GEKKO HAYASHI a.k.a.GOJIN ISHIHARA "THE DELIGHT OF BOY’S LOVE AND MASCULINITY"

Gojin Ishihara, once known as an illustrator of monsters in boys' and girls' magazines, moved on to pornographic magazines in the 1970s under the name Gekko Hayashi. He was one of the main illustrators for the gay magazine "Sabu". In the boy’s love magazine, “June”, he became popular among Yaoi (boys’ love) fans for his outstanding drawing skill. He is a pioneer in the genre of boys’ love and his dazzling sensuality still attracts many readers. 

Contributions by Tomomi Shibuya (Sociologist), Gengoroh Tagame (Manga artist), Ayumi Nakayama (TACO che bookstore)

318 pages

Text in Japanese

2022

Gekko Hayashi / Gojin Ishihara

A JAPANESE ILLUSTRATOR BORN IN TAISHA, SHIMANE (1923-1998)

When he was 15, he submitted his work to a film magazine's sketch contest and won a cash prize. He began contributing illustrations to magazines and continued to work on movie signs, cinematic arts and kamishibai (Japanese street theater and storytelling). 

In 1954, he debuted as an illustrator in a novel magazine and continued drawing for popular literary magazines. After that, he started drawing for boys' and girls' magazines. His illustrations of monsters, ghosts, and paranormal events made him into a household name. He further expanded his field of activities to include illustrations for the newspaper articles and comic books. 

In the mid-1970s, under the name of Gekko Hayashi, he began to draw mostly for gay and SM magazines like “Sabu”. He also set up a hotline at his workplace, where he interviewed readers for their experience and advice which became the basis of the "Moonlight Mask (Gekko Kamen) Theater" series. With his bold interpretation and imagination, this series became very popular and continued until around 1995. 

At the same time, he drew for ”QUEEN”, the magazine for transvestites, and a yaoi magazine, “JUNE” under the name of Gojin Ishihara. His illustration of beautiful boys in lyrical eroticism was preeminent among his peers. In his later years, his work also appeared in "Takarajima", "SPA!", "Bic Comic", "Famitsu", etc. His caricatures, which were scathing criticisms of the Heisei era, became very popular. He remained active throughout his life.