Ken Akamatsu (edit name/settings)

(赤松 健, Akamatsu Ken, July 5, 1968) is a Japanese mangaka from Tokyo.<br />     In his teens, Akamatsu applied to Tokyo University, but was rejected and learned Film Study instead (it is speculated that this is where he got the idea for <i>Love Hina</i>). Inspired by the <a href="http://www.shelfari.com/series/Sailor-Moon" rel="nofollow">Sailor Moon series</a>, he began to illustrate manga  featured in Comiket (a comic convention held bi-annually in Japan). He used the pen name Awa Mizuno (水野 亜和, MIZUNO Awa). Akamatsu, still in college (Japanese literature course at Chuo University), then proceeded to win the Weekly Shōnen Magazine award twice. Soon after he graduated, his <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hito_Natsu_no_Kids_Game" rel="nofollow"><i>A Kid's Game for One Summer</i></a> was awarded the coveted 50th Shōnen Magazine Newcomer's Award.<br /><img width="263" height="266" align="left" src="http://shelfari-userimages.s3.amazonaws.com/634080404202357911BE45F837456C99C679286FB968FCBD3E.jpg" />     After a big hit with <i><a href="http://www.shelfari.com/series/A-I-Love-You-(New-Version)" rel="nofollow">A.I. Love You</a> </i>(1994–1997), he made a one-shot manga called <i><a href="http://www.shelfari.com/books/17758394/My-Santa-Mon-P%C3%A8re-No%C3%ABl-%C3%A0-jamais" rel="nofollow">Itsudatte My Santa!</a> </i>(1998) (read unofficial translation <a href="http://www.mangafox.com/manga/itsudatte_my_santa/" rel="nofollow">here</a>). In 1998, Akamatsu started on what would make him one of the most famous mangaka in Tokyo: <a href="http://www.shelfari.com/series/Love-Hina" rel="nofollow"><i>Love Hina</i></a>. The series appeared in Weekly Shōnen Magazine and has been collected in eleven volumes (with fourteen volumes in total), which have sold over 6 million copies in Japan, and received the <a href="http://www.shelfari.com/awards/Kodansha-Manga-Award" rel="nofollow">Kodansha Manga Award</a> for shōnen in 2001. Akamatsu had added elements of his own life experiences to the story, and this was said to have induced a unique feeling to the manga especially for Western readers, whose lack of familiarity with Japanese culture for the most part added to the effect. The series, published in America in 2002, was especially well received in many overseas countries - Akamatsu was surprised that even foreign readers found Love Hina to be "cute" and to their liking.<br />     Akamatsu is credited with the creation of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ground_Defense_Force!_Mao-chan" rel="nofollow">Rikujō Bōetai Mao-chan</a>, which aired on T.V. in 2002. The <a href="http://www.shelfari.com/series/Mao-Chan" rel="nofollow">manga</a>, based on the anime, was made by <a href="http://www.shelfari.com/authors/a2540246/Ran/summary" rel="nofollow">RAN</a>. He has also commended RAN in a note published in a Mao-Chan manga saying something along the lines of "You are becoming my true successor." <br />     He is now married to his wife 'Kanon' Akamatsu, who was previously a singer/idol. He is currently working on his latest manga series, <a href="http://www.shelfari.com/series/Negima-Magister-Negi-Magi" rel="nofollow"><i>Negima!: Magister Negi Magi</i></a>, which is his longest running manga so far. And, like Love Hina, it has been made into an anime series. A second independent retelling of Negima called <a href="http://www.shelfari.com/series/Negima-Neo" rel="nofollow">Negima!?</a> was made (the <a href="http://www.shelfari.com/series/Negima-Neo" rel="nofollow">manga series</a>, based on the anime, is called <i>Negima!? Neo</i> and is illustrated by <a href="http://www.shelfari.com/authors/a1002530162/Takuya-Fujiyama/summary" rel="nofollow">Takuya Fujiyama</a>). The first anime adaption was produced by XEBEC, and the second retelling produced by Shaft. Shaft also produces all of the OVAs for Magical Teacher Negima!.<br />     Along with working on the Negima! manga, he was also helping with the live action Negima! series. He also assists with anime based on his works.