To celebrate Weekly Shonen Jump‘s 25th anniversary, Shueisha decided to create a new style event to promote it’s history for the fans. The name of the event was called “Weekly Jump Multi World” and was a exhibition that was held in the Tokyo Dome Prism Hall between July 28th through August 15th, 1993. The event cost 700 yen for admission and guests were able to receive as special booklet which highlighted some of the items on display. The booklet was never available for sale directly. Over 48 authors provided new illustrations and congratulatory messages for this anniversary and are documented in this booklet and this is one of them. To help provide context to this profile that was captured in 1993, we have included some additional information to supplement the transcription and rough English translation.
| Name | Takeshi Obata (小畑健) |
| Date of Birth | February 11, 1969 |
| Birthplace | Niigata Prefecture |
| Blood Type | AB |
| Debut Work | “500 Light-year Myth” in 1986 ’86『500光年の神話』 |
| 1st Jump Serialization | “Cyborg Jiichan G” (Pen name: Shigeru Hijikata) 『サイボーグじいちゃんG』(PNは土方茂) |
| Additional Info | His pen name changed to Takeshi Obata with “Arabian Majin Boukentan Lamp Lamp” and his latest serialization “Chikarabito Densetsu -Oni wo Tsugu Mono-” is gaining attention with sumo wrestlers Wakanohana and Takanohana. PNを小畑健に変更、「魔神冒険譚ランプ・ランプ』、若ノ花と貴ノ花のマンガで話題になった『力人伝説一鬼を継ぐ者一』を発表。 |
To celebrate Weekly Shonen Jump‘s 25th anniversary, Takeshi Obata provided this illustration, shikishi, and comment, which have been roughly translated below:
二十五祝
若ノ花
貴ノ花
25 Congrats
Wakanohana
Takanohana
少年ジャンプが誕生して25年たった。四捨五入すれば30年、ジャンプも、もはやオヤジだ。ワシも25歳、ジャンプと同じ歳だ。とすれば、ワシもオヤジか。
しかしジャンプの25年という歳月は、あらゆるヒット漫画が登場して、集大成した25年なのだ。
ワシの25年なんかとは、くらべものにならないほど、厚く深みのある歳月なのだ。つまりワシは190円以下なのだ。
だからワシはジャンプを読んで、深みのある人間になりたいのである。
It’s been 25 years since Weekly Shonen Jump was born. If you round it up to 30 years, you can say Jump is an old man now. I’m 25 too, so the same age as Jump. Would that make me an old man too?
But Jump’s 25 years are packed with every hit manga imaginable, a true culmination for 25 years.
That is such a rich depth that my own 25 years of life pales in comparison. In other words, I’m worth less than 190 yen.
But that is why I read Jump, to become a better person from it.
The remaining portion of the article gives a summary of the Cyborg Jiichan G and Arabian Majin Boukentan Lamp Lamp manga series which both ran in Weekly Shonen Jump. Cyborg Jiichan G ran for 31 chapters between issue 22 and issue 52 in 1989. Arabian Majin Boukentan Lamp Lamp ran for 23 chapters between issue 52 in 1991 through issue 25 in 1992.
The following is some additional context and information not included in the article:
Takeshi Obata’s debut oneshot, 500 Light-year Myth, was first published in the Weekly Shonen Jump Spring Special in 1986 and was the 30th Tezuka Prize Honorable Mention winner. This oneshot was later reprinted in the third volume of Chikarabito Densetsu -Oni wo Tsugu Mono-. In the Spring Special Obata left this comment for his debut (roughly translated into English):
あんまりつまらなくなくて面白かったでしょ!? ボクもそう思います。感想がほしいナ
It was interesting and not too boring, right!? I think so. But send me your thoughts.
There were two oneshots for Cyborg Jiichan G before it got its serialization. The first was published in the Weekly Shonen Jump Autumn Special in 1987. The second oneshot for Cyborg Jiichan G was published in Weekly Shonen Jump issue 46 in 1988. For the author comments in that issue he gave the following humorous mix-up:
紙の裏と表をまちがえて全ページ描いた私をおゆるしください。ポッ~~~~としてました。
Please forgive me for accidently drawing on both sides of the paper. Bleh~~~ I was spaced out.
In Weekly Shonen Jump issue 39 in 1990 Takeshi Obata would then publish another oneshot called The Spirit That Comes Out! Mataro-kun (出てきておく霊!守太郎くん). For the author comments in that issue he gave the following comment:
この原稿を書いてる時に田舎で同窓会があった。みんな〜。行けなくてゴメンね〜っ!!
While working on this story there was a class reunion back home. Everyone~. Sorry I couldn’t make it~!!
Arabian Majin Boukentan Lamp Lamp began it’s serialization in Weekly Shonen Jump issue 52 in 1991 and would continue for 23 chapters ending in issue 25 in 1992. The story was written by Susumu Sendo (泉藤進) and Takeshi Obata provided the art.
The Chikarabito Densetsu -Oni wo Tsugu Mono- had begun its serialization in Weekly Shonen Jump in issue 52 in 1992. The series would run for 21 chapters and conclude in issue 23 in 1993. This series was written by Masaru Miyazaki (宮崎まさる) and Takeshi Obata provided the art along with some assistance with the story. While this series would have just finished around the time of the Jump Multi World event, there is no plot summary provided in the booklet. This series’ artwork was the basis of the color illustration provided to the event.
Takeshi Obata would later return to the pages of Weekly Shonen Jump with another oneshot in 1993 in issue 52 with the title Dream Master (夢幻導士). He would later provide the artwork for numerous other hit manga series in Weekly Shonen Jump with Hikaru No Go (1999 – 2003), Death Note (2004-2006), and Bakuman (2008-2012).
