Famed manga-ka Jiro Taniguchi, nominated for numerous Eisner Awards via the English-language editions of his work from Fanfare Ponent Mon (see “This Publisher Has Almost Half as Many Eisner Noms as Graphic Novel Releases”), passed away on Saturday at 69.  He was one of the chief creators associated with the La Nouvelle Manga movement, which brought together Japanese and Franco-Belgian creators in realistic depictions of life as it is actually lived in the modern world (see “La Nouvelle Manga”). 

Fanfare Ponent Mon publisher Stephen Robson shared a statement: 

“Our sincere condolences go out to his family, friends and colleagues who will all miss him dearly.

“My village church clock has just struck noon on a cold and wintry day here in South Lincolnshire, UK and it sounds as sad as I feel at the passing of one of the most creative talents I have had the pleasure to come across and the honour to publish in English.

“From our first offering of his work in The Walking Man in 2004 to the collected A Distant Neighborhood last year and on to Furari this spring and, we hope to many more titles in the future, he has given much delight, thought and entertainment to his many readers. We will strive to keep his work alive in both English and Spanish and hope you will continue to enjoy his masterful storytelling and wonderfully realistic art.

“May he be at peace in his very own Distant Neighborhood.”