One Less Star on the Ground, One More in the Sky: Yasuda Dead at 24

Sudden illness claims Comic LO, doujin artist at Tokyo home

As reported by Anime News Network via the blog of manga-ka Raryu Kitamine, Yasuda, leader of doujinshi circle Yasudanchi, passed away recently.  He was 24.

Kitamine reports that Yasuda was discovered deceased at his Tokyo home after his parents failed to be able to contact him over a course of weeks.  Kitamine also commented that Yasuda appeared to be in good health during early May's Comitia104 and during his May 26th birthday.  The exact date of Yasuda's passing is presently unknown. 

Yasuda's professional work was featured in the lolicon-centric Comic LO manga anthology magazine, and his doujinshi work included recent parodies of Haganai, Sword Art Online, with his artistic style lending a distinctive softness and roundness to his leading female characters.  Yasuda's circle's last published book debuted at late April's Comic1☆7, featuring OreImo's Ayase Aragaki, seen at left.

Thank you again to ANN and Kitamine for the coverage, and to the Doujinshi and Manga Lexicon for the cover images. 

Comic1☆7 Update: Yasuda / Yasudanchi

The Yandere Scourge of Chiba Strikes Again!

Recently revealed on charming chibi-fier Yasuda's website, the circle will once again be tapping into the charms of OreImo's yandere darling Ayase Aragaki for their newest release, to debut at next weekend's Comic1☆7.  This outing is the circle's first since Comiket 83 and second consecutive book featuring Ayase.  Lucky early buyers will receive a set of five bookmarks showing what might be the results of Kirino's attempt to get her friend into cosplay, much to our delight.

Comic Market 83: Yasudanchi / YASUDA

Perhaps in anticipation of the second season of Ore no Imouto ga Konna ni Kawaii Wake ga Nai, Yasudanchi will feature Ayase Aragaki in handcuffs and hadaka apron in their Comic Market 83 release.  One would think Ayase would be horrified to learn she's been depicted in such a lascivious manner for the benefit of us disgusting otaku, but judging by Toranoana's preview pages, it doesn't look like she minds all that much.  I rather enjoy YASUDA's character designs; he tends to depict his girls as fairly short and puni, existing somewhere between chibi and realistic, and his books tend to be fun, lighthearted vanilla romps.  While Yasudanchi is a fairly new circle with not a lot of backlog, I expect and hope for a lot more in the coming years.