An exhibition showcasing the unique and surreal works of mangaka Yoshiharu Tsuge is underway at the Chofu City Cultural Hall Tazukuri in Tokyo. The 88-year-old Tsuge, who has lived in Chofu for decades, saw a 2023 show on city depictions draw huge crowds. This reconfigured version is also attracting steady visitors daily.
The exhibition, titled “Places Mangaka Yoshiharu Tsuge Has Been,” features reproductions of Tsuge's original artwork depicting locations he lived in or visited, organized thematically, along with related materials. For the 1967 work “Umibe no Jokei” (Seascape), full-page reproductions are on display. A large map compares scenes from Tsuge’s manga set in Chofu and nearby areas with current photographs of those sites.
Essays from mangaka, actors, and visual artists offer their views on Tsuge, highlighting his influence across creative fields. Tsuge contributed to the monthly manga magazine “Garo” from the late 1960s through the 1970s. In 1966, he moved to Chofu to assist Shigeru Mizuki on “GeGeGe no Kitaro,” renting a second-floor room in a Chinese restaurant near Mizuki’s studio. A dream in that room inspired his renowned 1968 piece “Nejishiki” (Screw Type). He stayed in Chofu, weaving in elements like the Tama River, Keiokaku Velodrome, and Tamagawa housing complex into works from the 1960s to the 1980s.
Tsuge’s final publication came in 1987, after which he ceased drawing manga. He retains strong support worldwide. France, a key manga market, released a complete collection of his works, and in 2020, he earned a Special Honorary Award at the Angouleme International Comics Festival, where an original artwork exhibition occurred. The show continues until March 22, with free admission and daily hours from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
