► Veteran manga artist Shigeru Mizuki dies at 93
Veteran Japanese manga artist Shigeru Mizuki has died. He was known for works featuring "yokai" monsters and those depicting the misery of war.
Mizuki died on Monday at a hospital in Tokyo. He was 93.
He grew up in Sakaiminato City in Tottori Prefecture, western Japan. After completing his primary education, he studied artistic technique while working.
He was drafted in 1943 and sent to the front lines in the Pacific. He lost his left arm in a bombing.
Mizuki made his professional debut in 1957.
He produced "GeGeGe no Kitaro" and other works featuring "yokai" monsters. These were inspired by the folk tales he listened to when he was a child.
These works became a hit and were made into animated TV series and movies.
He also created manga about his experiences during World War Two and about the life of Adolf Hitler. These works highlighted the atrocities and inhumanity of war.
A street in his hometown features with bronze statues of his characters. These attract many tourists to the city and are helping to reinvigorate the regional economy.
Mizuki was awarded the Purple Ribbon Medal in 1991 and was named a Person of Cultural Merit in 2010.