Ai Yazawa (b. March 7, 1967) is japanese mangaka, and one of the most popular artist in Japan with Akira Toriyama (Dragon Ball) and Rumiko Takahashi (InuYasha). Yazawa's manga's are mostly romantic dramas, shōjo. Many of her works has made anime TV series and live action films.
Nana is Yazawa's higly popular present manga series. Love-sick student damsel and rootless punk-girl languishes at the end of the last relationship, and fears to start the newone. Both Nana's life, love and career are incompatible. In the first volume they don't even meet. Later, they happen to be on the same train, and end up to live under the same roof. Nana is not a typical giggle-manga, even though the beer and the partying plays a strong part in both Nana's story. Yazawa's manga's has taste of real life, and she does not forget humour.
Princess Ai is written by DJ Milky (Stu Levy) with Courtney Love, and illustrated by Ai Yazawa and Misaho Kujiradou. In the story Princess Ai ends up to her fantasy-homeland to present-day Tokyo. She can only remember her own name. Beautiful voice makes her a rock star, but fame makes her ignorant diva. (Bases to Courtney Love's own life. Ai means love.) Ai falls in love with a talented young musician Kent, and they try together to find out where Ai has come, and who are the demons after her. Other Princess Ai books are Rumors From The Other Side fanbook, Princess Ai: Prism of Midnight Dawn and Princess Ai: Encounters.
Ai Yazawa's manga's:
15-nenme, 1986
Love Letter, 1987
Kaze ni Nare!, 1988
Escape, 1988
Ballad Made Soba ni Ite, 1989 (2 volumes)
Marine Blue no Kaze ni Dakarete, 1990–1991 (4 volumes)
Usubeni no Arashi, 1992
I'm Not an Angel, 1992-1995 (Tenshi Nanka Ja Nai, 8 volumes)
Neighborhood Story, 1995–1998 (Gokinjo Monogatari, 7 volumes)
Last Quarter of the Moon, 1998-1999 (Kagen no Tsuki, 3 volumes)
Paradise Kiss, 2000–2004 (5 volumes)
Nana, 2000– (continues)
Princess Ai, 2004–2006 (with Courtney Love, Misaho Kujiradou and DJ Milky, 3 volumes)
