Iou Kuroda

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Iou Kuroda (黒田硫黄 Kuroda Iō, born January 5, 1971) is the pen name of a Japanese manga artist.

Born in Sapporo as one of two twins, Kuroda moved many times in his youth. The pen name "Kuroda Iou" (in Japanese order) is a combination of his family name (Kuroda) and the name of a toy robot, Mars King (Kasei Daiō). Kuroda + Kasei Daiō -> Kurodaiō -> Kuroda Iō.

Kuroda's works are known for their dynamic plot developments and the rhythm of their stories. His drawings are widely praised for their almost magical appeal. Elephants, cameras, bicycles, ships, robots, and cooking are common themes in Kuroda's manga.

In 2003, a short story from his work Nasu was adapted into an animated film under the title Nasu: Summer in Andalusia. It was directed by Kitaro Kosaka, and was the first animated Japanese film selected for the Cannes Film Festival. It follows the story of a professional cyclist, Pepe, as he competes in a race through his home town in the Spanish region of Andalusia and struggles to gain the respect of his team and family.