西島大介

1974年東京都生まれ。広島在住。漫画家として2004年早川書房のSF叢書「Jコレクション」より描き下ろし単行本『凹村戦争』でデビュー。第8回文化庁メディア芸術祭審査員推薦作となり、同年第35回星雲賞アート部門を受賞。他作品に『世界の終わりの魔法使い』(2005〜)『Young, Alive, in Love』（2013〜2014）など多数。

ベトナム戦争を描いた長編『ディエンビエンフー』(2007〜)は小学館から12巻を刊行するも掲載誌休刊のため未完となったが、双葉社へ移籍し完結編『ディエンビエンフー TRUE END』として全3巻で完結（2017〜2018）した。第21回および第22回文化庁メディア芸術祭マンガ部門審査員推薦作。

『すべてがちょっとずつ優しい世界』(2012)が第三回広島本屋大賞受賞、第17回文化庁メディア芸術祭マンガ部門審査員推薦作となる。登場キャラクター「ぼうや」はライフワークとなり、単行本刊行以降、絵画や音楽、映像、立体作品として継続的に作品を制作している。

キャラクターデザイナー、イラストレーターとしても幅広く活動し、読売テレビ開局60周年キャラクター「シノビー＆ニン丸」、ベルナール・ビュフェ美術館45周年キャラクター「ビュフェくん」、ベストセラー小説『陽だまりの彼女』などを担当。

個展の開催や国内外の展示への参加も多く、「トゥルーエンドを探して」（AWAJI Cafe and Gallery 2017）「生きとし生けるもの」(ヴァンジ彫刻庭園美術館 2016)「Wrocław Drawing Triennial 2019」（ポーランド、Galeria BWA Wrocław Główny）など現代美術作家としても活動。DJまほうつかいの名前でピアノ演奏による音楽活動も行う。

Daisuke Nishijima

I was born in Tokyo, 1974. For the convenience of my father's work, I moved to Tokyo, Chiba, Yokohama, Shimane prefecture and Hiroshima prefecture during school years, and I was transferring school each time. I have been painting since childhood and doing fantasies somewhere not here. I liked reading books, especially foreign countries Sci-Fi novels. I was also addicted to watch animation. Especially influence from Sci-Fi novels and movies and Japanese animation is big and has a strong influence on the later my creation style. I also love music. My favorite creator is Author Charles Clarke, Stanley kublick, Hideaki Anno, Aphex Twin.

The first work I was involved in publishing was as a music writer. After that, I began working on magazine cut drawings and book bindings. I did illustration of a magazine and book cover art ( For example “Mho-joh genron F kai-Otaku”, “Postmodern Otaku Sexuality”, author by Hiroki Azuma ).  In 2004, I published the first Manga book ”O-son Sensou ( The Universal )” from Hayakawa Publishing. I chose this publisher, visited the chief editor of the magazine, and asked him to draw manga. Because many Sci-Fi authors are publishing book from this publisher, I longed for Hayakawa Publishing. And I became a "manga artist" after this publication.

My work “O-son Sensou (The Universal)” was published in the era when Zero-aged criticism and “Sekai-kei ”(sekai meaning "world", and kei meaning "type")  was talked about in Japan. The theme I put in my work was "after 9.11" ,"after Evangelion" ,"anti-SCI-FI", and “for youth". The main character of this story was very rebellious.

In 2005, I published Second Manga book “ Sekai-No-Owari-No-Mahoutsukai　(The Witch at the End of the World)”.  I think It was fantasy story not Sci-Fi. The shadow that appears in the story, it means copy. I think my story and art is copy.  Can i make new story at post Evangelion(Japanese Animation) generation? It was my theme.

At the same time, I started make music by the name DJ Mahoutsukai ( Mahoutsukai means Wizard). I released MIX CD. At that year, my first solo exhibition “The Witch at the End of the World” was held at apell gallery in Setagaya,Tokyo.  My activities have become more than just drawing Manga.

In 2006, my first monthly serial comic “Dien Bien Phu” was start on monthly comic magazine IKKI Published at Shogakukan. The story is about Viet-nam war (1965-1973 ), but the magazine will be discontinue. Finally My manga "Dien Bien Phu" was longer than the actual Vietnam War, finished in 2018, published from Futabasha , spending 12 years.

My career as a Manga artist has doing fine. “The Witch at the End of the World” was made into a series, and four books were published by Kawade Shobo Shinsha and Kodansha. In other, I have written numerous Manga, illustrations and magazines and books, but the style changes drastically following the Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11, 2011.

In May 2011, I transferred activity base from Tokyo to Hiroshima. My parents and sister’s family was live in Hiroshima. I could not continue my work until then, and  started drawing a new Manga “Subetega-Chotto-Zutsu-Yasashii-Sekai ( A Kindly World )”. The Manga’s theme was the capital city and local cities, depopulated village, Community, Poverty , Richness, and the other things. After 3.11, many Japanese including me were confused, it seemed that our feelings broke up, therefore, I tried to draw the story faithfully to my feelings. The Manga “A Kindly World” was different from previous my expressions. It’s not  story of war  and rebellion. It’s feeling was not Manga comic, like a allegorical picture book. I drew this story with the feelings of my father looking at my son.

In 2012, I published “A Kindly World” from Kodansha. This book is complete in one volume. But the character “Boy (my son) ” became paintings, a drawing, a sculpture, a exhibitions, and music.” A kindly world” is still continued.

In 2015, I released by the name DJ Mahoutsukai solo piano album “Last Summer”. After that my music work became only piano playing and composing. In that summer, I joined A Kindly World Concert / Exhibition (Candle Night 2015) at Vangi Sculpture Garden Museum in Shizuoka prefecture.

In 2016, I published my most longer comic series “Dien Bien Phi” vol. 12. However, this story is not end because of magazine's suspended publication. In autumn, I joined “All Living Things” Exhibition at Vangi Sculpture Museum. 

In 2018, My manga “Dien Bien Phu TRUE END volume 1-3” was published after transferring the publisher Futabasha. Long Vietnam war story was end. So, I spent 12 years to finish this story (phew!).  And there is a request  from Osaka Dentsu, one of the famous advertising agency, I designed YTV (Yomiuri Telecasting corporation) 60th anniversary character Shinoby & Nin-maru. Now I am editing and publishing “Monthly Buffett-Kun” (Bernard Buffett Museum 45th anniversary magazine). This  magazine give out at only Bernard Buffett Museum. At that year, I joined contemporary artists connective “Purplume” exhibition “Museum’s Healthcare” at Hitachi-Ootashi Kyoudoshiryoukan in Ibaraki prefecture.

My activity gradually shifted from Manga artist to contemporary artist, I thought. I hope publish “A Kindly World” (English version) next year by myself.