Introduction
Ken Ishikawa (石川賢, Ishikawa Ken, June 28, 1948 – November 15, 2006) was a Japanese manga artist. He is renowned as the co-creator (with Go Nagai) of the Getter Robo anime series, as well as four of their subsequent manga continuations. According to Go Nagai, he considered Ken Ishikawa his greatest friend and ally.
Death
Ken Ishikawa collapsed at a dinner banquet after golfing; he was rushed to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. After Ishikawa's death, illustrator Naoto Tsushima released the manga Getter Robo Hien: The Earth Suicide, which was based on drafts and notes Ishikawa had written before his death, in 2007.
Influences
Kazuki Nakashima, chief editor of the Getter Robo Saga compilation cited Ken Ishikawa as an influence when he worked on the series composition of the anime show, Gurren Lagann, and also gave a memorial address at his funeral. He also calls himself Ken Ishikawa's number one fan.
Ishikawa's early art is quite reminiscent of that of his mentor, Go Nagai.
An adaptation of Ishikawa's manga Gokudō Heiki was filmed as Yakuza Weapon in 2011. The film is dedicated to Ishikawa.
Works
Anime
- Getter Robo Series (original manga) (1974)
- Great Mazinger vs. Getter Robo (original idea) (1975)
- Great Mazinger tai Getter Robo G - Kuuchuu Dai-Gekitotsu (original idea) (1975)
- Robby the Rascal (Cybot Robotchi) (original idea) (TV series, 1982–83; U.S.-released compilation film, 1985)
- Demon Beast Warfront, Beast Fighter(original manga) (1990)
- Getter Robo Go (original manga) (1992)
- Dragon Slayer series (chara-designer)(1992)
- Ninja Resurrection (original manga) (1997-1998)
- Getter Robo Armageddon (original manga) (1998)
- Shin Getter Robo vs Neo Getter Robo (original manga) (2000)
- Beast Fighter, THE APOCALYPSE (original manga) (2003)
- Nihility Chronicles, Miroku (original manga)
- New Getter Robo (original manga) (2004)
Manga
- Getter Robo Saga (Go Nagai helped in the early planning stages, but it is still mostly Ishikawa's work.)
- Getter Robo (Includes Getter Robo G saga) (5 vol) (1972)
the first manga of Getter covers both the Getter and Getter G stories - Getter Robo Go (7 vol) (1990)
- Shin Getter Robo (2 vol) (1997)
- Getter Robo Arc (3 vol, uncompleted) (2002)
- Getter Robot Hien ~THE EARTH SUICIDE~ (original idea) (3 vol, completed) (2007-2008)
- Getter Robo (Includes Getter Robo G saga) (5 vol) (1972)
- Kyomu Senki (Records of Nothingness)
- Kyomu Senshi MIROKU (6 vol) (1988-1990)
- Shiragikimon
- Ninpō Hannouji Kashinkoji Yōjutsu
- 5000 Kōnen no Tora
- Dogra Senki
- Jigen Seibutsuki Dogra
- Jakiō Bakuretsu
- Skull Killer Jakiō (2 vol) (1990)
- Cutey Honey (1 vol) (1973 manga adaptation that ran in Bouken Oh)
- Ultraman Taro (? vol) (1973 manga adaptation that ran in Shonen Sunday)
- Majū Sensen (3 vol) (1975)
- Seimaden (Saint Devil) (vol?) (1977)
- Battle Hawk (with Go Nagai) (? vol) (1978)
- Machine Saurer (first 6 months only) (1978)
- Makai Tenshō (?vol (1986)
- Heaven and Earth (? vol) (1987)
- Seiten Taisen Freeder Bag (2 Vol) (1990)
- Garou Densetsu (? vol) (1994)
- Samurai Spirits (1 vol) (1995)
- MAGA (? vol) (2000)
- Eurasia 1274 (? vol) (2001)
- Super Robot Wars (? vol) (2002)
- Shinsetsu Majū Sensen (4 vol) (2004)
- Musashi~Isetsu Kengō Denki~ (? vol) (2005-2006)
- Aztekaiser (with Go Nagai) (2 vol) (date?)
- Bakumatsuden (3 vol) (date?)
- Dynamic Superobot (with Go Nagai) (? vol) (date?)
- Godzilla (? vol) (date?)
- Momotaro Jigokuken (1 vol) (date?)
- Makuh Hakken Den (? vol) (date?)
- Southern Cross Kid (4 vol) (date?)
- Tsu Ku Mo Ranzo' (1 vol) (date?)
- Gokudō Heiki' (1996)
Art books
- Majin Illustration Collection (3 vol) (date?)