is a Japanese

manga artist A manga artist, also known as a mangaka (), is a Cartoonist, comic artist who writes and/or illustrates manga. Most manga artists study at an art college or manga school or take on an apprenticeship with another artist before entering the indus ...

illustrator An illustrator is an artist who specializes in enhancing writing or elucidating concepts by providing a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the associated text or idea. The illustration may be intended to clarify complicate ...

animator An animator is an artist who creates images, known as frames, which give an illusion of movement called animation when displayed in rapid sequence. Animators can work in a variety of fields including film, television, and video games. Animat ...

voice actress Voice acting is the art of Acting, performing a character or providing information to an audience with one's voice. Performers are often called voice actors/actresses in addition to other names. Examples of voice work include animation, animated, ...

, and

dōjin In Japan, a is a group of people who share an interest, activity, or hobby. The word is sometimes translated into English as " clique", "fandom", "coterie", "society", or "circle" (as in " sewing circle"). Self-published creative works pro ...

artist from

Hyōgo Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of Honshu. Hyōgo Prefecture has a population of 5,469,762 () and a geographic area of . Hyōgo Prefecture borders Kyoto Prefecture to the east, Osaka Prefecture to th ...

. She officially romanizes her name as aokiume. She illustrates under the pennames apricot+ for many of her

dōjinshi , also Romanization of Japanese, romanized as ', is the Japanese term for self-published print works, such as magazines, manga, and novels. Part of a wider category of ''doujin'' (self-published) works, ''doujinshi'' are often derivative of exi ...

, and for the visual novel '' Sanarara''. Aoki provided the voice for her Metapod persona in the

Shaft Shaft may refer to: Rotating machine elements * Shaft (mechanical engineering), a rotating machine element used to transmit power * Line shaft, a power transmission system * Drive shaft, a shaft for transferring torque * Axle, a shaft around whi ...

anime adaptation of her four-panel

comic strip A comic strip is a Comics, sequence of cartoons, arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often Serial (literature), serialized, with text in Speech balloon, balloons and Glossary of comics terminology#Captio ...

Hidamari Sketch is a Japanese ''yonkoma'' manga series written and illustrated by Ume Aoki. It follows a group of young female art students, and following their daily lives as close friends and neighbors at the nearby Hidamari Apartments. The manga has ...

''. She later created the original character designs for ''

Puella Magi Madoka Magica , also known simply as ''Madoka Magica'', is a Japanese anime television series created by Magica Quartet, and animated by Shaft. The story follows a group of middle school girls, led by protagonist Madoka Kaname, who make supernat ...

'', a Shaft anime production; and has been involved with the franchise—spanning several films, mobile games, manga, novels, and further television anime series—since then.

Works

*''

'' (2004–present; original manga published in ''

Manga Time Kirara Carat is a Japanese seinen manga magazine published by Houbunsha and mainly consisting of four-panel comic strips. It is released on the 28th of each month. The first issue was released on January 18th 2003 as a special edition of Manga Time Kirara. T ...

'') – Voice of 'Ume-sensei' in anime adaptation *'' Sanarara'' (2005) – Character design, artwork * (2006–present; original manga published in ''

Dragon Age Pure was a Japanese '' shōnen'' manga magazine published by Fujimi Shobo. It was first released on January 30, 2006, and was initially sold quarterly. Starting with the sale of the fourth volume on April 20, 2007, the magazine was sold bimonthly unti ...

'') *''

'' (2011–present) – Original character design * (2012–present; original manga published in ''Manga Time Kirara Carino'') * (2014–present; manga published in ''

Hakusensha is a Japanese publishing company. It is headquartered in Chiyoda, Tokyo. The company mainly publishes manga magazines and is involved in series' productions in their games, original video animation, music, and their animated TV series. The com ...

's Rakuen (Le Paradis)'') *'' Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story'' (2017–2024) – Original character design

References

External links

Ume Aoki's personal website
* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Aoki, Ume Manga artists from Hyōgo Prefecture Women manga artists Japanese illustrators Japanese women illustrators Japanese voice actresses Living people Japanese female comics artists Japanese female comics writers 21st-century Japanese women writers 1981 births Japanese animators