Lucca Comics & Games came to an end a few weeks ago, but the magic of this unique, multifaceted festival lingers. Having previously provided a general overview of the convention, we continue our coverage with a focus on mangaka Tetsuo Hara, one of the guests of honor of this year’s edition of the event.
About Tetsuo Hara
A decades-long fixture in the manga industry, Hara is best known as the illustrator of the manga Fist of the North Star (1983), alongside writer Buronson. Even younger audiences recognize the protagonist manga, Kenshiro, iconic phrase “Omae wa Mou Shindeiru”. This early work had a major influence on subsequent manga, setting a benchmark for both storytelling and stunning illustrations.
His portfolio also encompasses his debut series, Iron Don Quixote (1982); the historical epic manga Hana no Keiji (1990); and a prequel of North Star titled Fist of the Blue Sky (2001). Hara now focuses on mentoring new generations of artists through the publishing company Coamix, Inc., which he cofounded.
As a side note, Coamix was the first Japanese publisher present at Lucca Comics & Games!
Maestro del Fumetto
In recognition of his extraordinary career and his creation of the iconic manga Fist of the North Star, Lucca Comics & Games honored Tetsuo Hara with the Yellow Kid Maestro del Fumetto Prize—Maestro del Fumetto translating to ‘Comics Master’ in Italian. The prize, which is one of the festival’s most historic accolades, recognizes the author’s entire body of work, regardless of his annual publications.
Celebrating the occasion, Hara donated a self-portrait to the Uffizi Gallery, a Florentine museum that boasts the largest collection of self-portraits globally. In doing so, Hara set a new milestone by becoming the first manga artist to be included in the prestigious Italian gallery.
Like a Lightning from Heaven
One distinctive element of the Lucca experience is its capacity to elevate the standard convention offering, and the world-first exhibition entirely dedicated to Fist of the North Star perfectly exemplified this.
Titled Tetsuo Hara: Like a Lightning from Heaven, the exhibition itself was structured to give visitors an overview of the manga’s narrative, its inspirations, original drafts, and contextual information regarding its main characters. The contents, ranging from old Japanese merchandising to Italian references for the authors, provided an amazing insight into this influential work.
Among the collection’s many highlights was the oil painting The Savior in the Arena, an original canvas by Hara that pays homage to Italian culture. The illustration is also an exclusive variant cover for the first volume of Fist of the North Star Italian’s Extreme Edition.
Beyond the collection’s contents, one particularly remarkable aspect was the location itself: the showcase occupied the Renaissance-style Church of Santa Annunziata dei Servi in Lucca.
The Importance of Teamwork
Stemming from a collaboration between publisher Panini Comics, Coamix, and distributor Animeimport, Tetsuo Hara’s participation in the festival encompassed many activities: a ‘Maxi Showcase’—where he drew while answering questions—, a conversation with artists Igort and John Romita Jr., and a press conference where we participated.
It was during this session that we were afforded the opportunity to pose a question, as detailed below:
Q: You always remark the importance of teamwork, highlighting the key role of your editor Nobuhiko Horie [now CEO of Coamix] as a strict figure. Do you think that teamwork is as essential today, or has the industry moved to a more individual creative process? Do you advise new illustrators to rely more on writers and editors?
A: The editor has always been an important figure in my professional life, and I have been working with my editor for 50 years now. It’s essential to work with an editor to gain another point of view, because I need someone to talk to about my work, and to have someone who can share and see the work from a different perspective. To have a successful manga, it’s fundamental to work with a great editor, because it’s truly a team effort.
In the past, editors used to go and collect the pages from the artists, but currently, it’s more common for the work to start collaboratively between the artist and the editor. Their job is not just about collecting and choosing the pages; the editor and artist work side by side from the beginning.
Although it was once the norm for editors to merely collect the finished manga pages, if one examines all the great successful works of the past, there is always a pivotal person behind the scenes. I have always been grateful to Nobuiko Horie and Buronson-sensei. I always want to acknowledge and thank them in every interview, public appearance, and speech for the work we have accomplished together. I will never stop being grateful for them and for the opportunity to work alongside them.
Tetsuo Hara indelibly left his mark on Lucca Comics & Games’ history, and we are grateful to the organization for allowing us to document this journey through his legacy. As a pioneer who set a standard in the shonen demographic and beyond, it was truly inspiring to see him rewarded for his long-standing work.
The photos were provided by the Lucca Comics & Games staff.
Cover photo: Riccardo Bonuccelli
Participate In Discussions