# Go Mishima

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Japanese artist

Go Mishima Born Tsuyoshi Yoshida 1924 Yokosuka, Japan Died January 5, 1988(1988-01-05) (aged 63–64) Tokyo, Japan Known for Erotic illustration

**Tsuyoshi Yoshida** (1924 – January 5, 1988), known by the pen name **Go Mishima** (三島剛, *Mishima Go*), was a Japanese [homoerotic](/source/Homoerotic) [fetish artist](/source/Fetish_artist) and founder of the magazine [*Sabu*](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sabu_(magazine)&action=edit&redlink=1) [[ja](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%81%95%E3%81%B6_(%E9%9B%91%E8%AA%8C))]. He is noted for his illustrations of "[macho-type](/source/Bara_(genre))" men, often with [yakuza](/source/Yakuza)-inspired *[irezumi](/source/Irezumi)* tattoos.[1] Mishima, along with [Tatsuji Okawa](/source/Tatsuji_Okawa), [Sanshi Funayama](/source/Sanshi_Funayama), and [Go Hirano](/source/Go_Hirano), is regarded by artist and historian [Gengoroh Tagame](/source/Gengoroh_Tagame) as a central figure in the first wave of contemporary gay artists in Japan.[2]

## Biography

Mishima was born in 1924 in [Yokosuka](/source/Yokosuka), [Kanagawa Prefecture](/source/Kanagawa_Prefecture).[3] At 18, he was drafted into the [Imperial Japanese Army](/source/Imperial_Japanese_Army), where he had his first homosexual experience with his commanding officer.[4] Upon the end of the [Second World War](/source/Second_World_War) in 1945, Mishima relocated to [Tokyo](/source/Tokyo), where he immersed himself in the nascent [gay nightlife of the city](/source/LGBT_culture_in_Tokyo). Many bars and nightclubs during this era were operated by the [yakuza](/source/Yakuza); Mishima's fascination with their [crew cut](/source/Crew_cut) hairstyles and [irezumi](/source/Irezumi) tattoos would figure heavily into his art.[3]

During the late 1950s, Mishima discovered the art of [Tom of Finland](/source/Tom_of_Finland), who came to influence his own work.[5] In 1955, Mishima met the writer [Yukio Mishima](/source/Yukio_Mishima) at a gym, and formed a friendship on their shared interest in athletics, [bodybuilding](/source/Bodybuilding), and [hypermasculine](/source/Hypermasculinity) sexuality. The two men drew [artistic nudes](/source/Artistic_nude) together as a pastime;[6] Go Mishima began to pursue a career in homoerotic art in earnest with Yukio Mishima's encouragement, and adopted Mishima's last name to use as his [pen name](/source/Pen_name) in tribute.[4] After Yukio Mishima's [death by ritual suicide](/source/Mishima_Incident), Go Mishima began to depict more violent material and themes in his art, including [bondage](/source/Bondage_(BDSM)), [masochism](/source/Sadomasochism), and torture.[3]

In 1964, Mishima was published in [*Fuzokukitan*](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Fuzokukitan&action=edit&redlink=1) [[ja](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%A2%A8%E4%BF%97%E5%A5%87%E8%AD%9A)] and *Bara*, two of the first magazines in Japan to publish gay and gay pornographic content.[2] He was an early contributor to *[Barazoku](/source/Barazoku)*, which in 1971 became the first commercially circulated gay magazine in Japan. Dissatisfied with the *[bishōnen](/source/Bish%C5%8Dnen)* art style of *Barazoku*, Mishima founded [*Sabu*](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sabu_(magazine)&action=edit&redlink=1) [[ja](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%81%95%E3%81%B6_(%E9%9B%91%E8%AA%8C))] in 1974, which focused on images of masculine men, and was more explicitly pornographic.[3]

On January 5, 1988, Mishima died of complications from [cirrhosis](/source/Cirrhosis). A commemorative issue of *Barazoku* was published in tribute to Mishima in 1989,[3] in which [Sadao Hasegawa](/source/Sadao_Hasegawa) referred to him as "a master illustrator of the male physique."[7] The first solo exhibition of Mishima's art was held in 1999, at Gallery Naruyama in Tokyo.[4]

## See also

- [Homosexuality in Japan](/source/Homosexuality_in_Japan)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-JOHN_1-0)** Coulthart, John (August 7, 2009). ["The art of Goh Mishima, 1924–1989"](http://www.johncoulthart.com/feuilleton/2009/08/07/the-art-of-goh-mishima-1924%E2%80%931989/). *John Coulthart Art*. Retrieved November 21, 2018.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-GAYART_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-GAYART_2-1) [Tagame, Gengoroh](/source/Gengoroh_Tagame), ed. (December 19, 2003). *Gay Erotic Art in Japan Vol. 1: Artists From the Time of the Birth of Gay Magazines*. Pot Publishing.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-TOF_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-TOF_3-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-TOF_3-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-TOF_3-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-TOF_3-4) ["Goh Mishima: Biography"](https://www.tomoffinlandfoundation.org/foundation/Tom-Of-Finland-Galleries/art-and-artists/Mishima/goh-mishima-bio.htm). *[Tom of Finland](/source/Tom_of_Finland) Foundation*. Retrieved November 21, 2018.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Gallery_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Gallery_4-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Gallery_4-2) ["Go Mishima (in Japanese)"](http://www.gallery-naruyama.com/japanese/exhibition/mishima.html). *Gallery Naruyama*. Retrieved November 21, 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-TOF2_5-0)** ["Goh Mishima"](https://www.tomoffinlandfoundation.org/foundation/Tom-Of-Finland-Galleries/art-and-artists/Mishima/index.htm). *[Tom of Finland](/source/Tom_of_Finland) Foundation*. Retrieved November 21, 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-JGA_6-0)** ["Go Mishima"](http://www.japanesegayart.com/?page_id=1281). *Japanese Gay Art*. Retrieved November 21, 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-TOF3_7-0)** Adonna, Steve (Summer 2000). ["Impressions of Sadao Hasegawa"](https://web.archive.org/web/20181121120339/https://www.tomoffinlandfoundation.org/foundation/Dispatch/DispSu2000/Hasagawa.htm). *The Tom of Finland Foundation*. Archived from [the original](https://www.tomoffinlandfoundation.org/foundation/Dispatch/DispSu2000/Hasagawa.htm) on November 21, 2018. Retrieved November 20, 2018.

v t e Japanese gay art Artists Sanshi Funayama Sadao Hasegawa Go Hirano Jiraiya Ben Kimura Takeshi Matsu Go Mishima Gai Mizuki Rune Naito Tatsuji Okawa Gengoroh Tagame Sansuke Yamada Junichi Yamakawa Publications Badi Barazoku G-men Samson Works Kuso Miso Technique Massive: Gay Erotic Manga and the Men Who Make It Other Massive Goods Tokyo Afterschool Summoners

Authority control databases International VIAF WorldCat National United States

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