Arina Tanemura

Template:Short description Template:Good article Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox person Template:Nihongo is a Japanese manga artist, illustrator, and character designer. She made her professional manga debut in 1996 with the one-shot The Style of the Second Love in the shōjo manga magazine Ribon Original and later published her first series, I.O.N, in 1997, in the main Ribon magazine. She gained mainstream popularity from the late 1990s to mid-2000s with her series Phantom Thief Jeanne, Full Moon o Sagashite, and The Gentlemen's Alliance Cross.

Throughout her career, Tanemura's work has been recognized in shōjo manga for her art style and themes of young girls transforming into the women they would like to become. In addition to her publications, Tanemura has released two independent studio albums of songs based on her characters and is the character designer for Idolish7 and other media projects.

Early life

Arina Tanemura was born on March 12, 1978.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="ribon 2004-08-01">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Tanemura grew up in Aichi Prefecture. Her main source of entertainment was manga magazines because her local television stations only ran re-runs of older anime series, and she was unable to watch new shows.<ref name="booklive 2016-07-15">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> When she was in nursery school, her mother would often buy manga magazines aimed at an older female demographic, such as Bessatsu Margaret, Bessatsu Friend, and Bessatsu Shōjo Comic.<ref name="sinkan 2013-07-21">Template:Cite news</ref> Her older brother, on the other hand, often read Weekly Shonen Jump.<ref name="booklive 2016-07-15"/> While in elementary school, Tanemura's friend lent her a copy of Ribon, and she became fascinated with its childish art style,<ref name="booklive 2016-07-15"/> later convincing her mother's co-worker to buy her a copy.<ref name="sinkan 2013-07-21"/> Throughout elementary school, she also read Margaret regularly, and she began reading Shōjo Comic in junior high school.<ref name="sinkan 2013-07-21"/>

Tanemura began drawing at the age of 5. She was heavily influenced by shōjo manga works from her childhood,<ref name="yattatachi 2018-01-25">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and she mostly drew female characters.<ref name="booklive 2016-07-15"/> She started drawing manga beginning in spring break of her first year in high school, during which she stated she made her first submission to an amateur manga contest.<ref name="sinkan 2013-07-21"/> At the same time, her female cousin had expressed interest in reading a story about a character Tanemura had drawn for her multiple times.<ref name="booklive 2016-07-15"/><ref name="sinkan 2013-07-21"/> Tanemura described her submission as a "dark" and "sad" story about the main character's boyfriend dying in a traffic accident and later being approached by his brother.<ref name="booklive 2016-07-15"/> Despite not winning, she later stated that she had passed the first round and earned Template:JPY from the contest.<ref name="booklive 2016-07-15"/><ref name="sinkan 2013-07-21"/> Afterwards, she began practicing by drawing yonkoma.<ref name="booklive 2016-07-15"/>

Career

1996–1998: Debut and early fame

Tanemura debuted professionally at the age of 18 in 1996.<ref name="animefeminist 2017-12-06"/> Her debut work was a short comic titled The Style of the Second Love, which was published in the shōjo manga magazine Ribon Original.<ref name="viz 2006-10-18">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Despite being published in a sister magazine of the main Ribon, Tanemura stated that the story received positive feedback, and that she received 500 fan letters after it was serialized.<ref name="booklive 2016-07-15"/> The comic, along with her other short works, was later reprinted in the anthology Short-Tempered Melancholic.<ref name="viz short-tempered"/> In 1997, Tanemura released I.O.N, her first series.<ref name="natalie 2011-05-17">Template:Cite news</ref>

1998–2011: Mainstream popularity

From 1998 to 2000, Tanemura worked on Phantom Thief Jeanne.<ref name="viz 2006-10-18"/> Phantom Thief Jeanne was successful, selling a cumulative total of 5,500,000 print copies.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> After Phantom Thief Jeanne ended, Tanemura followed up with Time Stranger Kyoko,<ref name="viz 2006-10-18"/> but because the protagonist's "strong personality" failed to appeal to the editors and reader demographic,<ref name="fandompost 2012-10-01">Template:Cite news</ref> she was forced to end it after a year with 12 chapters.<ref name="yattatachi 2018-01-25"/> From 2002 to 2004, Tanemura worked on Full Moon o Sagashite, a story centered on an idol singer.<ref name="viz 2006-10-18"/> Tanemura, having once wanted to become a lyricist, created the series out of a desire to write lyrics.<ref name="ribon 2001-12-28">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Due to the negative feedback from Time Stranger Kyoko, this time, she gave the protagonist a subdued personality.<ref name="fandompost 2012-10-01"/>

The popularity of Phantom Thief Jeanne and Full Moon o Sagashite led both works to receive television anime adaptations.<ref name="viz 2006-10-18"/> Time Stranger Kyoko also received an anime adaptation and was screened as a short film at the 2001 Ribon Festival.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> For Full Moon o Sagashite, Tanemura also recorded a cover version of Changin' My Life's "Smile" titled "Smile (Arina's Vocal Version)", which was released on the soundtrack album Full Moon o Sagashite: Full Moon Final Live.<ref name="oricon full moon ost">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In 2004, Tanemura published The Gentlemen's Alliance Cross, which ran in Ribon until 2008.<ref name="ann 2008-05-05"/> Unlike her previous series, The Gentlemen's Alliance Cross contained no fantasy elements.<ref name="fandompost 2012-10-01"/> She provided the voice for Maora Ichinomiya and the Postman for the limited edition drama CD. Afterwards, she published Mistress Fortune, making her the first artist who ended and debuted a new series in the same issue of Ribon.<ref name="ann 2008-05-05"/> Tanemura wrote Mistress Fortune as a "middle school romance" and intentionally made the story more light-hearted compared to The Gentlemen's Alliance Cross.<ref name="ribon 2008-06-01">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Later in 2008, she launched Sakura Hime: The Legend of Princess Sakura.<ref name="ann 2008-11-02"/><ref name="ribon 2008-12-01">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

From 2008 to 2009, Tanemura hosted her own online radio program, Tanemura Arina de Kyan: Manga Seminar, on Niconico Douga.<ref name="animefest 2012"/> To commemorate the 15th anniversary of her debut, Tanemura released an independent album titled Junai Tenshi on December 29, 2010, at Comic Market 79 under the circle name "Meguro Teikoku", with songs based on ten of her main female characters from her previous works.<ref name="natalie 2010-12-20"/> The album features vocals and lyrics from Tanemura,<ref name="natalie 2010-12-20"/> and she performed several songs live during her autograph event at Animate on March 6, 2011.<ref name="natalie 2011-03-06">Template:Cite news</ref> While she had written lyrics to songs before, the CD project had come from her desire to write lyrics without having them altered by professional lyricists.<ref name="shojobeat 2015-11-13">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> After the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, Tanemura contributed to a dōjinshi anthology with other manga artists that was sold for charity efforts.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> From July to November 2011, she launched Fudanjuku Monogatari in Margaret, a manga adaptation featuring fictional portrayals of the idol girl group Fudanjuku.<ref name="ann 2011-05-03"/><ref name="ann 2011-10-22"/> Tanemura had decided to draw the manga after they had expressed interest in cosplaying as her characters.<ref name="ann 2011-05-03"/>

2011–present: Departure from Ribon, Idolish7

Beginning in May 2011, to celebrate Tanemura's 15th debut anniversary, Shueisha began reprinting I.O.N, Phantom Thief Jeanne, Time Stranger Kyoko, and Full Moon o Sagashite in bunkoban format.<ref name="natalie 2011-05-17"/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite tweet</ref> In November 2011, Tanemura ended her exclusive contract with Ribon to work freelance, her last work with the magazine being Sakura Hime: The Legend of Princess Sakura,<ref name="ann 2011-11-11">Template:Cite news</ref> which concluded in 2012.<ref name="ann 2012-08-11"/> Following her announcement, Shueisha reprinted her short comics from 2001 to 2010 in the anthology Tanemura Arina: Ren'ai Monogatari-shū, which included a previously unpublished 6-page story.<ref name="natalie 2012-12-18"/>

Tanemura wrote and illustrated Neko to Watashi no Kinyōbi, which ran in Margaret from 2013 to 2015.<ref name="ann 2012-11-30"/><ref name="ann 2015-07-18"/> At the same time, she also started serializing Idol Dreams in Hakusensha's Melody magazine.<ref name="ann 2013-02-28"/> For the limited edition character song CD released with volume 3 of Idol Dreams, Tanemura wrote the lyrics to the song "Sakura-iro Time Trip."<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="natalie 2015-10-01">Template:Cite news</ref> On March 23, 2013, Tanemura released her second album, Princess Tiara, on an independent record label, composed of theme songs performed by her based on her characters.<ref name="natalie 2013-02-27"/>

In 2015, Tanemura contributed character designs to the game and media project Idolish7.<ref name="natalie idolish7 interview"/> In addition, Tanemura provided illustrations to the novel and manga adaptations.<ref name="ann 2015-06-10"/> She also contributed colored illustrations to the Touken Ranbu anthology, Touken Ranbu Gakuen.<ref name="natalie 2015-12-14"/> From 2015 to 2016, Tanemura briefly released dōjinshi as Meguro Teikoku.<ref>Template:Cite tweet</ref> In October 2015, Tanemura collaborated with Yui Kikuta, one of her former assistants, to create the manga series Shunkan Lyle, which ran in Monthly Comic Zero Sum.<ref name="ann 2015-10-19"/> From 2016 to 2017, she published the series Akuma ni Chic × Hack in Margaret.<ref name="ann 2016-03-06"/> In 2019, to celebrate her 20th anniversary, Animate hosted a collaboration café from September 5 to 24 featuring food based on characters from her original series published with Shueisha.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 2025, Tanemura provided the CD jacket illustration to Yena's extended play Blooming Wings.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Artistry and themes

Tanemura said she drew influences from shōjo manga from her childhood, particularly comedy stories such as Tokimeki Tonight and Chibi Maruko-chan,<ref name="animefeminist 2017-12-06"/> and she drew according to trends she believes were fashionable, resulting in her current art style.<ref name="yattatachi 2018-01-25"/> Tanemura stated that her art style is not derived from specific artists, and that she has been drawing in the same style since she was young,<ref name="ann 2007-08-05"/> but has since then cited Hayao Miyazaki,<ref name="sinkan 2013-07-21"/> Rumiko Takahashi,<ref name="yattatachi 2018-01-25"/> Kei Kusunoki,<ref name="sinkan 2013-07-21"/><ref name="yattatachi 2018-01-25"/><ref name="fandompost 2012-10-01"/> Yuu Watase,<ref name="fandompost 2012-10-01"/> and Fumiko Tanikawa<ref name="fandompost 2012-10-01"/> as people who have personally inspired her. In addition, Tanemura also cited Hideaki Anno as an influence, having watched his works during the second half of her "otaku phase".<ref name="sinkan 2013-07-21"/> Tanemura intended to draw in a style that makes her works difficult to animate.<ref name="viz 2006-10-18"/> While her earlier works had thicker and harsher lines, she described her artwork in 2017 as becoming more soft and flowy.<ref name="animefeminist 2017-12-06">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Tanemura also primarily draws artwork without the use of digital tools<ref name="animefest 2012">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and she illustrates using Dr. Ph. Martin coloring ink.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The clothing featured in her works are inspired by clothing that she personally owns.<ref name="fandompost 2012-10-01"/>

A common theme in Tanemura's shōjo manga works are female characters who transform back and forth between the young girls they are and the women they would like to become, and she drew Phantom Thief Jeanne, Full Moon o Sagashite and The Gentlemen's Alliance Cross specifically to exaggerate how girls want to become mature.<ref name="pw 2007-07-31">Template:Cite news</ref> Tanemura drew a reversal of this theme for Idol Dreams, where the main protagonist transforms into the young girl she had wanted to be, to appeal to fans who had grown up with her work.<ref name="ann 2015-12-11">Template:Cite news</ref>

The influence of idol singers is another theme present in Tanemura's works. Tanemura, a fan of Hello! Project groups such as Morning Musume and Berryz Kobo, had modeled the protagonist of Full Moon o Sagashite using then-Morning Musume member Ai Kago's corkscrew hairstyle.<ref name="ann 2007-08-05"/> Idol Dreams is also centered on an idol singer, but Tanemura drew influences from older magical girl idol series like Creamy Mami and Fancy Lala.<ref name="ann 2016-04-30">Template:Cite news</ref> Tanemura stated that she is also a fan of Fudanjuku and actively follows their career;<ref name="sinkan 2013-07-21"/> she is friends with the group's members and wrote the manga Fudanjuku Monogatari based on their stage personas.<ref name="shojobeat 2015-11-13"/>

Referring to Full Moon o Sagashite and The Gentlemen's Alliance Cross, Tanemura disclosed that her main female characters and their relationships are based on her friends or stories she has heard from them.<ref name="ann 2007-08-05">Template:Cite news</ref> She stated her stories were not meant to deliver a specific message to young women and that they were for everyone to enjoy.<ref name="animefeminist 2017-12-06"/> Her favorite of her works is The Gentlemen's Alliance Cross.<ref name="yattatachi 2018-01-25"/>

Publications

Series

Year	Title	Magazine	Notes
1997	I.O.N Template:Nihongo	Ribon	<ref name="ann 2008-01-24">Template:Cite news</ref>
1998	Phantom Thief Jeanne Template:Nihongo	Ribon	<ref name="ann 2004-06-22">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="ann 2014-03-06">Template:Cite news</ref>
2000	Time Stranger Kyoko Template:Nihongo	Ribon	<ref name="ann 2008-01-24"/>
2002	Full Moon o Sagashite Template:Nihongo	Ribon	<ref name="ann 2014-03-06"/>
2004	The Gentlemen's Alliance Cross Template:Nihongo	Ribon	<ref name="ann 2008-05-05">Template:Cite news</ref>
2008	Mistress Fortune Template:Nihongo	Ribon	<ref name="ann 2008-05-05"/>
2008	Sakura Hime: The Legend of Princess Sakura Template:Nihongo	Ribon	<ref name="ann 2008-11-02">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="ann 2012-08-11">Template:Cite news</ref>
2011	Template:Nihongo	Margaret	<ref name="ann 2011-05-03">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="ann 2011-10-22">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="ann 2012-08-22">Template:Cite news</ref>
2013	Template:Nihongo	Margaret	<ref name="ann 2012-11-30">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="ann 2015-07-18">Template:Cite news</ref>
2013	Idol Dreams Template:Nihongo	Melody	<ref name="ann 2013-02-28">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="ann 2015-10-23">Template:Cite news</ref>
2015	Template:Nihongo	Monthly Comic Zero Sum	As writer<ref name="ann 2015-10-19">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="ann 2018-03-29">Template:Cite news</ref>
2016	Template:Nihongo	Margaret	<ref name="ann 2016-03-06">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
2016	Idolish7 Trigger: Before the Radiant Glory	LaLa DX	<ref name="ann 2015-06-10">Template:Cite news</ref>
2016	Template:Nihongo	LaLa DX	<ref name="ann 2016-08-08">Template:Cite news</ref>
2017	Template:Nihongo	LaLa DX	One-shot<ref name="ann 2017-10-12">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
2017	Idolish7: Re:member	LaLa DX	<ref name="ann 2017-10-12"/><ref name="ann 2019-10-09">Template:Cite news</ref>
2017	Template:Nihongo	LaLa DX	<ref name="ann 2017-10-12"/>
2020	Frozen II: The Manga	Template:N/a	<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Illustrations

Year	Title	Notes
2010	Chinami ni Tribute	Anthology; as contributing artist<ref name="natalie 2010-07-04">Template:Cite news</ref>
2013	Phantom Thief Jeanne	Light novel adaptation<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
2015	Idolish7 the Novel: Ryūsei ni Inoru	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	Touken Ranbu: Touken Ranbu Online Anthology Comic	Anthology; as contributing artist<ref name="natalie 2015-12-14">Template:Cite news</ref>
2018	Idolish7 the Novel: Ainana Gakuen	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	Himitsu no Himegimi wa Jaja Uma ni Tsuki	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	Idolish7 the Novel: Re:member	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Other works

Voice acting credits

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2004	The Gentlemen's Alliance Cross	Maora Ichinomiya, Postman	Drama CD<ref>Template:Cite AV media notes</ref>

Radio programs

Year	Title	Network	Role	Notes
2008–2009	Tanemura Arina Radio de Kyan: Manga Seminar	Niconico Douga	Host	<ref name="animefest 2012"/>

Character design

Year	Title	Notes
2015	Idolish7	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="ann 2015-06-10"/>
2018	Alice Closet	<ref name="ann 2018-10-24">Template:Cite news</ref>
2019	Tokyo Cinderella Story	Design for Virtual YouTubers Mirei Natsukawa and Yuno Fujimiya<ref name="ann 2019-07-15">Template:Cite news</ref>

Non-publication illustrations

Year	Title	Notes
2019	Yuki no Hana	Visual artwork<ref name="natalie 2019-02-01">Template:Cite news</ref>
	Template:Nihongo	Short comic in commercial for Shiseido's Tsubaki hair products<ref name="ann 2019-09-03">Template:Cite news</ref>
2020	Template:Nihongo	Short comic for Meiji's Sunny Milk Chocolate<ref name="natalie 2020-02-03">Template:Cite news</ref>

Discography

Studio albums

Title	Year	Peak chart positions		Sales
		JPN Oricon	JPN Hot
Template:Nihongo<ref name="natalie 2010-12-20">Template:Cite news</ref>	Released: December 29, 2010 Label: — Format: CD	—	—	—
Princess Tiara<ref name="natalie 2013-02-27">Template:Cite news</ref>	Released: March 3, 2013 Label: Treasure of Music Format: CD	—	—	—
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that region.

Soundtrack appearances

Title	Year	Peak chart positions	Sales	Album
		JPN
"Smile (Arina's Vocal Version)"<ref name="oricon full moon ost"/>	2005	—	—	Full Moon o Sagashite: Full Moon Final Live
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that region.

External links

• Template:Official website