Waku Yaniko

Waku Yaniko (Yaniko Waku, August 2, 1926-June 2, 2001) was a Japanese Manga Artist, Character Designer, Writer, Novelist, Composer, Director, Producer, Editor and Animator. He began his career as a characer designer at the age of 20 until he became a manga artist in 1950 until he died from a heart attack at the age of 74.

Early Life
Waku Yaniko was born in Tokyo, Japan to parents Taku Yaniko and Sakura Nakito. Yaniko was the oldest brother of Rikit Yaniko (born 1943) and Harako Yaniko (born 1944).

Personal Life
Waku married salerywoman Masako Marinoko (1934-2010) in 1957 and had four children: Manga artist and Anime producer Machiko Yaniko, Medical Doctor Tarou Yaniko, Record producer Hacomimi Yaniko and Businessman Takashi Yaniko.

Waku was the personal friend of many comic artists including Ziraldo (Creator of O Menino Maluquinho), Charles M. Schulz (Creator of Peanuts) and Akira Toriyama (Creator of Dragon Ball and Dr. Slump) but he had a special friendship with Stan Lee, who he met in 1953 and Akira Shigino, who worked on Chiro and Tamako and Tantan and Naoko and the Bakas.

Waku was fluent in English, German, Italian and Spanish, the languages he learnt from many of his friends and taught to Masako and his children.

Works
Kaneta & Yumika

Yono Makitos

Asahi and Nippon and Co

Tantan and Naoko and the Bakas

Rikit

Teena-Chan

Our Sakura

Chiro & Yamako

Karukangirl

Lolaneko

Dandy

Onigiri

Psychic Sheep

Nana & Her Friends

Pokie's Farm

Kedamono

Hakaru-Chan

NyaNya-Chan

Queen Dokano

Chīsawa Ankā

Journey of the Monkey Queen

Super Animals

Hashire Miiko

Tooko the Dragon

Catinia

Paraba Botos

Night of Wishes

Alijects

The Con Artist and The Dwarf

Pagachu

Naneta the Jungle Girl

Beekichan

Cluck, Buck and Muck

Trivia

 * Since the number 3 was Yaniko's least favourite number (something which was inherited by his children), all of his non-human characters would either have five fingers or no fingers at all.
 * All of Waku's mangas (except Onigiri and Dandy) were always exclusive to Shogakukan and Shueisha.
 * Unlike most Manga Artists, Waku, throughout his years, had worked on all of his Mangas by himself without an assistant.
 * Just like Stan Lee, he would often make cameos in many of his work.