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Novala Takemoto
From Virtual Japan
Novala Takemoto (嶽本野ばら) is a Japanese fashion designer and author. Born on January 26, 1968 with the name Toshiaki Takemoto, his pen name has been in effect since his first publications. He has become well known for promoting the Lolita lifestyle, including as a designer for Baby, The Stars Shine Bright and has found multiple placements in the Gothic and Lolita Bible. His deep fascination with the Rococo era has produced much of his art and writing.
Biography
Born in Uji, just south of Kyoto, Takemoto was a fan of reading and drawing as a child and eventually, after attending the Osaka University of Arts for a couple of years dropped out and started pursuing his own artistic, theatrical, and musical activities. He started writing professionally between 1992 and 1997 with [[]Hanagata Bunka Tsushin], a free arts newspaper in Kansai. His work in the six year period led to the publication of his book, Soleilnuit: For Becoming a Proper Young Lady and later he started popularizing the term otome. His debut novel, Missin’, was released in 2000 and he was nominated for the Yukio Mishima Literary Award twice – once in 2003 for Emily and once in 2004 for Lolita.
His most famous creation is Shimotsuma Monogatari, or Kamikaze Girls, a series that was later adapted into manga and film. He has had one other novel adapted into film as well with Twins – A Variety Store Named End of the World.
Legal Troubles
Arrested on September 2, 2007, Takemoto was charged with violating the Cannabis Control Law for possession. He was stopped while walking in Shinjuku alone and questioned by a police officer who later found .22 grams of Cannabis on him and arrested him. He was subsequently removed from Baby, The Stars Shine Bright in any form and his other endeavors had been slowed or halted for some time. He later plead guilty to the charges and was sentenced to eight months in prison, a sentence that was later suspended for three years.