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 | Taro Gachon (ガチョン太朗) |
| Date of Birth | October 29, 1971 |
| Birthplace | Saitama Prefecture |
| Blood Type | O |
| Debut Work | “Ozumo Deka” in 1991 ’91『大相撲刑事』 |
| 1st Jump Serialization | “Ozumo Deka” 『大相撲刑事』 |
| Additional Info | The series follows a sumo wrestler looking detective which shocked fans with its unexpected humor. The author has a deep love for sumo wrestling which is shown in his works. 主人公が力士風の刑事という、迫力の異色ギャグで、読者のドギモを抜いた。大相撲を愛する、こだわりの作家。 |
To celebrate Weekly Shonen Jump‘s 25th anniversary, Taro Gachon provided this illustration, shikishi, and comment, which have been roughly translated below:
祝25周年
Congrats 25th anniversary
このたびは25周年をむかえられたそーで、おめでとうございますと思う今日この頃です。
一口に25年と言っても私の人生より長くて、25年前の私は父親の中で元気におよぎまわっていた頃ではないかと思う今日この頃です。
ちなみに私が愛読しているギターざっしも今年で25周年になるそーで、今年はいい年になるんじゃないかと思ってる今日この頃です。
これからも地球が平和なかぎり、50周年100周年とつづいたらうれしいんじゃないかと思う今日この頃です。
Upon hearing that you’ve reached the 25th anniversary, I send my congratulations on this milestone.
25 years is longer than I’ve been alive, so 25 years ago I was still energetically swimming around in my father’s world.
It just so happens that the guitar magazine I love reading is also celebrating its 25th anniversary this year too, that must mean this year will be a good one all-around.
As long as there is peace on Earth, I’d be happy to see celebrations for it’s 50th and 100th anniversaries too.
The remaining portion of the article gives a summary of the Ozumo Deka manga series which ran in Weekly Shonen Jump between issues 40 through 49 in 1992 and lasting 10 chapters.
The following is some additional context and information not included in the article:
Taro Gachon won his first manga award for the 2nd annual Gag King (GAGキング) Runner-up award for his manga Wood Glue for Insect Bites (虫さされに木工用ボンド) which were announced in issue 52 of Weekly Shonen Jump in 1990. This oneshot was never published. The winner of the Gag King award was Kyosuke Usuta, who would later go on to create Sexy Commando Gaiden: Sugoi yo!! Masaru-san starting in 1995.
Prior to the serialization in the magazine there were three oneshots that were published under the same title. The first oneshot was published in the Weekly Shonen Jump Autumn Special in 1991. Below is his author comment in that magazine issue (with a rough English translation):
やったぜデビュー!!とってもドキドキしています。現役の力士の方、力士を目指している方ぜひ感想をきかせてください!!
Hurrah for my debut!! I can’t contain my excitement. If you are a sumo wrestler or aiming to be one, please let me know what you think!!
The second oneshot was published in the Weekly Shonen Jump Winter Special in 1991. Below is his author comment in that magazine issue (with a rough English translation):
二度目の掲載ですが、とってもうれしいです!!一般の読者の方、力士の方、めざしてる方、ぜひ御感想をおきかせください!!
This is my second time being published, and I’m still excited!! If you a general reader, sumo wrestler, or an aspiring sumo wrestler, please let me know what you think!!
The third oneshot was published in Weekly Shonen Jump issue 14 in 1992. Below is his author comment in that magazine issue (with a rough English translation):
うお~!!新弟子検査に受かった時よりうれしいッス。お手紙まってます! どすこいっ!!
Wow!! I’m somehow even happier than when I passed the new recruit exam. I’ll be waiting for your letters! Dosukoi!
“Dosukoi” is a Japanese sumo wrestling chant.
The single collected volume of the story went on sale in Japan on March 9, 1993. For the author introduction comment Taro Gachon left this long message (with a rough English translation):
この本は、これから犯罪をおかしたいという人とヤクザになりたいという人を止めろ のるために作られた本です。しかも、これから力士になりたいという人にも、ちょっとは役にたつ事が、描いててあるんじゃないかと思ってます。
(役に立たなかったらごめんなさい)
まー、犯罪をしたい人、ヤクザになりたい人はこの本を読んでもう一度考えなおして下さい。
This book was written to help stop people from committing crimes or wanting to join the yakuza. But, it might also be helpful for people who want to become a sumo wrestler too.
(Sorry if it’s not actually useful)
Either way, if you are planning on doing a crime or becoming a yakuza, then read this book and reconsider.
Following this publication and the illustrations for Jump Multi World in 1993, Taro Gachon has not published any other series and later changed careers into marketing outside of the manga industry.
