Japanese Literary Awards

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Akihiro Nishino

ニシノ アキヒロ

Nishino Akihiro

Pen Names: Akihiro Nishino（Name used for comedy activities and for works such as picture books and scripts）

Profile

Gender
Male
Nationality
Japan
Languages
Japanese

Career

Occupations
Comedian, Picture book author, Screenwriter, Film producer, Director, Producer

Awards

44th Japan Academy Prize — Excellent Animation (nominated)
2021
Work: POUPELLE OF CHIMNEY TOWN
Organization: Japan Academy Prize Association
Result: Nominated

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

POUPELLE OF CHIMNEY TOWN

2016 Picture book

In a town filled with chimneys and perpetual smoke, chimney sweeper boy Lubicchi (Rubitch) — who believes there are stars beyond the smoke — befriends Poupelle, a garbage man born from a lost heart. The picture book follows their friendship and adventure as they work to clear the smoke and reveal the stars to the townspeople.

FriendshipHopePrejudice and exclusionFreedomStars / the cosmos
Adaptations
  • [Animated film] POUPELLE OF CHIMNEY TOWN / 廣田裕介 (2020)
  • [Stage (musical)] Musical 'POUPELLE OF CHIMNEY TOWN' / 西野亮廣（上演によって異なる） (2021)

Bibliography

  • Akihiro Nishino, Poupelle of Chimney Town (picture book), GENTOSHA, 2016-10-21, ISBN 978-4-344-03016-9
  • Akihiro Nishino, Poupelle Coloring Book, GENTOSHA, 2020-11-26, ISBN 978-4-344-03708-3
  • Akihiro Nishino, Minikui Marco ~A Flower That Bloomed in Poupelle Town~, GENTOSHA, 2021-05-31, ISBN 978-4-344-03707-6

Adaptations

  • Film adaptation (2020 release, director: Yusuke Hirota, animation: STUDIO 4℃, distributor: TOHO / Yoshimoto Kogyo)
  • Stage adaptations (multiple productions including musical, reading performances, kabuki)
  • Planetarium version (produced 2018, screened at various planetariums)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
Visually driven picture-book style with lavish illustrationsConcise text that conveys emotion and storyCollaborative (division-of-labor) production resulting in varied visual approaches
Recurring Motifs
SmokeStarsShipHeart (red lump)Balloons

Legacy

Poupelle of Chimney Town became a bestselling picture book that expanded into film, stage, and planetarium adaptations. Its crowdfunding-driven projects and proposed museum have attracted attention; the work has had notable commercial and cultural impact since publication.

Museums

  • Poupelle Museum (planned) Hyogo Prefecture (planned)

In Popular Culture

  • Expanded into an animated film and multiple stage forms (musical, kabuki, readings), achieving broad media presence.

Quotes

  • "Keep believing, even if you become the only one."
    Source: Poupelle of Chimney Town (picture book) (2016)

Trivia

  • The picture book was released on 2016-10-21 and surpassed 100,000 copies sold within its first year.
  • Production adopted a division-of-labor model; teams including MUGENUP contributed to illustrations.
  • The film was released on 2020-12-25 and grossed approximately 2.7 billion JPY (reported).
  • Crowdfunding was used to raise funds for production and related projects.