“ People should learn that you cannot dwell in your past. One who dwells in the past hurts not only himself, but also the people around him. “
Quotes by Jun Mochizuki
Introducing Jun Mochizuki
Jun Mochizuki is a renowned Japanese manga artist, born on December 22 in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. She is best known for her critically acclaimed series Pandora Hearts and The Case Study of Vanitas, both of which have solidified her reputation in the manga industry. Mochizuki’s career began as a student, and her professional debut came with the one-shot manga Crimson-Shell, serialized in Square Enix’s Monthly GFantasy from September 2005 to February 2006. Although Crimson-Shell was short-lived, consisting of only six chapters, it marked her entry into the industry and showcased her early artistic potential. Inspired by Hiromu Arakawa, the creator of Fullmetal Alchemist, Mochizuki chose to submit her work to Square Enix rather than other publishers, a decision that shaped her career trajectory. After graduating high school, she applied to an art school but was not accepted, prompting her to focus on self-directed drawing and manga creation, eventually leading to her breakthrough with Pandora Hearts.
Her first major series, Pandora Hearts, began as a one-shot before being fully serialized in Monthly GFantasy on May 18, 2006, and concluded on March 18, 2015, after a nearly nine-year run spanning 24 volumes. A supernatural mystery with dark fantasy elements, the series drew heavily on Gothic literature and Western fairy tales, earning praise for its complex plot, strong character development, and subversion of shounen genre tropes. Though it never achieved widespread commercial popularity, it was a critical success, receiving accolades from figures like Hiromu Arakawa and spawning a 2009 anime adaptation by Studio XEBEC. Following its conclusion, Mochizuki almost immediately launched The Case Study of Vanitas in Square Enix’s Gangan Joker, starting in December 2015. This ongoing series, set in a steampunk Paris with themes of vampires and curses, further showcases her intricate storytelling and evolving art style, which has been lauded for its detailed architecture and vibrant visuals, as seen in scenes like the airship or Parisian settings.
