Japanese Name: 弐瓶勉

Place of Birth: Fukushima, Japan

Gender: Male

Information for Authors: Nihei has been drawing comics professionally since the mid-1990s. In 1995 he was awarded the [Taniguchi Jiro](https://www.mangaupdates.com/authors.html?id=714) Special Prize in that year's Afternoon Four Seasons Award for his submission, oneshot version of [Blame!](https://www.mangaupdates.com/series.html?id=887). After working as an assistant to veteran comic artist [Takahashi Tsutomu](https://www.mangaupdates.com/authors.html?id=669) for five months, Nihei went on to launch his debut series Blame! in Monthly Afternoon in 1997. Following the success of Blame!, he next penned [Wolverine: Snikt!](https://www.mangaupdates.com/series.html?id=2276) (published by Marvel Comics) and [Biomega](https://www.mangaupdates.com/series.html?id=888). In 2009, Nihei returned to Afternoon to launch what would become his most successful series, [Knights of Sidonia](https://www.mangaupdates.com/series.html?id=40103). An architectural student, Nihei's early work were mainly wordless, relying on visuals and backgrounds to tell their stories. His cyberpunk-influenced artwork has gained a strong cult following worldwide. He cited that his influences are [Akira](https://www.mangaupdates.com/series.html?id=2113), [Kaze no Tani no Nausicaä](https://www.mangaupdates.com/series.html?id=4565), [Ghost in the Shell](https://www.mangaupdates.com/series.html?id=2474) and [The Thing](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Thing_(1982_film)). He doesn't use an assistant for his works.