Grazie mille, Natsume Ono

This post is part of the 30 Day Manga Challenge series. Day 10: Your Favorite Mangaka

A note: My real-life work is ramping up, so posts this week may be a little lacking. I plan on revamping many of these manga challenge posts in the future, but please forgive the lack of quality for the time being!

Out of all the mangaka I admire, it’s hard to firmly say that I have a definite favorite. But one artist consistently sneaks to the top of my list: Natsume Ono. Maybe it’s her unconventional style, or her charming characters, but there’s something calming about her work that sets her apart from other mangaka in her niche. 

At the moment, I’m in the middle of researching more about her professional background and career, as I’d like to develop this page into a wiki of sorts. In the meantime, I invite you to explore her catalog of works currently available in English.

Notable Works

La Quinta Camera

Released: 2003 (JPN), 2011 (US)
Original Serialization: COMIC SEED!
Publisher: Viz Signature

From the publisher: An apartment in Italy. In four of the rooms live four single men with singular personalities. Into this peculiar ménage steps an exchange student, the new tenant of the fifth room. Brought together by chance, friends by choice, they pursue their dreams together as the days drift gently by.

not simple

Released: 2004-2005 (JPN), 2010 (US)
Original Serialization: COMIC SEED!
Publisher:  Viz Signature

From the publisher: Ian, a young man with a fractured family history, travels from Australia to England to America in the hope of realizing his dreams and reuniting with his beloved sister. His story unfolds backwards through the framing narrative of Jim, a reporter driven to capture Ian’s experiences in a novel: not simple.

Ristorante Paradiso

Released: 2006 (JPN), 2010 (US)
Original Serialization: Manga Erotics F
Publisher: Viz Signature

From the publisher: At the age of 21, Nicoletta travels to Rome to find her mother, Olga, who abandoned her long ago. Nicoletta finds her at Casetta dell’Orso, a charming little restaurant owned by Olga’s husband. The staff of bespectacled gentlemen welcomes Nicoletta warmly, but Olga’s reception is not so pleasant. Olga has never told her husband that she ever had children–and he must never know.

Gente

Released: 2007-2009 (JPN), 2010 (US)
Original Serialization: Manga Erotics F
Publisher: Viz Signature

From the publisher: Buona sera! Welcome to Casetta dell’Orso, a quaint little restaurant in the heart of Rome. The food’s delicious, but the handsome staff of bespectacled gentlemen is the real draw. Follow these dashing men home and witness their romances, heartaches, hopes and dreams in this delightfully whimsical continuation of Natsume Ono’s beloved Ristorante Paradiso.

Danza

Released: 2006-2007 (JPN), 2012 (US)
Original Serialization: Morning 2
Publisher: Kodansha Comics

From the publisher: Danza is a collection of stories about being a foreigner, sometimes even in your own home. Quiet, contemplative, and subtle, Danza collects some of Natsume Ono’s best short work.

Tesoro

Released: 2007 (JPN), 2011 (US)
Original Publication: Shogakugan
Publisher: Viz Signature

From the publisher: A treasure of 14 charming stories about family, friends, couples and unexpected bonds. Written by Natsume Ono over ten years, here is the long-awaited collection of her early work, including numerous illustrations and previously unpublished stories!

House of Five Leaves

Released: 2007-2010 (JPN), 2010 (US)
Original Serialization: Ikki
Publisher: Viz Signature

From the publisher: Hungry and desperate, masterless samurai Akitsu Masanosuke agrees to become a bodyguard for Yaichi, the charismatic leader of a group calling itself “Five Leaves.” Although disturbed by the gang’s sinister activities, Masa begins to suspect that Yaichi’s motivations are not what they seem. And despite his misgivings, the deeper he’s drawn into the world of the Five Leaves, the more he finds himself fascinated by these devious, mysterious outlaws.

ACCA: 13-Territory Inspection Department

Released: 2013-2016 (JPN), 2017 (US)
Original Serialization: Big Gangan
Publisher: Yen Press

From the publisher: When political conspiracies abound, preserving the peace is no piece of cake. It’s up to one deceptively aloof hero to sniff out corruption in this atmospheric thriller by Natsume Ono!

Please continue to support Natsume Ono’s manga as it becomes available in your country!