Yukiko Kai Explained

Yukiko Kai 花郁 悠紀子
Birth Name:	Kimiko Kaihatsu (Japanese: 開発 公子)
Birth Date:	September 21, 1954
Birth Place:	Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan
Death Place:	Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan
Nationality:	Japanese
Field:	Manga

Yukiko Kai (Japanese: 花郁 悠紀子, Kai Yukiko, 21 September 1954 - 12 December 1980) ^{[1] [2]} was a Japanese shōjo manga artist. Her real name was Kimiko Kaihatsu (Japanese: 開発 公子, Kaihatsu Kimiko). She is considered a member of the Post Year 24 Group. Although she died young, her works are still analyzed.^[3] Manga artist Akiko Hatsu is her younger sister.^{[2] [4]}

Biography

Born in Kanazawa, Ishikawa prefecture, Kai graduated from a high school and entered a company where she worked for one year. She joined the manga coterie magazine Ravuri which her friend Yasuko Sakata operated when she was in high school. In 1973, she went to Tokyo and became a manga assistant of Moto Hagio, and lived in Hagio's house.

Kai debuted in the Spring issue of Bessatsu Viva Princess (the first issue of this magazine) in Akita Shoten for her work Anasutashia no Sutekina Otonari (Nice Next-door Neighbor of Anastasia). She published the stories of the "Shiki series" (Seasons series) and the "Anastasia series" in the magazine Gekkan Princess and Bonita.^[5]

In 1979, when Moto Hagio, Aiko Itō, Yukiko Kai, Akiko Jō^[6] and Shio Satō visited the Europe, they participated in the 37th Worldcon, Seacon '79 at Brighton, United Kingdom.^{[7] [8] [9]}

After published Ryokuin Kōro in the Summer issue of Bessatsu Viva Princess in 1980, Kai spent time under medical treatment at a hospital in Kanazawa city. She died on 12 December 1980 of stomach cancer at a hospital in Kanazawa.

The story which was contributed to the collaboration manga Kyōdai Jingi is her last work.^[10]

Style of works

Kai read Japanese fantastic novels and works such as those by Tatsuhiko Shibusawa, Hideo Nakai (JA) and Kunio Tsukamoto (JA) etc.^[11] She was largely affected by these fantastic works. Kai wrote various genres of manga stories. But she loved Fantasy and Science fiction. Many of her works are classified in these genres.

Works

Princess comics

There are nine books of Yukiko Kai published by Akita Shoten.

Title (English)	Title (Japanese)	Title	Release	ISBN	ref ^[12]	Remark
Fenera	Japanese: フェネラ	Fenera	1977-1130		ref
Anastasia and Neighbors	Japanese: アナスタシアとおとなり	Anasutashia to Otonari	1979-0310		ref
Seasons Records	Japanese: 四季つづり	Shiki Tsuduri	1979-0805		ref
Raising Dream Lily	Japanese: 夢ゆり育て	Yumeyuri Sodate	1980-0710		ref
Visionary Flower Love	Japanese: 幻の花恋	Maboroshi no Hanakoi	1981-0515		ref
The Day Karuki Comes	Japanese: カルキのくる日	Karuki no Kuru Hi	1981-0905		ref
Dance Please, Death god	Japanese: 踊って死神さん	Odotte Shinigami-san	1981-0920		ref
Lament in the Wind	Japanese: 風に哭く	Kaze ni Naku	1981-1205		ref
Magnolia Excerpts	Japanese: 白木蓮抄	Magnolia Shō	1981-1205		ref

Akita bunko

There are six bunkobon books of Yukiko Kai published by Akita Shoten. In this bunkobon version, even if the title of book is same as that of Princess comics version, the stories contained are different.

Title (English)	Title (Japanese)	Title	Release	ISBN	ref	Remark
Magnolia Excerpts	Japanese: 白木蓮抄	Magnolia Shō	1999-0610		ref
Seasons Records	Japanese: 四季つづり	Shiki Tsuduri	1999-1010		ref
Fenera	Japanese: フェネラ	Fenera	1999-1210		ref
The Day Karuki Comes	Japanese: カルキのくる日	Karuki no Kuru Hi	2000-0210		ref
Raising Dream Lily	Japanese: 夢ゆり育て	Yumeyuri Sodate	2000-0610		ref
Anastasia and Neighbors	Japanese: アナスタシアとおとなり	Anasutashia to Otonari	2000-0810		ref

Others

Title (English)	Title (Japanese)	Series	Publisher	Form	Release	ISBN	ref	Remark
Flower Evening Twilight	Japanese: 花宵闇 ^[13]	Papermoon sōsho	Shinshokan	B5	1982-0515		ref
Letter of Chrysanthemum	Japanese: 菊花の便り ^[14]	Shinchō comic	Shinchosha	A5	1992-1215		ref	(Alice book)
Brotherhood Duties	Japanese: 兄弟仁義 ^[15] ^[16]	Papermoon comics	Shinshokan	-	1981	-	ref	Collaboration

See also

• Moto Hagio - Kai was her assistant. Kai was influenced by Hagio's works.
• Yasuko Sakata - Kai's friend since high school.
• Akiko Hatsu - The younger sister of Kai. Hatsu was at one point Kai's assistant. Closely following Kai's death, Akiko Hatsu made her debut as a manga artist. The pseudonyms "Yukiko Kai" and "Akiko Hatsu" come from their real surname (Kaihatsu).

References

• (ja) Masao Azuma & Ran Ishidō Nihon Gensō Sakka Jiten, Kokusho Kankokai, (2009), p. 825
• (ja) alisato.web "Hana ni Nemure" Retrieved 14 October 2019.
• (ja) Daisukidatta! Shōjo manga, '70-nendai-hen, 23 July 2014, Akita Shoten,

External links

• alisato.web "Hana ni Nemure", fan-site

Notes and References

1. (ja) Nihon Gensō Sakka Jiten 2009, p.825.
2. (ja) Alisato.web, Kai Yukiko Profile. Retrieved 14 October 2019.
3. Akita Shoten published the 6 volume bunkobon series that contains almost all of her published works 20 years after her death in 1999–2000. This is exceptional.
4. Thorn, Matt. Interview to Moto Hagio (archive.com), Note 34. Retrieved 14 October 2019.
5. The book Daisukidatta! Shōjo manga, '70-nendai-hen introduces her work Fenera and other works such as Kaze ni Naku etc. The book says re-evaluation of this young died artist is required. pp.85.
6. Manager of Moto Hagio, (Japanese: 城章子).
7. (ja) Essay by Nozomi Ōmori at Cakes Retrieved 14 October 2019.
8. They are all members of the Ōizumi Saloon.
9. http://alisato.web2.jp/book/kai/listc.htm alisato.web, Related Info
10. (zh) Coterie magazin Rappori published by Akiko Hatsu. (for reference). Retrieved 14 October 2019.
11. (ja) kanazawa diary "Kai Yukiko and Nō - Dialogue between Kai and Masao Azuma" (personal blog), Retrieved 14 October 2019.
12. References: Retrieved 14 October 2019.
13. Hana Yoiyami
14. Kikuka no Tayori
15. Kyōdai Jingi
16. Collaboration work: Rappori Ninkyōban edited by Akiko Hatsu