Musician Shigeru Izumiya's first original cyberpunk manga, "ROLLING THUNDER," is now available!
Shigeru Izumiya is known as a versatile artist, performing as a singer-songwriter, actor, and painter. However, another important aspect of his work lies in his pioneering approach to the cyberpunk genre. Izumiya's manga history is long, beginning in 1968 with the publication of "COM," a magazine edited by Osamu Tezuka. A self-described "musician who wanted to be a manga artist," he continued to create works steeped in cyberpunk worldviews.
However, in 1971, he made his debut as a folk singer in "Shigeru Izumiya Appears," and his powerful performance as Kuronuma in the 1982 film "Bakuretsu Toshi," directed by Sogo Ishii, is surely etched in people's memories. Izumiya also provided the art and music for this film. Also, while being influenced by various overseas cyberpunk influences, such as the magazine "HEAVY METAL" and the film "MAD MAX," which began in 1979 , the way it incorporates these into a Japanese manga style is nothing short of impressive.
Izumiya's message: "Finally, I'll just say this: it's cyberpunk. Don't take it too seriously. Enjoy it as if it were a cyberpunk variety show!"