View source for Nobuhiro Watsuki

{{short description|Japanese manga artist (born 1970)}}
{{Infobox person
| native_name      = 和月 伸宏
| native_name_lang = ja
| image            =
| caption          = 
| birth_name       = {{Nihongo|Nobuhiro Nishiwaki|西脇 伸宏|Nishiwaki Nobuhiro}}
| birth_date       = {{birth date and age|1970|05|26}}
| birth_place      = [[Tokyo]], Japan
| death_date       = <!-- {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} (death date then birth date) -->
| death_place      = 
| other_names      = 
| known_for        = {{ubl|''[[Rurouni Kenshin]]''|''[[Buso Renkin]]''}}
| occupation       = [[Manga artist]]
| spouse           = Kaworu Kurosaki
}}
{{Nihongo|'''Nobuhiro Nishiwaki'''|西脇 伸宏|Nishiwaki Nobuhiro|born May 26, 1970|lead=yes}}, better known by his [[pen name]] {{Nihongo|'''Nobuhiro Watsuki'''|和月 伸宏|Watsuki Nobuhiro}}, is a Japanese [[manga artist]]. He is best known for his [[samurai]]-themed series ''[[Rurouni Kenshin|Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Swordsman Romantic Story]]'' (1994–1999), which has over 70 million copies in circulation, and a sequel he is currently creating, ''[[Rurouni Kenshin: The Hokkaido Arc]]'' (2017–present).

Watsuki has written three more manga series, ''[[Gun Blaze West]]'' (2001), ''[[Buso Renkin]]'' (2003–2005), and ''[[Embalming (manga)|Embalming: The Another Tale of Frankenstein]]'' (2007–2015). He has mentored several well-known manga artists, including ''[[One Piece]]'' creator [[Eiichiro Oda]], ''[[Shaman King]]'' creator [[Hiroyuki Takei]], and ''[[Mr. Fullswing]]'' creator {{ill|Shinya Suzuki|ja|鈴木信也}}.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ktr.to/Comic/assistant.html|title=KTR's Comic Room: Weekly Jump Assistants|website=www.ktr.to|access-date=2011-12-04|archive-date=2011-11-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111129115734/http://www.ktr.to/Comic/assistant.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Watsuki was convicted of possessing [[child pornography]] in 2018.

==Early life==
Watsuki was born on May 26, 1970, in [[Tokyo]] and was brought up in [[Nagaoka, Niigata]].<ref>{{cite web|script-title=ja:「るろうに剣心 －明治剣客浪漫譚－」和月伸宏×黒碕薫対談｜プリミティブなファンを裏切らず“再構築”して作る、今だからこそできる「剣心」 [3]|url=https://natalie.mu/comic/pp/rurouni-kenshin/page/3|website=[[Comic Natalie]]|publisher=Natasha, Inc.|access-date=December 10, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230721095152/https://natalie.mu/comic/pp/rurouni-kenshin/page/3|archive-date=July 21, 2023|date=July 6, 2023|url-status=live}}</ref> When he was in middle school, Watsuki practiced [[kendo]]. He still drew manga but also enjoyed sports, although he never won a kendo match. Watsuki grew frustrated with kendo, and eventually quit.<ref name="YahikoDesign">Watsuki, Nobuhiro. "The Secret Life of Characters (3) Myōjin Yahiko," ''[[Rurouni Kenshin]]'' Volume 1. [[Viz Media]]. 103.</ref>

==Career==
In high school, Watsuki received an honorable mention in the 33rd [[Tezuka Award]]s for his 1987 [[One-shot (comics)|one-shot]] ''Teacher Pon'', which he wrote under the pen name "Nobuhiro Nishiwaki". ''Hokuriku Yūrei Kobanashi'' earned him the Hop Step award. It was included in ''Hop Step Award Selection'' volume 6 in 1991. After graduating, Watsuki moved to Tokyo and worked as an assistant to [[Yōichi Takahashi]] and [[Takeshi Obata]]. Watsuki worked on Obata's ''Mashin Bōken Tan Lamp-Lamp'' and ''Chikara Bito Densetsu'',<ref name="Profiles">{{cite book|title=Rurouni Kenshin Profiles|chapter=Rurouni Secrets|publisher=[[Viz Media]]|pages=185–191|year=2005|isbn=978-1-4215-0160-4}}</ref> the former's title character would later serve as a model for [[Sagara Sanosuke]].<ref name="Form">Watsuki, Nobuhiro. "The Secret Life of Characters (6) Sagara Sanosuke," ''Rurouni Kenshin'' Volume 2. Viz Media. 48.</ref>

Watsuki then created three historically set samurai-themed one-shots; ''Crescent Moon in the Warring States'', and two sharing the title ''Rurouni: Meiji Swordsman Romantic Story''. Set in the [[Sengoku Jidai]] era of Japan's warring states, ''Crescent Moon in the Warring States'' relates the tale of the lone swordsman [[Hiko Seijūrō]]. The first ''Rurouni: Meiji Swordsman Romantic Story'' features [[Himura Kenshin]] stopping a crime lord from taking over the Kamiya family [[dojo]]. The second sees Kenshin saving a young girl who is being held ransom by fallen samurai.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://mediaarts-db.bunka.go.jp/mg/magazines/322090|title=週刊少年ジャンプ 1993/05/10・5/17合併 表示号数21・22|website=Media Arts Database|publisher=[[Agency for Cultural Affairs]]|language=ja|access-date=2017-04-16|archive-date=2017-04-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170417154548/https://mediaarts-db.bunka.go.jp/mg/magazines/322090|url-status=live}}</ref> These three works served as the basis for his first serial; ''[[Rurouni Kenshin|Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Swordsman Romantic Story]]'', which follows the former [[hitokiri]] Himura Kenshin and was serialized in ''[[Weekly Shōnen Jump]]'' from 1994 to 1999. It was a major success with over 70 million copies in circulation,<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interest/2014-05-01/top-20-most-popular-manga-ranked-by-publication-numbers|title= Top 20 Most Popular Manga Ranked By Publication Numbers|publisher= [[Anime News Network]]|date= 2014-05-01|access-date= 2017-04-16|archive-date= 2014-09-06|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140906142233/http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interest/2014-05-01/top-20-most-popular-manga-ranked-by-publication-numbers|url-status= live}}</ref> and was adapted into an [[anime]] [[Rurouni Kenshin (TV series)|television series]], several animated films, and a trilogy of live-action films. The story ''Haru ni Sakura'', included in the ''Kenshin Kaden'' guidebook, details the fates of the main cast of ''Rurouni Kenshin'' following its conclusion. In ''Yahiko no Sakabatō'', set five years after the conclusion of ''Rurouni Kenshin'', Myōjin Yahiko must save the daughter of a dojo master from an old foe.

During ''Rurouni Kenshin''{{'}}s serialization, Watsuki wrote ''Meteor Strike'', a one-shot written for a ''Weekly Shōnen Jump'' artists project. It chronicles the what-if adventures of a young boy who is struck in the head by a meteor and gains superhuman powers, eventually saving his town from a nuclear disaster. Watsuki felt disgusted with the work and originally did not plan on revealing it, but ultimately decided to include ''Meteor Strike'' in the final ''Rurouni Kenshin'' volume to increase its page count. Although, he said that after reading the story over again it "relaxed" him "in a nice way."<ref name="MeteroStrik">Watsuki, Nobuhiro. ''[[Rurouni Kenshin]] Volume 28''. Viz Media. 155.</ref> Watsuki included three main elements in the story, which he described as having "some different flavors" than ''Rurouni Kenshin''. He had wanted to use meteors in a story for a long time, since they are the "most energetic natural phenomena." His second element was a boy wearing a pair of white gloves. Watsuki described white gloves as "sort of plain" and "not cool at all," yet he considers the element to be one of his favorites since the gloves "give off a sense of strength." His third element is the girl wearing a construction site helmet. The helmet is masculine, while the [[Japanese school uniform]] that the girl wears is feminine.<ref name="MeteroStrik"/> Watsuki said that he created the main character Shinya "on the spot," giving him too much honesty, and a personality that overlaps with that of Himura Kenshin, which he regrets "a little." Watsuki created Chiho, the other major character, to show the "[[Shōjo manga|shojo]] theme of the moment" when the boy out-matures the girl. Watsuki felt that the plan "didn't work out so well" and "a lot wasn't what I wanted it to be." He added that he liked portraying the "helpful nature" of Chiho.<ref name="MeteroStrik"/>

In 2001, Watsuki created his second serialized work, the western ''[[Gun Blaze West]]''. The story follows Viu Bannes, a young gunfighter on his journey towards Gun Blaze West, the place where the greatest gunmen go to test their strength. It ran in ''Weekly Shōnen Jump'' for less-than a year, from January 8 to August 13, 2001.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://mediaarts-db.bunka.go.jp/mg/magazines/321715|title=週刊少年ジャンプ 2001/01/08 表示号数2|website=Media Arts Database|publisher=Agency for Cultural Affairs|language=ja|access-date=2017-04-16|archive-date=2017-04-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170417072049/https://mediaarts-db.bunka.go.jp/mg/magazines/321715|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://mediaarts-db.bunka.go.jp/mg/magazines/321685|title=週刊少年ジャンプ 2001/08/13 表示号数35|website=Media Arts Database|publisher=Agency for Cultural Affairs|language=ja|access-date=2017-04-16|archive-date=2017-04-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170417070619/https://mediaarts-db.bunka.go.jp/mg/magazines/321685|url-status=live}}</ref> Its three volumes were published in English by Viz.

His third serialization ''[[Buso Renkin]]'', was published in ''Weekly Shōnen Jump'' between July 7, 2003, and May 9, 2005,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://mediaarts-db.bunka.go.jp/mg/magazines/321591|title=週刊少年ジャンプ 2003/07/07 表示号数30|website=Media Arts Database|publisher=Agency for Cultural Affairs|language=ja|access-date=2017-04-16|archive-date=2017-04-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170417071931/https://mediaarts-db.bunka.go.jp/mg/magazines/321591|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://mediaarts-db.bunka.go.jp/mg/magazines/321499|title=週刊少年ジャンプ 2005/05/09・5/16合併 表示号数21・22|website=Media Arts Database|publisher=Agency for Cultural Affairs|language=ja|access-date=2017-04-16|archive-date=2017-04-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170417070621/https://mediaarts-db.bunka.go.jp/mg/magazines/321499|url-status=live}}</ref> with two special chapters published in ''[[Akamaru Jump]]''. Watsuki is married to author {{nihongo|Kaworu Kurosaki|黒碕薫|Kurosaki Kaoru}}. She has assisted her husband in writing several of his manga including ''Buso Renkin'', which she later wrote two novelizations of.<ref name="wifehelp">{{cite web|url = https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/press-release/2013-11-07/mangaka-nobuhiro-watsuki-and-novelist-kaworu-kurosaki-to-appear-at-otakon-vegas|title = Mangaka Nobuhiro Watsuki and Novelist Kaworu Kurosaki to Appear at Otakon Vegas|publisher = Anime News Network|date = 2013-11-08|access-date = 2017-04-16|archive-date = 2017-04-17|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170417155026/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/press-release/2013-11-07/mangaka-nobuhiro-watsuki-and-novelist-kaworu-kurosaki-to-appear-at-otakon-vegas|url-status = live}}</ref><ref name="otakon"/> Watsuki described himself as "pro-[[dōjinshi]]" and asked fans to send fan comics.<ref>Watsuki, Nobuhiro. ''Rurouni Kenshin'' Volume 2. Viz Media. 175.</ref> ''Buso Renkin'' became his second work to be adapted into an anime. Both the manga and anime were released in English by Viz Media.

Watsuki wrote two one-shots for ''[[Jump the Revolution!]]'', ''Embalming -Dead Body and Bride-'' on November 1, 2005, and ''Embalming II -Dead Body and Lover-'' on November 1, 2006, that would become his fourth serial. ''[[Embalming (manga)|Embalming -The Another Tale of Frankenstein-]]'' began in the debut issue of ''[[Jump SQ]]'' on November 2, 2007, and concluded on April 4, 2015.<ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2007-11-08/500-000-copy-jump-square-debut-gets-2nd-run-of-100-000|title = 500,000-Copy Jump Square Debut Gets 2nd Run of 100,000|publisher = Anime News Network|date = 2007-11-08|access-date = 2017-04-16|archive-date = 2018-07-01|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180701035816/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2007-11-08/500-000-copy-jump-square-debut-gets-2nd-run-of-100-000|url-status = live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2015-02-27/rurouni-kenshin-watsuki-ends-embalming-frankenstein-manga/.85443|title = Rurouni Kenshin's Watsuki Ends Embalming Frankenstein Manga|publisher = Anime News Network|date = 2015-02-27|access-date = 2017-04-16|archive-date = 2022-08-14|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220814184554/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2015-02-27/rurouni-kenshin-watsuki-ends-embalming-frankenstein-manga/.85443|url-status = live}}</ref> Kaworu Kurosaki again assisted him with the story.<ref name="wifehelp"/> It draws largely from [[Mary Shelley]]'s famed 1818 novel ''[[Frankenstein]]'' and follows a young man named Fury Flatliner, who was turned into a Frankenstein in order to destroy all the others and specifically seeks the one that killed his parents.

Between 2012 and 2013, Watsuki put ''Embalming'' on hold to write ''[[Rurouni Kenshin: Restoration]]'' in ''Jump SQ''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2011-12-26/rurouni-kenshin-manga-series-to-return-in-japan-in-may|title=Rurouni Kenshin Manga Series to Return in Japan in May|publisher=Anime News Network|date=2011-12-26|access-date=2017-04-16|archive-date=2012-01-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120108022230/http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2011-12-26/rurouni-kenshin-manga-series-to-return-in-japan-in-may|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2013-05-31/rurouni-kenshin/restoration-manga-to-end-on-tuesday|title=Rurouni Kenshin Restoration Manga to End|publisher=Anime News Network|date=2013-05-31|access-date=2017-04-16|archive-date=2013-06-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130607043244/http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2013-05-31/rurouni-kenshin/restoration-manga-to-end-on-tuesday|url-status=live}}</ref> This "reboot" depicts the battles that are featured in the first live-action ''Rurouni Kenshin'' film. Its two collected volumes were published in English by Viz Media. It was the first of several returns to the author's most famous series. ''Rurouni Kenshin: Restoration Act Zero'' was published in ''Weekly Shōnen Jump'' in August 2012 as a prologue to ''Restoration'' and included in its first volume.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2012-04-24/rurouni-kenshin-manga-chapter-0-to-run-in-shonen-jump|title=Rurouni Kenshin Manga's "Chapter 0" to Run in Shonen Jump|publisher=Anime News Network|date=2012-04-24|access-date=2017-04-16|archive-date=2012-06-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120606205438/http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2012-04-24/rurouni-kenshin-manga-chapter-0-to-run-in-shonen-jump|url-status=live}}</ref> The two-part ''[[Rurouni Kenshin: Master of Flame]]'', which shows how [[Shishio Makoto]] met [[Komagata Yumi]] and formed the [[Juppongatana]], followed in ''Jump SQ.'' in 2014.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2014-07-07/viz-shonen-jump-to-publish-rurouni-kenshin-shishio-spinoff/.76416|title=Viz's Shonen Jump to Publish Rurouni Kenshin's Shishio Spinoff|publisher=Anime News Network|date=2014-07-07|access-date=2017-04-16|archive-date=2014-07-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140713125451/http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2014-07-07/viz-shonen-jump-to-publish-rurouni-kenshin-shishio-spinoff/.76416|url-status=live}}</ref> From August 9–11, 2013, an exhibit of art from ''Rurouni Kenshin'' was displayed at [[Otakon]] in the United States curated by Watsuki's wife.<ref name="otakon">{{cite web|url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2013-06-07/kaoru-kurosaki-to-curate-rurouni-kenshin-art-exhibit-for-otakon|title=Kaoru Kurosaki to Curate Rurouni Kenshin Art Exhibit for Otakon|publisher=Anime News Network|access-date=2013-06-06|archive-date=2013-06-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130610064846/http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2013-06-07/kaoru-kurosaki-to-curate-rurouni-kenshin-art-exhibit-for-otakon|url-status=live}}</ref> Watsuki and his wife collaborated on the two-chapter ''[[Rurouni Kenshin Side Story: The Ex-Con Ashitaro]]'' for the ninth anniversary of ''Jump SQ.'' in 2016.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2016-11-05/rurouni-kenshin-2-chapter-spinoff-manga-features-new-main-character/.108437#gallery_top|title=Rurouni Kenshin 2-Chapter Spinoff Manga Features New Main Character|publisher=Anime News Network|date=2016-11-05|access-date=2017-04-16|archive-date=2016-11-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161106161122/http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2016-11-05/rurouni-kenshin-2-chapter-spinoff-manga-features-new-main-character/.108437#gallery_top|url-status=live}}</ref> The second chapter revealed that the story is a prequel to a new arc of the series;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/daily-briefs/2017-03-31/rurouni-kenshin-hokkaido-arc-manga-launch-delayed-to-summer/.114167|title=Rurouni Kenshin: Hokkaido Arc Manga's Launch Delayed to Summer|publisher=Anime News Network|date=2017-03-31|access-date=2017-04-16|archive-date=2017-04-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170401055606/http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/daily-briefs/2017-03-31/rurouni-kenshin-hokkaido-arc-manga-launch-delayed-to-summer/.114167|url-status=live}}</ref> ''[[Rurouni Kenshin: The Hokkaido Arc]]'' which began in fall 2017.

===<!--Please keep this a subsection of the career section based on the talk page consensus. See talk if you disagree.-->Child pornography charges===
In November 2017, police found DVDs with footage of naked girls in their early teens in Watsuki's Tokyo office. Tokyo Police raided Watsuki's home as part of an investigation into the purchase of [[child pornography]]. The search uncovered about a hundred child pornography DVDs.<ref name=":0">{{cite web|last=Komatsu|first=Mikikazu|title="Rurouni Kenshin" Manga Author Charged with Possession of Child Pornography|website=[[Crunchyroll]]|url=https://crunchyroll.com/anime-news/2017/11/21-1/rurouni-kenshin-manga-author-charged-with-possession-of-child-pornography|date=November 21, 2017|access-date=June 23, 2022|archive-date=August 14, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220814184554/https://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-news/2017/11/21-1/rurouni-kenshin-manga-author-charged-with-possession-of-child-pornography|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Pineda|first1=Rafael|title=Rurouni Kenshin Creator Nobuhiro Watsuki Charged With Child Pornography Possession|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2017-11-21/rurouni-kenshin-creator-nobuhiro-watsuki-charged-with-child-pornography-possession/.124308|website=[[Anime News Network]]|access-date=September 19, 2022|date=November 21, 2017|archive-date=December 1, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201032220/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2017-11-21/rurouni-kenshin-creator-nobuhiro-watsuki-charged-with-child-pornography-possession/.124308|url-status=live}}</ref> He was referred to prosecutors over [[Child pornography laws in Japan|possession of child pornography]] on November 21.<ref name="JT">{{cite web|title='Rurouni Kenshin' cartoonist referred to prosecutors over possession of child porn|date=November 22, 2017|url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2017/11/22/national/crime-legal/rurouni-kenshin-cartoonist-referred-prosecutors-possession-child-porn/#.WhYziNSLRIc|publisher=[[The Japan Times]]|access-date=November 22, 2017|archive-date=November 22, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171122041354/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2017/11/22/national/crime-legal/rurouni-kenshin-cartoonist-referred-prosecutors-possession-child-porn/#.WhYziNSLRIc}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20171121-00050067-yom-soci|website=[[Yahoo! Japan]]|date=November 21, 2017|script-title=ja:るろうに剣心作者を書類送検…女児動画所持容疑|language=ja|trans-title= Documents sent to Rurouni Kenshin author ... Suspected possession of video for girls|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171121070529/https://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20171121-00050067-yom-soci|archive-date=November 21, 2017 }}</ref> The serialization of ''Rurouni Kenshin: The Hokkaido Arc'' was put on hiatus after the details of Watsuki's charges were made public.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2017-11-21/rurouni-kenshin-hokkaido-arc-manga-goes-on-hiatus-due-to-creator-child-porn-charge/.124313|website=[[Anime News Network]]|title=Rurouni Kenshin: Hokkaido Arc Manga Goes on Hiatus Due to Creator's Child Porn Charge|date=November 21, 2017|first=Egan|last=Loo|quote=Shueisha announced on Tuesday that Nobuhiro Watsuki's Rurouni Kenshin manga is going on hiatus, due to Watsuki being charged for possession of child pornography. The manga will not run in Shueisha's Jump SQ. Magazine as of the January 2018 issue, which will ship on December 4.|access-date=2017-11-21|archive-date=2017-11-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171121161429/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2017-11-21/rurouni-kenshin-hokkaido-arc-manga-goes-on-hiatus-due-to-creator-child-porn-charge/.124313|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://kotaku.com/rurouni-kenshin-creator-fined-for-child-pornography-pos-1823351711|title=Rurouni Kenshin Creator Fined For Child Pornography Possession|first=Brian|last=Ashcraft|date=February 27, 2018|website=Kotaku|access-date=March 2, 2018|archive-date=March 3, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180303105653/https://kotaku.com/rurouni-kenshin-creator-fined-for-child-pornography-pos-1823351711|url-status=live}}</ref> In February 2018, Watsuki was fined {{currency|200000|JPY}} (about {{currency|1900|USD}}).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2018-02-27/rurouni-kenshin-creator-nobuhiro-watsuki-fined-200000-yen-for-possession-of-child-porn/.128322|website=[[Anime News Network]]|title=Rurouni Kenshin Creator Nobuhiro Watsuki Fined 200,000 Yen for Possession of Child Porn|first=Egan|last=Loo|date=February 27, 2018|access-date=2018-03-13|archive-date=2018-03-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180314043208/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2018-02-27/rurouni-kenshin-creator-nobuhiro-watsuki-fined-200000-yen-for-possession-of-child-porn/.128322|url-status=live}}</ref> ''The Hokkaido Arc'' resumed serialization in June 2018.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2018-04-23/rurouni-kenshin-hokkaido-arc-manga-resumes-in-june/.130726|website=[[Anime News Network]]|title=Rurouni Kenshin: Hokkaido Arc Manga Resumes in June|first=Rafael Antonio|last=Pineda|date=April 23, 2018|access-date=2018-04-23|archive-date=2018-04-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180423161640/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2018-04-23/rurouni-kenshin-hokkaido-arc-manga-resumes-in-june/.130726|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://kotaku.com/rurouni-kenshin-will-resume-publication-this-june-in-ja-1825461597|title=After Child Pornography Fine, Rurouni Kenshin Will Resume Publication This June|first=Brian|last=Ashcraft|date=April 23, 2018|website=Kotaku|access-date=April 27, 2018|archive-date=April 28, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180428011900/https://kotaku.com/rurouni-kenshin-will-resume-publication-this-june-in-ja-1825461597|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Influences and inspirations==
Watsuki started drawing from the influence of his older brother. He named [[Osamu Tezuka]]'s ''[[Black Jack (manga)|Black Jack]]'' as his favorite manga and [[Takeshi Obata]] as his favorite artist. Other series that influenced him include [[Fujiko F. Fujio]]'s ''[[Doraemon]]'' and ''[[Pa-man]]'', [[Mitsuru Adachi]]'s ''[[Touch (manga)|Touch]]'', ''[[Wing Man]]'' by [[Masakazu Katsura]], Minako Narita's ''Alien Street'' and ''[[Cipher (manga)|Cypher]]'', and ''[[YuYu Hakusho]]'' by [[Yoshihiro Togashi]].<ref name="Profiles"/> Watsuki said that he is not very good at writing comedy, but stated that he does not give up on it because laughter contains "smiles and happiness, the greatest common denominators."<ref>{{cite book|title=Rurouni Kenshin: Restoration, Volume 2|year=2014|last=Watsuki|first=Nobuhiro|publisher=[[Viz Media]]|page=207|isbn=978-1-4215-5570-6}}</ref>

Watsuki based many of his characters on historical figures, characters from other manga/anime, and video games series. For example, [[Himura Kenshin]] was based on [[Kawakami Gensai]],<ref>Viz Graphic Novel Ruroni Kenshin Vol. 1</ref> one of the [[Four Hitokiri of the Bakumatsu]]. Four years after the revolution ended, Gensai was falsely accused of a crime and was executed.<ref name=autogenerated1>Viz Graphic Novel Ruroni Kenshin vol. 1</ref> Watsuki admires Kenshin for his desire to do good in honor of those whom he had to kill so the Meiji Government could exist.<ref name=autogenerated1 /> In addition, [[Saitō Hajime (Rurouni Kenshin)|Saitō Hajime]] was based on the historical [[Saitō Hajime]], a member of the Shinsengumi although Watsuki admitted altering him to the point of fan complaints.<ref>Viz Graphic Novel Ruroni Kenshin Vol. 7</ref> Several other characters, most notably [[Sagara Sanosuke]], [[Shinomori Aoshi]], and [[Seta Sōjirō]], are also loosely based on certain figures among the Shinsengumi.<ref>Viz Graphic Novel Ruroni Kenshin Vol. 1 and 7</ref> [[Okita Sōji]], [[Ōkubo Toshimichi]], and [[Katsura Kogorō]] are among numerous other historical figures who make appearances in the story. Yukishiro Enishi's minion Gein was based on grave robber and double murderer [[Ed Gein]].<ref>Viz Graphic Novel Ruroni Kenshin Vol. 24</ref>

==Works==
===Serialized manga===
;''Rurouni Kenshin''
:{{Nihongo4|''Crescent Moon in the Warring States''|戦国の三日月|Sengoku no Mikazuki|}}
:{{Nihongo4|''Rurouni: Meiji Swordsman Romantic Story''|るろうに -明治剣客浪漫譚-|Rurōni -Meiji Kenkaku Roman Tan-|1992}}
:''Rurouni: Meiji Swordsman Romantic Story'' (1993)
:{{Nihongo4|''[[Rurouni Kenshin|Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Swordsman Romantic Story]]''|るろうに剣心 -明治剣客浪漫譚-|Rurōni Kenshin Meiji Kenkaku Rōman Tan|1994–1999}}
:{{Nihongo4|''Haru ni Sakura''|春に桜||"Cherry Blossoms in Spring", 1999}}
:{{Nihongo4|''Yahiko no Sakabatō''|弥彦の逆刃刀||"Yahiko's Reversed-Edge Sword"}}
:{{Nihongo4|''Rurouni Kenshin: Restoration Act Zero: The Prologue''|るろうに剣心 -明治剣客浪漫譚- 第零幕|Rurōni Kenshin -Meiji Kenkaku Roman Tan- Dai Rei-maku|2012}}
:{{Nihongo4|''[[Rurouni Kenshin: Restoration]]''|るろうに剣心-キネマ版|Rurōni Kenshin Cinema-ban|2012–2013}}
:{{Nihongo4|''[[Rurouni Kenshin: Master of Flame]]''|炎を統べる -るろうに剣心・裏幕-|Honō wo Suberu Rurōni Kenshin Uramaku-|2014}} 
:{{Nihongo4|''[[Rurouni Kenshin Side Story: The Ex-Con Ashitaro]]''|-るろうに剣心・異聞-明日郎 前科アリ|Rurōni Kenshin Ibun: Ashitarō Zenka Ari|2016}}
:{{Nihongo4|''[[Rurouni Kenshin: The Hokkaido Arc]]''|るろうに剣心 -明治剣客浪漫譚・北海道編-|Rurōni Kenshin Meiji Kenkaku Roman Tan Hokkaidō-hen|2017–present}}
;''[[Gun Blaze West]]'' {{nobold|(2001)}}
;{{Nihongo4|''[[Buso Renkin]]''|武装錬金|Busō Renkin|2003–2005}}
;''Embalming''
:{{Nihongo4|''Embalming -Dead Body and Bride-''|エンバーミング -DEAD BODY and BRIDE-||2005}}
:{{Nihongo4|''Embalming II -Dead Body and Lover-''|エンバーミングII -DEAD BODY and LOVER-||2006}}
:{{Nihongo4|''[[Embalming (manga)|Embalming -The Another Tale of Frankenstein-]]''|エンバーミング -THE ANOTHER TALE OF FRANKENSTEIN-|Enbāmingu -Ji Anazā Teiru obu Furankenshutain-|2007–2015}}

===Other manga===
*{{Nihongo4|''Teacher Pon''|ティーチャー・ポン||1987}}
*{{Nihongo4|''Hokuriku Yūrei Kobanashi''|北陸幽霊小話}}
*{{Nihongo4|''Meteor Strike''|メテオ ストライク|Meteo Sutoraiku}}
*{{Nihongo4|''Robot Arms''|ろぼっと・アームズ}} a dōjinshi illustrated by Watsuki and written by Kaworu Kurosaki.

===Video game designs===
*''[[Samurai Shodown V]]'' (2003)
*''Shinsengumi Gunraw Den'' (2005)

===Other work===
*''[[Buso Renkin]]'' (2006) – Voice of Buhiro Watsukino in episode 7.
*''[[Endride]]'' (2016) – Character designs

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Portal|Anime and manga|Biography}}
*{{Anime News Network|people|35}}

{{Nobuhiro Watsuki}}
{{Rurouni Kenshin}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Watsuki, Nobuhiro}}
[[Category:1970 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Manga artists from Niigata Prefecture]]
[[Category:Nobuhiro Watsuki]]
[[Category:People from Nagaoka, Niigata]]
[[Category:Anime character designers]]
[[Category:Japanese video game artists]]
[[Category:Japanese people convicted of child pornography offenses]]