The Mysterious Navel Island

“Nazo no Heso-jima” – story by Yukio Tachibana, illustrations by Mamoru Masaki
なぞのヘソ島　　　絵本 - 『イコール』メディアショップ - BOOTH

“Nazo no Heso-jima” is a picture book produced in 1988 with a story by Yukio Tachibana and illustrations by Mamoru Masaki. In 2024, the “Mamoru Masaki Project,” which collects the works of Mamoru Masaki—active in the worlds of manga and anime—was launched, and this book was published as the first reprint.

▼Synopsis
“Heso Island” is a place of exile for the world’s contrarians, and their descendants live on the island. A boy visits the island as a tourist. Through his interactions with the locals, the boy comes to learn the secrets of the world...

Illustrations: Mamoru Masaki
Born March 10, 1941, in Yokohama.
1967 Became independent as a manga artist.
1971 Received the 2nd Kodansha Publishing Culture Award for “Jiro ga yuku” and “Hamidashi Yarou no Komoriuta.”
Representative works: “Mamoru Masaki Selected Works, 20 volumes” (Bronze-sha)
Animated feature film director credits: “Natsu e no Umi,” “Hirougumo,” “Jikuu no Tabibito,” “Barefoot Gen” (recipient of the Mainichi Film Competition Oofuji Award), etc.
Screenplay for animated films: “Genma Taisen,” “Kamui no Ken,” etc. Production: “Kaze no Tayori” (Goryu Shoin)

Available on Amazon.
なぞのヘソ島 (絵本) | 橘川幸夫, 真崎 守 |本 | 通販 | Amazon