Masanori Ota ( 太田正典 , Ōta Masanori , born November 23, 1961) , better known by his pen name Masamune Shirow ( 士郎 正宗 , Shirō Masamune ) , is a Japanese manga artist . Shirow is best known for the manga Ghost in the Shell , which has since been turned into three theatrical anime films, two anime television series, an anime television film, an anime ONA series, a theatrical live action film, and several video games . As well as being a key figure in the development of cyberpunk aesthetics and themes in Japan during the 1980s and 1990s.
23-486: Born in the Hyōgo Prefecture capital city of Kobe , he studied oil painting at Osaka University of Arts . While in college, he developed an interest in manga , which led him to create his own complete work, Black Magic , which was published in the manga dōjinshi Atlas . His work caught the eye of Seishinsha President Harumichi Aoki, who offered to publish him. The result was best-selling manga Appleseed ,
46-470: A full volume of densely plotted drama taking place in an ambiguous future. The story was a sensation, and won the 1986 Seiun Award for Best Manga. After a professional reprint of Black Magic and a second volume of Appleseed , he released Dominion in 1986. Two more volumes of Appleseed followed before he began work on Ghost in the Shell . His work has been cited as an influence on The Wachowskis and
69-553: Is an incomplete list. Galgrease (published in Uppers Magazine , 2002) is the collected name of several hentai manga and poster books by Shirow. The name comes from the fact that the women depicted often look "greased". The first series of Galgrease booklets included four issues each in the following settings: The second series included another run of 12 booklets in the following worlds: After each regular series, there were one or more bonus poster books that revisited
92-872: Is hot and humid. As for winter conditions, the north of Hyōgo tends to receive abundant snow, whilst the south receives only the occasional flurry. Hyōgo borders on Osaka Prefecture , Kyoto Prefecture , Tottori Prefecture and Okayama Prefecture . As of 31 March 2008, 20% of the total land area of the prefecture was designated as Natural Parks , namely the Sanin Kaigan and Setonaikai National Parks; Hyōnosen-Ushiroyama-Nagisan Quasi-National Park ; and Asago Gunzan , Harima Chūbu Kyūryō , Inagawa Keikoku , Izushi-Itoi , Kasagatayama-Sengamine , Kiyomizu-Tōjōko-Tachikui , Onzui-Chikusa , Seiban Kyūryō , Seppiko-Mineyama , Tajima Sangaku , and Taki Renzan Prefectural Natural Parks. Two major artificial islands are located Hyōgo Prefecture: The city of Akō and
115-647: Is in Harima. There are 163 public and 52 private high schools within Hyogo prefecture. Of the public high schools, some are administered by the Hyogo prefectural government, whilst the others are administered by local municipalities. The sports teams listed below are based in Hyōgo. Baseball Basketball Football (soccer) Rugby Volleyball A popular troupe of Takarazuka Revue plays in Takarazuka . Arima Onsen in
138-594: The Kii Channel . The northern portion is sparsely populated, except for the city of Toyooka , The central highlands are only populated by tiny villages. Most of Hyōgo's population lives on the southern coast, which is part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area. Awaji is an island that separates the Inland Sea and Osaka Bay , lying between Honshu and Shikoku . Summertime weather throughout Hyōgo
161-819: The Minister of the Environment under the Natural Parks Law ( 自然公園法 ) of 1957. National parks are designated and in principle managed by the Ministry of the Environment. Quasi-national parks, of a slightly lesser beauty, size, diversity, or state of preservation, are recommended for ministerial designation and managed by the prefectures under the supervision of the ministry. Japan established its first kōen ( 公園 ) or public parks in 1873 ( Asakusa Park , Asukayama Park , Fukagawa Park , Shiba Park , and Ueno Park ). In 1911 local citizens petitioned that
184-525: The 58th, Akkeshi-Kiritappu-Konbumori Quasi-National Park . On 25 June 2024, Hidaka-sanmyaku Erimo Quasi-National Park was redesignated Hidakasanmyaku-Erimo-Tokachi National Park , making it the 35th national park. The area of each national and quasi-national park is divided into ordinary, special and marine park zones. Special zones are further subdivided into special protection and class I, II, and III special zones, restricting access and use for preservation purposes. The state owns only approximately half of
207-891: The United States on October 22, 1963, the first such arrangement between Japan and the United States. In 1981, a sister state agreement was drawn up between Hyogo and the state of Western Australia in Australia . To commemorate the 10th anniversary of this agreement in 1992, the Hyogo Prefectural Government Cultural Centre was established in Perth . List of national parks of Japan#History National parks ( 国立公園 , Kokuritsu Kōen ) and quasi-national parks ( 国定公園 , Kokutei Kōen ) of Japan are places of scenic beauty that are designated for protection and sustainable use by
230-462: The development of the popular Matrix film series . In 2007, he collaborated again with Production I.G to co-create the original concept for the anime television series Ghost Hound , Production I.G's 20th anniversary project. A further original collaboration with Production I.G began airing in April 2008, titled Real Drive . His work often explores the philosophical themes of cyberpunk such as
253-470: The existing characters and settings. Hy%C5%8Dgo Prefecture Hyōgo Prefecture ( 兵庫県 , Hyōgo-ken ) is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of Honshu . Hyōgo Prefecture has a population of 5,469,762 (as of 1 June 2019 ) and a geographic area of 8,400 square kilometres (3,200 square miles). Hyōgo Prefecture borders Kyoto Prefecture to the east, Osaka Prefecture to
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#1732779836439276-515: The former provinces of Harima , Tajima , Awaji , and parts of Tanba and Settsu . In 1180, near the end of the Heian period , Emperor Antoku , Taira no Kiyomori , and the Imperial court moved briefly to Fukuhara, in what is now the city of Kobe. There the capital remained for five months. Himeji Castle , a UNESCO World Heritage Site , is in the city of Himeji. Southern Hyōgo Prefecture
299-459: The land area). On 27 March 2015, the 32nd national park was established, Myōkō-Togakushi Renzan National Park , on 15 September 2016, the 33rd, Yanbaru National Park , and on 7 March 2017, the 34th, Amami Guntō National Park , subsuming Amami Guntō Quasi-National Park . On 25 March 2016, a further quasi-national park was established, Kyoto Tamba Kogen Quasi-National Park , on 27 March 2020, Chūō Alps Quasi-National Park , and, on 30 March 2021,
322-607: The largest ports in Japan. Kobe Port also hosts one of the world's fastest supercomputers, and Hyogo Prefecture passed laws to keep Kobe Port free of nuclear weapons (a nuclear-free zone ) since the year 1975. Hyōgo is a part of the Hanshin Industrial Region . There are two research institutes of Riken , natural sciences research institute in Japan, in Kobe and Harima. " SPring-8 ", a synchrotron radiation facility,
345-439: The national, quasi-national, and prefectural natural parks. With minor amendments this established the framework that operates today. As of 1 April 2014, there were 31 national parks and 56 quasi-national parks, with the national parks covering 20,996 km (5.6% of the land area) and the quasi-national parks 13,592 km (3.6% of the land area). In addition, there were 314 prefectural parks covering 19,726 km (5.2% of
368-400: The nature of post-human existence, AI and the ethics of biotechnology, human–machine relations, multiculturalism , and globalism . Dominion ( ドミニオン , Dominion ) series: Ghost in the Shell ( 攻殻機動隊 , Kōkaku Kidōtai ) series: Stand-alones: A substantial amount of Shirow's work has been released in art book or poster book format, some being hentai. The following
391-569: The old National Parks Law, in colonial Taiwan in 1937: the Tatun National Park (the smallest in Japan); Tsugitaka - Taroko National Park, (the largest); and Niitaka - Arisan National Park (with the highest mountain in then Japan). Ise-Shima was the first to be created after the war , and a further seven had been added by 1955. In 1957 the Natural Parks Law replaced the earlier National Parks Law, allowing for three categories:
414-510: The only town in Akō District ( Kamigōri ), were scheduled to merge and the city would still retain the name Akō . Akō District would be defunct if the merger was successful. However, the merger has not taken place. As in all prefectures nationwide, agriculture, forestry, and fisheries play a big role in the economy of Hyogo Prefecture. Hyōgo Prefecture also has an IT industry, many heavy industries, metal and medical, Kobe Port being one of
437-585: The prefecture are located. Hyōgo Prefecture is a major economic center, transportation hub , and tourist destination in western Japan, with 20% of the prefecture's land area designated as Natural Parks . Hyōgo Prefecture forms part of the Kobe metropolitan area and Osaka metropolitan area , the second-most-populated urban region in Japan after the Greater Tokyo area and one of the world's most productive regions by GDP . Present-day Hyōgo Prefecture includes
460-595: The shrines and forests of Nikkō be placed under public protection. In 1929 the National Parks Association was formed. In 1931 the first National Parks Law ( 国立公園法 ) was passed. After much study and survey, in March 1934 the first parks were established — Setonaikai , Unzen and Kirishima — with five more in December and a further four two years later. Three further parks were established under
483-606: The south of the province in Kita-ku, Kobe is one of the Three Ancient Springs in Japan. The north of Hyogo Prefecture has sightseeing spots such as Kinosaki Onsen, Izushi , and Yumura Onsen . Takeda Castle in Asago is often referred to locally as the "Machu Picchu of Japan". The matsuba crab and Tajima beef are both national delicacies. Hyogo entered a sister state relationship with Washington state in
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#1732779836439506-520: The southeast, and Okayama and Tottori prefectures to the west. Kobe is the capital and largest city of Hyōgo Prefecture, and the seventh-largest city in Japan, with other major cities including Himeji , Nishinomiya , and Amagasaki . Hyōgo Prefecture's mainland stretches from the Sea of Japan to the Seto Inland Sea , where Awaji Island and a small archipelago of islands belonging to
529-468: Was severely devastated by the 6.9 Mw Great Hanshin earthquake of 1995, which destroyed major parts of Kobe and Awaji , as well as Nishinomiya and Ashiya and the neighboring Osaka Prefecture , killing nearly 6,500 people. Hyōgo has coastlines on two seas: to the north, the Sea of Japan , to the south, the Seto Inland Sea . On Awaji Island , Hyōgo borders the Pacific Ocean coastline in
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