Detective Conan's Author
Gosho Aoyama (青山 剛昌 ,Aoyama Gōshō), born Yoshimasa Aoyama (青山 剛昌 ,Aoyama Yoshimasa) on June 21, 1963 in Hokuei, Tottori Prefecture, Japan (formerly Daiei, Tottori Prefecture) is a Japanese manga artist. He is best known as the creator of the manga series Detective Conan (known in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom as Case Closed). He has also designed the human characters for the children's anime series, Hamtaro.
Aoyama was a genius at drawing even when young. When he was in Grade 1 (in elementary school), his painting of "Yukiai War" won a competition and was displayed at the Tottori Daimaru Department Store. He graduated from high school at Ikuei High School. After finishing high school, he studied to Nihon University College of Art in Tokyo. During his university years (winter 1986), Aoyama joined a comic contest for freshmen and won, which was a stepping-stone for his career as a manga artist (mangaka) and author, as well as a turning point for his life.
Aoyama's debut work was Chotto Mattete, published in the weekly magazine Shonen Sunday on winter 1987. Shortly after that, Magic Kaito was published on the same magazine.
At the beginning of the 90's, another story done by Aoyama named Yaiba was out. This 24-volume manga won the Shogakukan Manga Award for shōnen in 1993. He won the Shogakukan Manga Award a second time in 2001, for Detective Conan. Other works were released as tankōbon included Third Baseman No.4, Gosho Aoyama's Collection of Short Stories, and Detective Conan.
On May 5, 2005, he married voice actress and singer Minami Takayama, the Japanese voice for Conan of the Detective Conan anime, but they divorced on December 10, 2007.
Manga Works:
♥Wait a Minute (ちょっとまってて, Chotto Mattete) - (1987)
This is Aoyama's first manga story. It was published in Shōnen Sunday. It tells the story of a boy genius named Yutaka Takai, whose time machine jetpack sends his love interest through time for two years.
♥Yaiba (剣勇伝説YAIBA, Kenyuu Densetsu Yaiba) - (1988-1993)
It is a 24-volume manga series about the adventures of a young samurai named Yaiba Kurogane. It was later adapted into a 51-episode anime series.
♥3rd Base 4th (4番サード, Yonban Sādo) - (1993)
It is a one-volume manga that tells the story of a boy named Shigeo Nagashima, a mediocre baseball player on his high school team. One day, he buys a magical bat from a sporting goods store that allows him to hit every pitch. However, he has to pay the mysterious store for each pitch he hits.
♥Magic Kaito (まじっく快斗, Majikku Kaito) - (1988-2007)
It is a four-volume manga series that tells the comical adventures of Kaitou Kid, a gentleman thief who often uses his skills in magic and disguise in every robbery he commits. The first three volumes of the manga series was originally released in 1988-1994; the fourth volume was released in February 2007. Although the manga series is on hold, Kaitou Kid still appears regularly in Detective Conan, another manga series by Aoyama.
♥Gosho Aoyama's Collection of Short Stories (青山剛昌短編集, Aoyama Gōshō Tanpenshu)
Various short works written over the years:
Chapter 1 - Detective George's Mini Great Cases: Calling on the Great Detective! (探偵ジョージのミニミニ大作戦・名探偵参上！, Tantei Jooji no minimini daisakusen - Meitantei sanjou!)
Chapter 2 - Detective George's Mini Great Cases: The Monster of the Ice Country (探偵ジョージのミニミニ大作戦・氷の邦の怪物, Tantei Jooji no minimini daisakusen - Koori no kuni no kaibutsu)
Chapter 3 - Detective George's Mini Great Cases: I Am A Dentist (探偵ジョージのミニミニ大作戦・I AM A DENTIST, Tantei Jooji no minimini daisakusen - I am a dentist)
Chapter 4 - Play It Again (プレイ イット アゲイン)
Chapter 5 - Excalibur (えくすかりばあ)
Chapter 6 - Santa Claus of the Summer (夏のサンタクロース, Natsu no Santa Claus)
Chapter 7 - Wait a Minute (ちょっとまってて, Chotto Mattete)
Chapter 8 - The Wandering Red Butterfly (サンデー 19Show さまよえる赤い蝶, Sunday 19 Show - Samayoeru akai chou)
♥Detective Conan (名探偵コナン, Meitantei Konan) - (1994-present)
It is an ongoing manga series that tells the story of a genius high school detective who one day is turned into a young boy by mysterious men. While trying to track down these men, he often encounters complicated mysteries, most of which only he can solve. The series is Aoyama's most well-known creation.
♥Tell Me A Lie (～私にウソをついて～, ~Watashi ni Uso wo Tsuite~) - (2007)
This is a one-shot manga about a girl named Terumi Arai (新井輝海, Arai Terumi), who can read people's minds when she looks them in the eyes.
Gosho Aoyama's Manga Factory (Official Website) - Japanese
Gosho Aoyama's Manga Factory (Official Website) - English
