Ai Yazawa author page

Ai Yazawa biography

Ai Yazawa is a Japanese manga author known for her work in the shōjo genre. She began her professional career in the 1980s, publishing her first works in the magazine Ribon. Yazawa is the creator of several notable manga series, including Tenshi Nanka Ja Nai (1991–1994), Gokinjo Monogatari (1995–1998), and Paradise Kiss (1999–2003). Her most widely recognised work is Nana, which began serialisation in Cookie magazine in 2000.

Nana achieved significant commercial success and was adapted into an anime television series and two live-action films. Yazawa’s works have been published by Shueisha and have been translated into multiple languages. Paradise Kiss was adapted into a 12-episode anime series in 2005 and a live-action film in 2011. Several of her manga have received critical acclaim and have contributed to the popularity of shōjo manga internationally.

In 2009, Yazawa paused the serialisation of Nana due to illness. As of 2024, the series remains on hiatus. Her manga have sold millions of copies worldwide, and Nana received the Shogakukan Manga Award for shōjo manga in 2003.