Hideo Azuma

Hideo Azuma (吾妻 ひでお, Azuma Hideo, real name 吾妻 日出夫, pronounced the same) is a Japanese manga artist born on February 6, 1950 in Urahoro, Hokkaidō, Japan. Azuma made his professional debut in 1969 in the Akita Shoten manga magazine Manga Ō. He is most well known for his science fiction lolicon-themed works appearing in magazines such as Weekly Shōnen Champion, as well as children's comedy series such as Nanako SOS and Little Pollon (which both became anime television series in the early 1980s).

Beginning in 1978, his works began appearing almost exclusively in smaller niche magazines such as Bessatsu Kisōten, including works like Fujōri Nikki. In 1979, Azuma published his lolicon manga White Cybele, the first manga of its kind in Japan. He has since been called the "father of lolicon". From there, he began publishing in magazines such as Shōjo Alice, becoming a fixture in the pornographic lolicon manga business and becoming very involved in otaku culture.

In late 1980s and into the 1990s, due to stress from his hectic and demanding schedule during 20 years (to that point) as a manga artist, Azuma began drinking heavily, disappeared twice for several months to over a year, attempted suicide at least once, and was finally forcibly committed to an alcohol rehabilitation program. He published in 2005 a manga journal of this experience titled Disappearance Diary. In addition to being published in Japan, this book has been licensed and published in English, French, Spanish, German and Polish.