“Contextualized by horror and science fiction, while infusing vintage pulp aesthetics and Japanese manga influences— I aim to create a different way of looking into Blackness and the female experience.”

Gigi Murakami is an NYC native, Ignatz nominated manga artist, illustrator, writer, content creator, and small creative business owner at the intersection of horror media, alt + nerd culture, and (schlocky) film. Her work blends Japanese manga art and vintage American comic and pulp aesthetics. She specializes in traditional ink and color illustrations, and manga art focusing on dark, fantastical, and dramatic themes.

Born in The Bronx borough of NYC, Gigi grew up in a low-income neighborhood experiencing many financial and health hardships. To cope, she disappeared into her art, anime & manga, horror and sci-fi movies, punk and alternative music, and television. Notable shows like “Tales from the Crypt” and “The Twilight Zone”—along with video games, like “Silent Hill” and “Resident Evil”—cemented their unique imagery and style of storytelling and influenced her during her childhood years.

Gigi is heavily influenced by Japanese manga art masters, such as Katsuhiro Otomo, Naoki Urasawa, Kentaro Miura, Satoshi Kon, and Junji Ito. Combining her tastes, beliefs, and personal experiences, she strives to produce illustrations and manga that are immersing, entertaining, and provocative, yet introspective.

In addition to developing original manga projects and freelancing, Gigi is currently operating her Patreon, online store: Gigimurakami.store, and creating content on her social media. She resides in Brooklyn, NY with her husband Shinji, and their dog Yuki.