is a Japanese

manga are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long history in earlier Japanese art. The term is used in Japan to refer to both comics ...

series written and illustrated by

Masami Yuki , real name Shūji Satō (佐藤修司 ''Satō Shūji'', born December 19, 1957, in Kutchan, Abuta District, Hokkaidō), is a Japanese manga artist. Yuki graduated from Kutchan High School. He is a member of the artist group known as Headgear. I ...

. It was serialized in

Shogakukan is a Japanese publisher of comics, magazines, light novels, dictionaries, literature, non-fiction, home media, and other media in Japan. Shogakukan founded Shueisha, which also founded Hakusensha. These are three separate companies, but ...

's ''

Weekly Shōnen Sunday is a weekly manga magazine published in Japan by Shogakukan since March 1959. Contrary to its title, ''Weekly Shōnen Sunday'' issues are released on Wednesdays. ''Weekly Shōnen Sunday'' has sold over 1.8billion copies since 1986, making it ...

'' from October 1994 to September 2000, and compiled into 26 ''

tankōbon A is a standard publishing format for books in Japan, alongside other formats such as ''shinsho'' (17x11 cm paperback books) and ''bunkobon''. Used as a loanword in English, the term specifically refers to a printed collection of a manga that w ...

'' volumes.

Plot

''Jaja Uma Grooming Up!'' depicts the story of Shunpei Kuze, a high-school student unsure of the future until he takes a motorcycle ride to

Hokkaidō is the second-largest island of Japan and comprises the largest and northernmost prefecture, making up its own region. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaidō from Honshu; the two islands are connected by railway via the Seikan Tunnel. The ...

. When his motorbike runs out of fuel, Shunpei is stranded on a country road; to make matters worse, he loses his wallet. He is found and taken in by the daughter of a local rancher named Hibiki Watarai. Shunpei begins a new life on the Watarai horse-breeding ranch, learning about the horses and the ranch's lively family and workers.

Publication

''Jaja Uma Grooming Up!'' is written and illustrated by

. The series started its serialization in

's ''

'' on October 19, 1994, and finished on September 27, 2000. Shogakukan compiled the series into twenty-six individual ''

'' volumes, which were published between March 18, 1995, and November 18, 2000. Shogakukan re-released the series into a 14-volume '' bunkoban'' edition from December 13, 2003, to December 15, 2004.

References

External links

Entry at Masami Yuki's official site
* {{Weekly Shōnen Sunday - 1990–1999 Horse racing in anime and manga Masami Yuki Shogakukan manga Shōnen manga

Plot

Publication

References

Further reading

External links