Naoko Takeuchi

Naoko Takeuchi

Naoko Takeuchi (武内直子 Takeuchi Naoko), born March 15, 1967, is a manga artist who lives in Tokyo, Japan. She is the original creator of the famous manga and anime series Sailor Moon. Takeuchi lives with her husband, Yoshihiro Togashi, creator of YuYu Hakusho and Hunter × Hunter.

Ms. Takeuchi graduated from Kyoritsu University of Pharmacy, where she received a degree in chemistry. She became a licensed pharmacist. Her senior thesis was entitled "Heightened Effects of Thrombolytic Actions Due to Ultrasound."

Ms. Takeuchi's works are widely admired by anime/manga fans. She is a well-known mangaka in the United States. Her most popular work, Sailor Moon, has been widely reprinted and marketed in North America. Takeuchi is an avid traveler and has visited the United States many times. She attended San Diego Comic-Con in 1998.

Manga Creations

The following is a list of Naoko Takeuchi's works, both major and minor, since her debut (from Takeuchi-Naoko.com and The Manga of Takeuchi Naoko):
* Chocolate Christmas (チョコレート・クリスマス Chokor�"to Kurisumasu, 1987-1988):
** A story about a girl that falls in love with a DJ over Christmas. It was collected into a single tankobon volume.
* Maria (ま・り・あ Ma-ri-a, 1989-1990):
** A story loosely based on the book Daddy-Long-Legs by Jean Webster.
* The Cherry Project (Theチェリープロジェクト The Cherī Purojekuto, 1990-1991):
** A figure skating-themed manga, spanning 3 volumes, involving the young skater Cherry's quest to become a professional skater and win the heart of a boy. The series was released in 3 collected volumes between 1991 and 1992.
* Codename: Sailor V (コードネームはセーラーV Kōdon�"mu wa S�"rā Bui, 1991-1997):
** This series follows the adventures of costumed "magical girl" Sailor V. It was the direct predecessor to (and something of a prototype for) Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon, and introduced Minako Aino, alias "Sailor V," who would become a supporting character in the latter series. The series was concluded after the author had already finished Sailor Moon, and featured an ending that tied the two series together. Originally released in 3 volumes, Codename: Sailor V was re-released in 2004 in a deluxe two-volume "Renewal Edition" (新装版 Shinzōban) format.
* Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon (美少女戦士セーラームーン Bishōjo Senshi S�"rāmūn, 1992-1997)
** Known to American audiences simply as Sailor Moon, this manga is Naoko Takeuchi's most famous work, which spawned an anime, several films, stage musicals, and a live-action television series. A fusion of styles between the mahō shōjo and sentai genres, Sailor Moon tells the story of Usagi Tsukino, a girl who discovered one day that she was the reincarnation of a celestial heroine fighting for love and justice. This series was largely responsible for the late-1990s resurgence of "magical girl" anime and manga. The series was originally released in 18 volumes, but was re-released in 2003 and 2004 in a deluxe 12-volume "Renewal Edition" (新装版 Shinzōban) format, with two supplementary volumes containing side stories to the main work.
* Miss Rain (ミス・レイン Misu Rein, 1993):
** A collection of 5 short manga, including the title work.
* Prism Time (プリズム・タイム Purizumu Taimu, 1986-1997):
** A collection of one-shot stories from early works to those from the late 1990s. It is available in 2 volumes, released in 1995 and 1997, respectively.
* PQ Angels (ＰＱエンジェルス PQ Enjerusu, 1997):
** Features two alien girls, able to turn into cockroaches, who are searching for their princess. The series was a complete disaster for Ms. Takeuchi: it was discontinued abruptly after only 4 chapters, and Kodansha lost the proofs of the portion that had been written. For obvious reasons, it has only appeared in its original serialization, from September to December of 1997.
* Princess Naoko Takeuchi's Return-to-Society Punch