The artist behind the slice-of-life historical manga Gisele Alain died on 12 September.
Japanese manga artist Sui Kasai has passed away. The news was revealed through her official X (formerly Twitter) account, announcing her passing on 12 September, and further added that a funeral had already been held with close family and friends. The cause of death has not been divulged. She was 41 years old.
Remembered for Gisele Alain
Not much is known about Kasai's personal life, however her widow, Ao Okino, released a statement through Kasai's fanbox. In a machine translation, it reads:
A precious person I thought would always be by my side has passed away. She was someone I loved,
someone who always showered me with warm affection, who was always by my side.
She spoke of wanting to be kind to others.
She loved animals, plants, and people.
Her photographs conveyed kindness and warmth through a filter. Her
delicate drawings seemed to capture the softer side of her inner self. The stories told in her manga always moved me.
Her words conveyed her sincerity and love.
She was intelligent, and to me, she was the most beautiful person. She
was strong, sometimes weak, and while she seemed much more mature than me on the inside, she also had a childlike face.
With permission, I salvaged an article from Sui Kasai's Note and put it here on my own. I hope it can serve as a guide for those experiencing the same struggles.
Kasai is most known for her seinen manga series “Gisele Alain”, which follows the titular Gisele in early 20th-century France. Gisele is a young teenager who runs an apartment building. She takes on whatever request she receives, leading to an amusing slice-of-life historical drama. The manga does not have an English translation.
“Gisele Alain” launched in Kadokawa's Harta (formerly Fellows!) magazine in 2009, but later went into indefinite hiatus in 2014 due to Kasai's health. The manga never resumed serialisation, with its fifth volume being its final release. The manga now has a total of 29 chapters.
Kasai was working on a Gisele Alain side story at the time of her passing in preparation to what could have been her comeback, and was already nearing its completion. The editorial team at Harta are planning to present the side story in some format to fans in the future.
