Takashi Fukutani

Place: Okayama

Born: 1952

Death: 2000

Biography:

Takashi Fukutani (福谷たかし; February 4, 1952 – September 9, 2000) was a Japanese manga artist. He is best known for his manga series Dokudami Tenement. Takashi Fukutani was born in Okayama, Japan in 1952. He was raised by his father, a strict military veteran, after his parents divorced. By the age of 16 he was placed on juvenile probation following arrests for drug use and other petty crime. Upon turning 18, he went in search of his birth mother, and eventually settled in Tokyo. After a series of low-paying jobs, Fukutani applied for a position as an assistant to Yukichi Yamamatsu (jp). Fukutani's drunkenness interfered with his work, and he was fired on his first day. Inspired by the experience, however, he began creating manga based upon his experiences and in 1978 Fukutani was awarded an honorable mention in a contest run by Dakkusu manga magazine for his story Tokyo Adieu. He died in Tokyo in 2000.