Yoshihiko Funazaki
Biography. Funazaki was born to a wealthy family in Tokyo. After graduating from Gakushuin University in 1968, he worked as a songwriter, screenwriter, and illustrator while working in a real estate company. In 1969, while he had leave of absence, he and Yasuko Funazaki, his wife, started to write a nonsense tale, . In 1971, he resigned from the company and made his debut as a novelist. In 1973, he wrote . The next year, the second novel of this series, won . His autobiographical won in 1975, and was selected as "Honor List" of Hans Christian Andersen Award in 1976  respectively. In 1976, was nominated for the Graphic Award at the Bologna International Book Fair. In 1983, won Sankei Jidō Shuppan Bunka Shō. In 1984, won . In 1986, won Sankei Jidō Shuppan Bunka Shō. In 1989, "Poppen Sensei" series won . Funazaki died on October 15, 2015 at the age of 70 in Mitaka, Tokyo. Detective Conan investigation. Around 1996, Funazaki was informed by a reader that "Detective Conan", had similarities to "Picasso-kun no tantei note". Funazaki checked "Detective Conan" and "verified close resemblances." Funazaki considered "these resemble points has possibility of coincidence," so he contacted Shogakukan. Funazaki was told , "The creator (Gosho Aoyama) might not have read "Picasso-kun no tantei note". But I can't deny the possibility that one of his staff members was amused at the situation of "Picasso-kun no tantei note" and suggested as an idea." (Funazaki had not read any other volume except the first, because he considered that "It is ridiculous that he gave the royalties from Conan books to Gosho Aoyama.") Later, he wrote about this inquiry process in the quarterly magazine "Parolu", where he declared, "There is no responsibility (責任の所在がない)," "I'll fall into evil way (グレてやる)". Funazaki was offended  at the response, and he published the third book as a protest against Aoyama. Bibliography. Picasso-kun Series. is a fictional character in a series of Japanese children's booksPicasso-kun no tantei note("Picasso's case file") created by Funazaki. He himself illustrated these books. Picasso's real name is . He is a sixth grader at Sakuramachi Elementary School and looks like an ordinary schoolboy, but his actual age is 23. Ten years prior, he was severely wounded while he was playing baseball; he then physically stopped growing, so he appears to be an ordinary kid but is mentally older . After his injury his father, a diplomat, took him to England. While being raised there, he became a Sherlock Holmes admirer. After returning to Japan, he came back to the elementary school, and established a detective office. He wears glasses, long boots, a suit and a tie.(But, these similarities Funazaki described are all extremely common s in manga. For example, The motif of little detective who wears suit and tie (bow tie) is used by Osamu Tezuka, Mitsuteru Yokoyama, Fujiko Fujio.) His circumstances are well known by society. So he is allowed to drink alcoholic drinks and smoke a cigar . And he has a driver's license.