Kinoshita Itaru graduated from San Francisco State University’s School of Cinema in 2012. He made his manga debut with Giganto o ute (Attack the Gigante, Kodansha) in 2018.

His manga about zookeepers working in a dinosaur park, Dinosan (published in English as Dinosaur Sanctuary), is currently being serialized by Shinchosha. It is currently published in 9 languages and is available in English from Seven Seas Entertainment. Dinosan volumes 1 through 7 are currently on sale in Japanese, with volume 7 of the English edition planned for release in September 2025. 

Dinosaurs Sanctuary has been recognized in Japan and abroad, including being mentioned in the Next Manga Awards’ Print Manga category in 2023. In 2024, Dinosaur Sanctuary was nominated for Best Continuing Manga Series at the American Manga Awards and selected as one of School Library Journal’s Best Books of 2024.

His favorite dinosaurs are the Giganotosaurus and Psittacosaurus.

Kinoshita-sensei will be joined onstage by his editor Tomoka Matsumura and moderator Deb Aoki to discuss his background as a manga creator, how he got started, what Dinosaur Sanctuary is about, and even give a live drawing demo. There will be a Q&A and then a reception and signing with the artist. As always, this event is free and open to the public.

7-8:30pm – Timken Auditorium – artist talk with Kinoshita Itaru, joined by Tomoka Matsumura and Deb Aoki

8:30-9:30pm – Nave Presentation Space – reception and signing

For more information, please contact MFA Comics Chair Mel Gillman (mgillman@cca.edu).