Akiko Higashimura is the Eisner-winning mangaka of Princess Jellyfish, Tokyo Tarareba Girls, and Blank Canvas- My So-Called Artist's Journey (known as Kakukaku Shikajika in Japanese), all of which are available in English.
Praise for Blank Canvas ...a fun and personal chronicle of a girl's coming of age and rise to prominence in the manga industry. It's extremely entertaining and has just enough intelligence and self-reflection to resonate as a lived experience. It's just really, really good. --Anime News Network Blank Canvas is another excellent addition to this ever-growing body of autobio manga, recommended for Higashimura's fans, but also for anyone who has ever striven toward a goal. It would be a particularly beneficial read for teens who are thinking of pursuing art themselves, as both an inspiration and a reality check. --The Beat I really like how she frames her career beginnings not from her start as a rookie manga artist, but from her perspective as an amateur high schooler trying to brush up on her art skills... This down-to-earth approach makes her story much more relatable. --Manga.Tokyo Praise for Princess Jellyfish One of the best anime and manga for beginners. Enthusiasm - geeky and otherwise - is power in Princess Jellyfish. Enthusiasm saves the day and paves the road to the future. --Kotaku Princess Jellyfish's ambition is simple: to tell a delightful story in a delightful way... It's a pretty deadly one-two punch. --Anime News Network Loaded with heart, soul, humor and insight. --About.com