Katsuhiro Otomo  

Born in Miyagi, Japan, Katsuhiro Otomo was captivated by American movies from an early age. Despite having to travel for hours to the nearest theater, his love for cinema only grew stronger. In 1973, he moved to Tokyo and made his debut in comics with "Jyu-sei," a series based on Prosper Mérimée's novella "Mateo Falcone." This marked the beginning of Otomo's interest in science fiction themes. In 1979, he released his first longer publication, "Fireball," which was praised for its innovative style and changed traditional manga forever. His work gained popularity with magazine Action, where he frequently published. In 1980, "Domu" became a best-seller and won Japan's Science Fiction Grand Prix Award. In 1982, Otomo created the comic series "Akira," which was initially published in Young magazine and quickly gained popularity. It grew into an epic tale that has since won numerous awards and is widely regarded as one of the greatest works of graphic fiction ever made. The series has also been successful in the West, where it has received critical acclaim and enthusiasm from fans. In addition to his love for cinema and science fiction, Otomo is a fan of James Dean's "Rebel Without a Cause" and Stanley Kubrick's "2001: A Space Odyssey." His work continues to inspire and influence the world of comics and graphic novels.