Fujimoto, Hiroshi

Also known as 藤本弘 (Fujimoto Hiroshi)

Hello, My Name (in English) is…

As a real-life manga artist, Fujimoto Hiroshi’s name has no special meaning in Tezuka’s manga.

Distinguishing Features

Hiroshi is usually easy to spot by his long, oval-shaped head and somewhat blank expression – with an ever-present cigarette hanging out of the side of a non-existent mouth.

Status: Manga Artist (★)

Hiroshi Fujimoto is one half (along with Motoo Abiko) of one of the most prolific manga writing teams known as Fujiko Fujio – the creator of Doraemon. Born in Toyama on 1 December 1933, he passed away on 23 September 1996 at the age of 62. Hugely influenced by Osamu Tezuka, as aspiring manga artists while still in high school they paid a visit to Tezuka at his home in Takarazuka in 1951. Long time friends of Tezuka, he even offered them his old room in Tokiwa-so (a rundown apartment building in Tokyo that became a legendary haven for manga artists) when he moved out.

Notable Roles

Given his status as a real-life contemporary of Osamu Tezuka’s it’s no surprise that most of his appearances revolve around semi-autobiographical stories. He’s likely best know for his appearance in Tales of Tokiwa Apartments (1970).

Manga Appearances

If you spot an appearance not already listed, please let us know in the comments section below!

1970

Gachaboi’s Biography as “Hiroshi Fujimoto”
Tales of Tokiwa Apartments as “Hiroshi Fujimoto”

1974

Black Jack (“Sealed Memory”) as “a resident of Tokiwa Apartment”
Lunatic Japan as “an editor”
Paper Fortress as “Tetsuro’s friend”

1981

The Rainbow Parakeet (“Hamlet“) as “a stagehand”
The Rainbow Parakeet (“Death of a Salesman“) as “a member of the audience”

1986

Atom Cat (“Mephisto, the Demonic Cat“) as “a child on the robotics tour”
Atom Cat (“Atom the Orphan“) as “Police Officer”