, including Raiden-18, Sōten no Kōmori (also known as Bat in Blue Sky), and Hero Tales. Arakawa has collaborated with the creation of Hero Tales with Studio Flag under the name of Huang Jin Zhou. In the anime adaptation of the series, Arakawa was responsible for the character designs. She has also drawn the cover from the Japanese edition of the novel The Demon's Lexicon authored by Sarah Rees Brennan. In April 2011, Arakawa began a series called Silver Spoon in Shogakukan's Weekly Shōnen Sunday. Rather than writing another fantasy series like Fullmetal Alchemist, Arakawa wanted to challenge herself by trying a more realistic story with Silver Spoon. It quickly rose among Shogakukan's best-selling titles and an anime series by A-1 Pictures began airing in July 2013. Also in July 2013 she began her manga adaptation of Yoshiki Tanaka's The Heroic Legend of Arslan series of novels in Kodansha's Bessatsu Shōnen Magazine. Arakawa started the manga series Daemons of the Shadow Realm in Monthly Shōnen Gangan on December 10, 2021. In 2022, an anime adaptation of Arakawa's autobiographical manga Hyakushō Kizoku was announced.
Personal life
Personal life
Arakawa is married and has three children. She gave birth to a daughter in 2007 and had her third child in January 2014. Arakawa is a fan of the Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises, and has described Darth Vader as "the greatest villain of all time".
Works
Works
• Stray Dog (1999) • Ghost Demons of Shanghai (2000) • Fullmetal Alchemist (2001–2010) • Raiden-18 (2005–2021) • Sōten no Kōmori (2006) • Hero Tales (2006–2010) • Hyakushō Kizoku (2006–present) • Silver Spoon (2011–2019) • The Heroic Legend of Arslan (2013–present) • Daemons of the Shadow Realm (2021–present) • Moonrise (2025) (character design)
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 1 entries
1973
Hiromu Arakawa was born on 8 May 1973.
Influences
Arakawa has stated that Suihō Tagawa, the author of Norakuro, is the "root of [her] style as an artist". She also learned composition and drawing during her time as assistant of Hiroyuki Etō. She also cites Rumiko Takahashi, Shigeru Mizuki, and Kinnikuman by Yudetamago as influences and is a fan of Mike Mignola's work.
Awards
• 1999: 9th 21st Century Enix Award for Stray Dog • 2003: 49th Shogakukan Manga Award, Shōnen category for Fullmetal Alchemist • 2011: 15th Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize, "New Artist Prize" category. • 2011: 42nd Seiun Award, "Best Science Fiction Comic" category for Fullmetal Alchemist • 2012: 5th Manga Taishō Award for Silver Spoon • 2012: 58th Shogakukan Manga Award, Shōnen category for Silver Spoon
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Natasha, Inc. Comic Natalie.
- 2.Yahoo.com.
- 3.Wong, Amos. Equivalent Exchange. Newtype USA. A.D. Vision. 5. 1. April 2011. 1541-4817 Page needed.
- 4.Hyakushou Kizoku (2008)
- 5.Square Enix. Corporate History.
- 6.Arakawa, Hiromu. Fullmetal Alchemist Profiles. Viz Media. 100–105. June 2006. 978-1-4215-0768-2.
- 7.Arakawa, Hiromu. Shanghai Yōmakikai. Monthly Shōnen Gangan. Square Enix. March 2000.
- 8.Viz Media. Hiromu Arakawa.
- 9.FMA: B Ends July 4; Sengoku Basara 2 Starts July 11. Anime News Network. June 8, 2010.
- 10.ja:鋼の錬金術師 27巻.
- 11.Arakawa, Hiromu. Square Enix. 168–172. 2005. 978-4-7575-1426-3.
- 12.News FMA: B Ends July 4; Sengoku Basara 2 Starts July 11. Anime News Network. June 8, 2010.
- 13.Shogakukan. Raiden 18.
- 14.Comipress.com. New Manga Magazine from Square-Enix. September 29, 2006.
- 15.Hero Tales Anime Staff, First Manga Compilation Announced. Anime News Network. June 22, 2007.
- 16.Fullmetal Alchemist's Arakawa Draws Cover for Irish Novelist. Anime News Network. April 28, 2009.
- 17.Asuka Editions. Interview: Hiromu Arakawa. Animeland. 189. January 2013.
- 18.Tokyohive. "Fullmetal Alchemist" author's new series is called "Silver Spoon". March 30, 2011.
- 19.Fullmetal Alchemist's Arakawa to Adapt Tanaka's Arslan Fantasy. Anime News Network. May 7, 2013.
- 20.Pineda, Rafael. Fullmetal Alchemist's Hiromu Arakawa Launches Yomi no Tsugai Manga on December 10. Anime News Network. November 11, 2021.
- 21.Pineda, Rafael Antonio. Hiromu Arakawa's Autobiographical Manga Hyakushō Kizoku Gets Anime. Anime News Network. 2022-10-26.
- 22.ja:Webサンデー まんが家Backstage. live.
- 23.Fullmetal Alchemist/Silver Spoon's Hiromu Arakawa Has Her 3rd Baby. Anime News Network. February 12, 2014.
- 24.Meenan, Devin. The Creator Of Fullmetal Alchemist Loves This Star Wars Villain. /Film. 2024-01-18.
- 25.Shogakukan.
- 26.News: 15th Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize Winners Announced. Anime News Network. May 2, 2011.
- 27.日本SFファングループ連合会議: 星雲賞リスト.
- 28.Hiromu Arakawa's Silver Spoon Wins 5th Manga Taisho Award. Anime News Network. March 23, 2012.
- 29.Shogakukan.
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Recognition and collections. Arakawa received Seiun Award for Best Comic.
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 14 August 2026.
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