Tomato Soup (manga artist)
Japanese manga artist
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Tomato Soup (Japanese: トマトスープ) is a Japanese manga artist. She[1] creates historical manga based on world history from the Middle Ages to the early modern period.[2] In 2026, she won the Grand Prize in the Comics Category of the 55th Japan Cartoonists Association Award for A Witch's Life in Mongol.
- Dampier no Oishii Bōken
- A Witch's Life in Mongol
- Kanshin Sumubato
| Tomato Soup | |
|---|---|
| Born | Kanra, Gunma, Japan |
| Area | Manga artist |
Notable works |
|
Career
She was born in Kanra, Gunma Prefecture.[3] She graduated from Tama Art University,[4] where she majored in copperplate engraving.[5]
Her pen name derives from the fact that she happened to use an empty can of tomato soup as a pen holder.[6]
Around 2013, while still a student, she began working as a dōjin creator in the "historical fiction" genre online.[7]
In 2019, after working as a salaried employee, she made her professional debut with Dampier no Oishii Bōken after pitching to a publisher.[5]
Style
Dampier no Oishii Bōken is set in the 17th century and features William Dampier of England. A Witch's Life in Mongol is set in the 13th century and features Fatima Khatun of the Mongol Empire. Kanshin Sumubato is set in the 13th century and depicts the Mongol invasion of Georgia.
She conducts her own historical research, referencing academic papers obtained from the National Diet Library,[8] as well as English-language literature and materials imported from overseas.[5] She also visits institutions such as the Middle Eastern Culture Center and the Japan-Mongolia National Museum as part of offline meetings with fellow dōjin creators.[7] In her commercial works, she not only depicts history but also incorporates universal themes.[7]
By deliberately depicting historical scenes, which often involve cruelty, with deformed characters of 4–5 heads in height, she neutralizes the brutality while enhancing the emotional impact.[5]
She has been influenced by Ryoko Kui's Delicious in Dungeon,[8] Shigeru Mizuki,[8] and the printmaker Tomoaki Hamada.[5]
Awards
- Dampier no Oishii Bōken: Ranked 6th in the "Otoko" (Men's) category of Kono Manga ga Sugoi! 2021[2]
- A Witch's Life in Mongol: Ranked 1st in the "Onna" (Women's) category of Kono Manga ga Sugoi! 2023;[2] Ranked 5th in the Manga Taishō 2023[2]
- A Witch's Life in Mongol: Grand Prize in the Comics Category of the 55th Japan Cartoonists Association Award[9]
Works
Manga
- Dampier no Oishii Bōken (ダンピアのおいしい冒険), East Press, 6 volumes total (serialized in Matogrosso from April 2019[2] to June 2023)
- A Witch's Life in Mongol (天幕のジャードゥーガル), Akita Shoten (Bonita Comics), 5 volumes currently published (serialized in Souffle since September 25, 2021)
- Kanshin Sumubato (奸臣スムバト), Shinshokan (Wings Comics), 1 volume currently published (serialized in WINGS since August 2023[2])
- Released December 26, 2024[10], ISBN 978-4-403-62385-1
Other
- Rusudan of the Setting Sun (斜陽の国のルスダン) (written by Akira Namiki, Shinkai-sha FICTIONS, 2022) – Illustrations. Originally published as a dōjinshi by Copper Kettle in 2016.