Joji Yamauchi

**Joji Yamauchi** (山内ジョージ, 1940-) is a former Japanese manga-ka, more known for his childrens' book and animal illustration work in his professional career. He was the last regular resident at Tokiwa-so, and also served as an assistant to bothFujio Akatsuka and Shotaro Ishimori.

During the height of his manga career, he collaborated with Kenichiro Takai under their shared pseudonym of **Tsutomu Dazai**.

## Life and Career

Yamauchi was born in Dalian, Manchuria, to a family of police officers working for the Kanto Bureau. After living in a Chinese interment camp following the defeat of Japan in World War II, he and his family were returned to Japan in 1947 and spent their years in Tome, Miyagi (where Yamauchi's father had hailed from).

In fifth grade, Yamauchi would have correspondence with Osamu Tezuka. In junior high, he would meet Shotaro Onodera (later known professionally as "Shotaro Ishimori" and then "Shotaro Ishinomori").

After moving to Tokyo as a young adult, he lived in Tokiwa-so from September 1960 to March 1962, and set off to be independent after working with both Ishimori and Akatsuka as their assistant on various works. However, he would attempt to be part of a proto-Fujio Pro effort, "The Seven Lucky Gods", through 1963. He would also co-create many non-Akatsuka Fujio Pro works with Kenichiro Takai during the 1960s, before they both went their separate ways.

 His best-known works in the modern day come from his illustrations of animal character pictures, picture books, and advertising and design involving anthropomorphic animals. This lead to him also being put in charge of the production of animal character animation for the 1973-1993 Fuji TV variety series **Hirake! Ponkikki** .

## List of works

### As Tsutomu Dazai for Fujio Pro

*Full lengths for some serial works unknown and must be determined.*

* **Tonchin Kantaro** (トンチンカン太郎, January 1965, Shonen separate New Years' volume "Manga Book")- Debut of Yamauchi and Takai as a duo, both were credited by their individual names in the original release before the credit was altered to "Tsutomu Dazai" for book reprints.
* **1+1 Equals Santaro** (1+1は3たろう, April to August 1965, Bokura)
* **The Amazing Atomic Bomb** (おわらい原子爆弾ついにばくはつ, April 1965, Bokura)- Collaboration with Fujio Akatsuka, Tokuo Yokota, and Kenichi Kitami. Some characters from Osomatsu-kun appear.
* **Summer Vacation Variety Show** (夏休みバラエティーショー,1965, Nakayoshi Summer Vacation extra number issue)- Collaboration with Kazuo Maekawa and Akaoni Yamane.
* **Tachichiri Taiko-chan** (トチチリたい子さん, September 1965, Separate Edition Margaret)
* **The Mad Four** (マッド4, September to ? 1965, Adventure King)
* **Getemono-kun** (ゲテモノくん, 1965, Separate Edition Shonen King)
* **Jinx-1-chan** (ジンクス1ちゃん, October 1965-May 1966, Shonen)- reprinted by Akebono in 1969 as "**Jinx-chan**" (ジンクスちゃん), but also under its original title as a kashihon. Debut of the Dazai Star "Kansuke", who will star in his own series as a follow-up to this.
* **Minus Boy** (マイナス小僧, 1965, Manga King)
* **Deresuke** (デレ助, 1965-1966, Manga King)- reprinted by Akebono in 1969 as "**The Wandering Deresuke**" (さすらいのデレ助), but also previously reprinted in a 2-volume kashihon from Bunka.
* **Let's Go! Kansuke** (それいけ！カンスケ, June 1966-August 1967, Shonen)- reprinted by Akebono in 1969 as "**Hustle Boy Kansuke**" (ハッスルBoyカンスケ), but also in earlier kashihon form by Bunka.
* **Three Chamurai** (三匹のチャムライ, *exact date and magazine unknown*)
* **Nerd-kun** (ガリ勉くん, 1967, Junior High School 2nd Year Course)
* **Humanity Sample Book** (人間見本帳, March 24, 1968, Weekly Shonen Sunday #13)- Two of the girls in this story were re-used as chapter-specific guests Matsubara-san and "The Oden Girl" in *Extraordinary Ataro* around the same interval.
* **Is This Okay! The Future of Manga Hellhole University** (これでいいのか!!未来まんがハレホレ大学, February 1969, COM)- Writer: Kunio Nagatani
* **Papillon Prince** (パピヨン王子, 1969, Bokura)
* **Bokepin 3** (ボケピン3, 1969, Separate Edition Shonen King)
* **Zebra Kid** (ゼブラキッド, August 20, 1969, Weekly Shonen Jump)

## Awards

* 2002 Japan Media Arts Festival Special Award
* 2004 Japan Media Arts Festival Encouragement Award

## External Links

* Art Studio Animal 24 (Japanese)- Yamauchi's animal design studio