Hiramatsu Shinji's original art on display in Takahashi

Hiramatsu Shinji returns to his hometown, at least on paper. The Takahashi Green Park leisure complex is now exhibiting around 40 original pieces by the 71-year-old mangaka, who was born in this city and is known for works like Doberman Deka.

The exhibition brings together five different works, including his debut, Shōbu, which he drew in his first year of high school with school baseball as its theme. There are also pages from Black Angels, the story where the protagonist kills criminals, and from Soshite Boku wa Gedōman ni Naru, a manga based on his own life as an artist.

In this last work, the Kōya River appears, one of Takahashi's most famous spots for viewing cherry blossoms. A local nod that fans are enjoying, according to the Sanyo Shimbun newspaper.

The only place to see his original art in his hometown

Hiramatsu won a shōnen magazine award while studying at Matsubara Junior High School, now Takahashi Junior High School. After graduating from Takahashi High School, he moved to Tokyo, where he built his career.

The original art belongs to the Matsubara community center, the neighborhood where the author spent his childhood. The center borrowed the pieces from Hiramatsu himself and is now lending them to Green Park to attract visitors to the area.

The director of the community center, Fujii Teruhiko, puts it this way: "If people come to enjoy original art this detailed and powerful, the region will come alive too."

The exhibition is open only on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, from 10:00 to 16:00. Admission costs 300 yen. For now, it is the only space in his hometown where Hiramatsu's original art can be seen.

Which mangaka would you like to see in an exhibition of original art? Tell us in the comments.