Takayoshi Minematsu (峰松孝佳 Minematsu Takayoshi ), also known by the aliases of Taa Minematsu (峰松タアー), Katta Yoshi (吉勝太 Yoshi Katsuta) and KATTA, is a Japanese illustrator and manga-ka who got his start as an assistant at Fujio Pro at the start of 1984, and is the current chief artist at the company.
Life and Career[]
Before being hired by Akatsuka, Minematsu had been employed as one of the outsourced background artists on the Studio Knack anime Psycho Armor Govarian, until a chance encounter at a bar in late 1983 decided his next career path.
Assistant Work for Fujio Pro[]
Minematsu is known to have completed several of Akatsuka's drafts in the late period of his career, getting his start as a minor assistant in 1984 before being appointed the head of the remaining three serialization artists in 1987 (the other two being Makoto Iwasaki and En Yamamura).
He lasted at the company until 1994, where his activities afterward appear to have been independent artwork until he returned to Fujio Pro in 2002 initially as a freelancer, before taking over entirely for Akatsuka and becoming the official chief artist in 2011. Outside of his contributions to Fujio Pro, he has continued to do other professional illustration work to this day.
List of Works[]
Aside from works that are confirmed in this below list, some entries must be treated as more speculative when taking into account the 10-year total time frame he worked under Akatsuka, as well as his return.
- Comedy is Coming Now (possible involvement through 1984 chapters)
- Weekly Special Boy (debut as assistant during its run, through 1984 chapters) *
- I am a Cat, Kikuchiyo
- This Week's Awful Person (at some point in 1984)
- Japan Laughter Story (at a point in 1984 to the end)
- TOKIO and Kakeru *
- What Will Fujio Akatsuka Do?! *
- Mean Current Affairs *
- Reading Dai-sensei *
- Ramen Great Escape *
- Hana-chan Sleeps *
- Yarasete-ojisan *
- The Genius Bakabon (BomBom, TV Magazine, Hero Magazine, Monthly Shonen Magazine versions) *
- Omusubi-kun and Omusubi-kun's Fun Rice Exploration*
- Kidnapping by Willow *
- Osomatsu-kun (BomBom, TV Magazine versions) *
- Akko-chan's Got a Secret! (Nakayoshi version) *
- Where are these Famous Characters Now?! *
- The Fujio Akatsuka Story *
- Extraordinary Ataro (BomBom, TV Magazine versions) *
- Greatest in Japan, Putaro's Family *
- Hennako-chan (Weekly Josei reboot) *
- Fujio Akatsuka's Gag Shop *
- MR. Masashi *
- Songo-kun (Deluxe BomBom revival) *
- The Cat House Owner *
- Mom NO.1 (Deluxe BomBom reboot, only present through 1994) *
Series for Fujio Pro, post-Akatsuka[]
- GC (Guts Cat) Nyarome! (GCニャロメ!, October 2003-September 2004, Comic BomBom)
- New Hennako-chan (September and October 2008, Flash EX)
- Hennako-chan: ~Private Akafuji High School~ ( へんな子ちゃん ～私立アカフジ高校～ ,May 2013-March 2015, HR)
- Boy Bakabon (少年バカボン, December 2014-April 2016, Dengeki Bazooka)
- Tamanegi Tama-chan (たまねぎたまちゃん, May 2019-present, Chagurin)- Remake of the original series, co-created with Hiroki Kimura.
Shorts created in and outside of Fujio Pro[]
- I'm Lonely (淋しいぜ, Comic Giga!, 1990)- Under alias of "Taa Minematsu".
- Yacchin (ヤッチン, Comic BomBom Summer 1991 Jumbo special issue)- Under alias of "Katta Yoshi"
- UNKOMAN ( (Comic BomBom Summer 1992 Jumbo special issue)- Co-created with fellow Fujio Pro assistant Makoto Iwasaki, credited under alias of "Katta Yoshi" as with the next installments.
- UNKOMAN (Comic BomBom Winter 1992 Jumbo special issue)
- UNKOMAN (Comic BomBom Spring 1993 Jumbo special issue)
- Egg Soldier Tamaran ( タマゴ戦士タマラン, December 1994, Comic BomBom winter holiday special)- First fully-independent manga work, credited under his own name.
- Genius Bakabon Bakada University Entrance Exam (天才バカボン バカ田大学なぞなぞ入学試験, October 17, 2007, Kodansha supplement)
- The Stray Gag Story of the Returning Antarctic Expedition Party ( 帰ってきた南極探検隊 巷説ギャグ物語 , January 2008, Novel Subaru)
- The Extraordinary Secret of The Genius OsoBakaAkkoBonMatsuAtaro-kun-chan (もーれつひみつの天才おそバカアッコボン松ア太郎くんちゃん, September 2024, Omoshiro Book) - An 8-page, newly-created exhibition manga starring the characters of Osomatsu-kun, Bakabon, Akko, and Ataro. It was published in Keiichi Tanaami's artbook "Omoshiro Book" and exhibited at the Shueisha Manga Art Heritage Tokyo Gallery from September 17 to November 10, 2024.
Learning Books for Otsuka Pharmaceutical[]
After Akatsuka's hospitalization, Minematsu took over the writing and art duties for these books. They are still being published with each year's "Otsuka Library" collection for elementary school students.
- The Immune System that Protects the Body: "We are the Byogen Corps" (からだを守る免疫『オレたちゃビョーゲン隊』, March 20, 2003)
- Genomes and Chromosomes, Gene, DNA: "We are the Trio DNA" ( ゲノムと染色体・遺伝子・ＤＮＡ『おれたちトリオザ・Ｄ・Ｎ・Ａ』 , March 23, 2004)
Other Books[]
- Everyone, Let's Think Together! ( みんなで一緒に考えるのだ！, October 2005, National Association of Corporate Conference)- A guide to taxes, with the Akatsuka Stars.
Other Credits in Media[]
- Bakuden Unbalanced Zone (1994)- World Creation. Fujio Akatsuka was also credited for this game's character designs.
- Denroku "Fujio Akatsuka Demon Mask" (2002-present)- Character design for each annual Setsubun demon mask.