Disappearance Diary

Disappearance Diary, published in 2005, is an autobiographical manga work by Hideo Azuma that chronicles his experiences with homelessness and alcoholism in Tokyo during the late 1980s and late 1990s. The work is notable for its stark, unflinching, and surprisingly detached tone, as Azuma uses his characteristic simple, rounded art style to depict life on the streets and his subsequent recovery. It emerged from a period in the mangaka's life where he withdrew from the intense pressures of the professional manga industry, and its publication marked a significant comeback for the artist.

The design and narrative approach of the work were widely praised for their transparency and unique perspective on social displacement. By contrasting the bleak reality of his situation with a light, deceptively playful visual aesthetic, Azuma provided a deeply personal look at mental health and professional burnout. The volume received significant critical acclaim within Japan, winning the Grand Prize at the 2005 Japan Media Arts Festival and the Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize, cementing its status as a seminal work in the autobiographical manga genre.