Shin'ichi Abe (Tagawa, 1950), one of the most interesting authors of alternative manga, began publishing in the magazine Garo in the 1970's. His autobiographical works mostly portray young men with sparse beards struggling for love and art. He was one of the authors who fostered the image of the manga artist as a romantic and tormented figure among readers. In 2009, Tsubota Yoshifumi adapted his short story "Miyoko's Feelings in Asagaya" for the big screen.