Baku Yumemakura

Baku Yumemakura was born on January 1, 1951, in Odawara-shi. At the age of 22, he graduated from Tokai University with a degree in Japanese literature.In 1975, he visited Nepal for the first time; the region would become host to one of his most popular works, The Summit of the Gods, which was adapted into the French animated film Le Sommet des Dieux in 2021.

In 1977, his first works were published in the science fiction coterie magazines Neo Null (curated by Yasutaka Tsutsui) and Uchūjin (curated by Takumi Shibano). A typographic experiment story titled Kaeru no Shi, dubbed as "Typografiction", was published in Neo Null and received a great deal of attention within the industry; it was reprinted in the science fiction magazine Kisou Tengai, which became his first appearance in commercial magazine. He followed this success by releasing the novella Kyojin Den and enjoyed enough success to become a full-time author.His first standalone title, Nekohiki no Oruorane, was published in the Shueisha Cobalt Collection in 1979. His first full-length novel, Genjū Henge, was published two years later by Futabasha Corporation. Then, in 1982, the first volume of the Kimaira Kou Series, Genjū Shōnen Kimaira, was published by Asahi Sonorama Paperbacks, with cover and illustrations by Yoshitaka Amano. The Majūgari trilogy was published by Shodensha in 1984.

Over the span of his career, Yumemakura worked with a wide range of historically important figures in the Japanese art scene.

• Yoshitaka Amano - He was in charge of stage design for Nayotake, produced by Bandō Tamasaburō V, where Amano introduced him to Baku Yumemakura. The three would also collaborate on Yang Guifei, with Baku Yumemakura writing the lyrics and Yoshitaka Amano in charge of stage design. The manga Amon Saga was written by Baku Yumemakura and illustrated by Amano and was later adapted into an OVA. Among other Baku Yumemakura's works, he also did the illustrations and cover page design for Garōden, Taitei no Ken and Yamigarishi, as well as the Kimaira series. He was key visual and costume designer for movies written by Baku Yumemakura including Onmyōji, Onmyōji 2 and Taitei no Ken. They also collaborated on the story and pottery of Yōkihi no Bansan for both a book and exhibition, in addition to ceramic work by Kano Shokoku.
• Katsuya Terada - He was in charge of the book cover and illustrations for the Kimaira series written by Baku Yumemakura, and was in charge of cover design and illustrations for Garōden, Shin Majugari, and Yamigarishi.
• Osamu Tezuka - Baku Yumemakura was influenced by one of his seminal works, Phoenix. Baku Yumemakura would go on to write the script for Saiyūki.
• Reiko Okano - She is married to Osamu Tezuka's son, Makoto Tezuka, and she drew the manga adaptation of Onmyōji, which won the Tezuka Osamu Cultural Manga Award. She went on to produce the serialized version as Onmyōji Tamatebako in the comic magazine Melody.
• Keisuke Itagaki - In 1996, he began working on Garōden, an original work by Baku Yumemakura. He has also collaborated on the series Garōden Boy.
• Ken Ishikawa - In 1994 he drew the manga Tsukumo Ranzō (九十九乱蔵) based on the Yamigarishi series,^[2] and in 1998 the manga Amon Saga - Tsuki no Miko (アーモンサーガ 月の御子) based on Baku Yumemakura's novel Tsuki no Ou.
• Jiro Taniguchi - Illustrated Baku Yumemakura's works, Garouden from 1989 to 1990 and Kamigami no itadaki (The Summit of the Gods) from 2000 to 2003. The Summit of the Gods received awards at the Angoulême International Comics Festival in 2002 and 2005.
• Yōjirō Takita - In 2001, he directed Onmyōji. It became an international hit and received a prize at The Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival in 2002. He directed Onmyōji 2 in 2003.
• Yukihiko Tsutsumi - Directed Taitei no Ken, an original work by Baku Yumemakura, in 2007.
• Bandō Tamasaburō V - The dance production Yōkihi is based on the Chinese historical figure Princess Yang Guifei. Baku Yumemakura wrote the lyrics. In 1993, Baku Yumemakura wrote specially for Kabuki Sangoku denrai genjō banashi. Both of Yōkihi and Sangoku denrai genjō banashi were performed at the Kabuki-za Theater.
• Mansai Nomura - He played Abe no Seimei in Onmyōji and Onmyōji 2. He received the Best Actor prize at the Blue Ribbon Awards for his work in Onmyōji.

• 1 - (October, 2012). Demon Hunters: Desires of the Flesh

The following works have been released in Japan.

• The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction page 641
• Garouden

• SFWJ
• J'Lit | Authors : Baku Yumemakura | Books from Japan (in English)
• Baku Yumemakura at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database
• Baku Yumemakura at IMDb