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Hakusensha Founding Member, Manga Magazine Editor Nobumasa Konagai Dies at 94

Publisher Hakusensha's founding member and manga magazine editor Nobumasa Konagai died of old age on February 2. There was a funeral for close relatives. He was 94.

Konagai was born in 1930 in Shizuoka prefecture. He joined Shueisha and worked as an editor before becoming one of the founding members of Hakusensha in 1973.

He served as editor-in-chief to shōjo magazine Bessatsu Margaret. He launched various magazines, such as Hana to Yume, LaLa, Young Animal, and MOE. He served as president of Hakusensha starting in 1990, and he retired in 2004. He had also developed a Manga School for training young artists.

Japan's Agency for Cultural Affairs awarded Konagai with the Japan Media Arts Festival Achievement Award in 2012.

Source: Yomiuri Shimbun