Japanese Name: 矢口高雄

Place of Birth: Nishinaruse, Ogachi, Akita, Japan

Gender: Male

Information for Authors: Real Name: 高橋高雄 (Takahashi Takao) He had been raised in the mountains and later become known for creating works showing life in the nature. When he was 4 years old, his mother bought him MIYAO Shigeo’s Saiyuuki & [TAGAWA Suihou](https://www.mangaupdates.com/authors.html?id=17592)’s [Norakuro](https://www.mangaupdates.com/series.html?id=80837). As a child, [TEZUKA Osamu](https://www.mangaupdates.com/authors.html?id=1356)’s works such as [Ryuusenkei Jiken](https://www.mangaupdates.com/series.html?id=157242) & [Metropolis](https://www.mangaupdates.com/series.html?id=4557) heavily influenced him, and he started copied Tezuka’s drawing. He even wrote a letter and got reply from Tezuka. In 1978 he was sitting next to each other during the preview of Star Wars, Tezuka who had watched the movie before in USA, gave Yaguchi the spoilers during the screening. When he brought his manuscript to [Garo](https://www.mangaupdates.com/publishers.html?pubname=Garo) in the summer of 1968, he received negative evaluation from NAGAI Katsuichi who was the editor-in-chief at that time. Later he brought the same manuscript to [MIZUKI Shigeru](https://www.mangaupdates.com/authors.html?id=2953) and received various advice from [IKEGAMI Ryoichi](https://www.mangaupdates.com/authors.html?id=930) & [TSUGE Yoshiharu](https://www.mangaupdates.com/authors.html?id=2289). After graduating from high school he became a banker before debuting with [Otoko Michi](https://www.mangaupdates.com/series.html?id=86281) in 1970, which was written by [KAJIWARA Ikki](https://www.mangaupdates.com/authors.html?id=7350). Kajiwara also gave him suggestion for his pen name. In 2003, he was the curator of [Ishinomori Manga Museum](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ishinomori_Manga_Museum), a museum dedicated to [ISHINOMORI Shotaro](https://www.mangaupdates.com/authors.html?id=2835). His works also has been curated in Yokote Masuda Manga Museum. He passed away on November 20th of 2020 due to pancreas cancer. Among his former assistants there were [NAGAO Tomohisa](https://www.mangaupdates.com/authors.html?id=25327), [NISHIKAWA Jun](https://www.mangaupdates.com/authors.html?id=7027) & [HAYASE Jun](https://www.mangaupdates.com/authors.html?id=3193). Achievements: 1974 - 4th Kodansha Publishing Culture Award - children cartoon category 1976 - 5th Japan Cartoonists Association Award Grand Prize 2009 - Regional Person of Cultural Merit Award