Yuji Kaku (Japanese: 賀来ゆうじ, Hepburn: Kaku Yūji) is a Japanese manga artist. Originally an editor, Kaku began working as manga artist in 2009 with Memory Customs, a one-shot published in Jump Square. In 2013, he launched his first series, Fantasma. After working as an assistant to Tatsuki Fujimoto, Kaku launched his second series, Hell's Paradise: Jigokuraku, in Shōnen Jump+, which quickly became the most popular manga on the platform. It was adapted into an anime in 2023.
Biography
As a child, Kaku often spent time painting and practicing swordplay with his cousin, Takeshi Tsuruno. Tsuruno feels this swordplay experience would influence Kaku's later works.[1] Kaku entered the manga industry in 2007, when he began working as an editor for Weekly Shōnen Champion.[2] After leaving Akita Shoten in 2008, Kaku wrote a one-shot, titled Memory Customs, which was published in Jump Square in 2009. It later received an honorable mention in the Jump Square Comic Grand Prix.[3] In 2013, Kaku began his first full series, Fantasma [ja]. It was serialized in Jump Square until the following year.[4] From 2016 to 2018, Kaku worked as an assistant to Tatsuki Fujimoto with his work on Fire Punch.[5]
In 2018, Kaku began serializing Hell's Paradise: Jigokuraku on the Shōnen Jump+ website, where it ran until 2021.[6] The series quickly grew in popularity. By August 2018, it was the most popular series on Shōnen Jump+.[7] In the same year, it also ranked eleventh in the Next Manga Award in the web manga category.[8] In the 2019 edition of Kono Manga ga Sugoi!, the series was one of three series tied for 16th place on its list of the top manga series for male readers.[9] An anime adaptation of the series has also been produced.[10] In 2021, Kaku began serializing Ayashimon in Weekly Shōnen Jump, where it ran until 2022.[11]
Works
One-shots
Memory Customs (おもいで税関, Omoide Zeikan) (2009) (published in Jump Square)[3]
