Japanese manga legend Jirō Taniguchi dies at 69

Jirō Taniguchi, the acclaimed Japanese manga artist known for blending Eastern narrative rhythms with European realism, died on Saturday, February 11, 2017, at age 69. The announcement was made by French publisher Casterman. Born in 1947 in Tottori on Honshū island, Taniguchi leaves behind a vast body of work spanning genres from hard-boiled thrillers like Tokyo Killers to science fiction, westerns, and animal-themed stories such as Blanca and The Gods' Dogs. He was celebrated as the most European of Japanese manga artists, particularly beloved in France, where he collaborated with legendary French cartoonist Moebius (Jean Giraud) on the 1996 sci-fi manga Icarus. Taniguchi won the Osamu Tezuka Award in 1998 and was twice honored at the Angoulême International Comics Festival in the 2000s. His style, influenced by Hergé's clear line, combined contemplative themes with a light, precise drawing technique.