Shungiku Nakamura (born December 13, 1980) is a a popular manga artist well known for her famous Boys' Love works Junjou Romantica and Sekai-ichi Hatsukoi, which is one of the few yaois that revolutionised the genre with its use of comedy, romance, and seriousness without mainly focusing on getting the Seme and Uke into bed as quick as possible (though it isn't without its fanservice - this is a yaoi, after all). Shungiku Nakamura's distinct style has gained popularity throughout Japanese and English yaoi fan bases and even took a place on the New York's Best Sellers list one time.
Her works put the focus on the relationship of a couple, including the trials and obstacles that the couple eventually learns to overcome. Unforgettable personalities also makes her series what it is both for hardcore and causal yaoi fans.
Her light novel spin-off series Sekaiichi Hatsukoi : Yokozawa No Baai was adapted into a movie due to its popularity, and was the first Boys' Love series featured in theaters.
Works
- Junjou Romantica: Her first major and more well-known series.
- Sekai-ichi Hatsukoi: Spin-off of Junjou Romantica, but is equally as popular with many Junjou Romantica characters making cameos
- Junjou Mistake : More of an extension of Junjou Romantica but mainly focusing on Isaka and Asahina's relationship.
- Hybrid Child: A touching story of an amazing android that can grow if it is lavished with enough love and care from its owner. An OVA was announced.
- "W.P.B." (2004) : Oddly enough this is a shoujo series with a female protagonist but
Ho Yay isn't exactly non-existent - Touzandou Tentsui Ibun" (1998 - 1999)
- Mangetsu Monogatari"
- Tsuki wa Yamiyo ni Kakuru ga Gotoku" (1999)
- Picturesque of a Mask" (art only)
- Umi ni Nemuru Hana"
Tropes Associated With Works
- Author Appeal: Nakamura has a thing for cute animal mascots. In her manga Junjou Romantica each couple is represented by a cute character of some kind and the anime isn't afriad to exploit it. The cute bunny mascot in Sekaiichi Hatsukoi even has the name Twinkle with its own back story!
- Body Motifs: Her art places a lot of focus on her characters' hands (which are often large and curiously shaped), to the point where she and her artistic imitators singlehandedly (ahem) spawned the 'yaoi hands'
meme. - Cast Full of Gay: Each character introduced in Junjou and Sekaiichi are some how related to the main couple making it seem like a phone tree of homosexual relationships.
- Gayngst:
- Hiroki and Nowaki's relationship suffers from not knowing the next level of their relationship since they can't get married or have kids. Misaki fears more his brother finding out he's in a relationship with Usagi, his best friend, rather than another man.
- Played straight in "Kisa's Case" where he feels he can never fully fall in love.
