ADACHI Mitsuru

Mitsuru Adachi (あだち充 Adachi Mitsuru, real name 安達 充 (pronounced the same)) is a Japanese mangaka born February 9, 1951 in Isesaki City, Gunma Prefecture, Japan. After graduating from Gunma Prefectural Maebashi Commercial High School, Adachi made his manga debut in 1970 with Kieta Bakuon, based on a manga originally created by Satoru Ozawa. Kieta was published in Deluxe Shōnen Sunday (a manga magazine published by Shogakukan) .

Adachi is well known for romantic comedy and sports manga (especially baseball) such as Touch, H2, Slow Step, and Miyuki. He is also one of the few mangaka to write for both shōnen manga and shōjo manga magazines, and be popular in both. His works have been carried in Shonen Sunday, Ciao, Shōjo Comic and Petit Comic, and most of his works are published through Shogakukan and Gakken. Only two short story collections, Short Program and Short Program 2 (both via Viz Communications), have been released in North America.

He modelled his use of あだち rather than 安達 after the example of his older brother Tsutomu Adachi. In addition, it has been suggested that the accurate portrayal of sibling rivalry in Touch may come from Adachi’s experiences while growing up with his older brother.

• Prior to 1969: Adachi began submitting to the manga magazine COM
• 1969: Following his older brother’s lead, Adachi moves to Tokyo and begins work as an assistant to mangaka Isami Ishii
• 1970: Adachi makes his debut with Kieta Bakuon
• 1981: Touch begins
• 1982: Hiatari Ryōkō! is made into a TV drama series
• 1983: Adachi wins 28th Annual Shogakukan Manga Award for his two series Touch and Miyuki
• 1983: Miyuki anime begins, and a live-action film of Miyuki is released as well
• 1985: Touch anime begins
• 1995: H2 anime begins
• 2005: H2 is made into a TBS drama
• 2005: Touch is made into a live-action movie
• 2006: Rough to be released as a movie