was a Japanese novelist, poet, illustrator, manga artist, songwriter, and assistant professor of Shirayuri College. He has written more than 300 books. Biography Funazaki was born to a wealthy family in Tokyo. After graduating from Gakushuin University in 1968, he worked as a songwriter, screenwriter, and illustrator while working in a real estate company. In 1969, while he had leave of absence, he and Yasuko Funazaki, his wife, started to write a nonsense tale, . In 1971, he resigned from the company and made his debut as a novelist. In 1973, he wrote . The next year, the second novel of this series, won . His autobiographical won in 1975, and was selected as "Honor List" of Hans Christian Andersen Award in 1976 respectively. In 1976, was nominated for the Graphic Award at the Bologna International Book Fair. In 1983, won Sankei Jidō Shuppan Bunka Shō. In 1984, won . In 1986, won Sankei Jidō Shuppan Bunka Shō. In 1989, Poppen Sensei series won . Funazaki died on October 15, 2015 at the age of 70 in Mitaka, Tokyo. Detective Conan investigation Around 1996, Funazaki was informed by a reader that Detective Conan, had similarities to Picasso-kun no tantei note. Funazaki checked Detective Conan and "verified close resemblances." Funazaki considered "these resemble points has possibility of coincidence," so he contacted Shogakukan. Funazaki was told, "The creator (Gosho Aoyama) might not have read Picasso-kun no tantei note. But I can't deny the possibility that one of his staff members was amused at the situation of Picasso-kun no tantei note and suggested as an idea." (Funazaki had not read any other volume except the first, because he considered that "It is ridiculous that he gave the royalties from Conan books to Gosho Aoyama.") Later, he wrote about this inquiry process in the quarterly magazine Parolu, where he declared, "There is no responsibility (責任の所在がない)," "I'll fall into evil way (グレてやる)". Funazaki was offended at the response, and he published the third book as a protest against Aoyama. Bibliography Professor Poppen Series 1973 Poppen Sensei no Nichiyōbi (ぽっぺん先生の日曜日) Chikuma Shobo, Tokyo, 1974 Poppen Sensei to Kaerazu no Numa (ぽっぺん先生と帰らずの沼) Chikuma Shobo, Tokyo, 1976 Poppen Sensei to Waraukamomegō (ぽっぺん先生と笑うカモメ号) Chikuma Shobo, Tokyo, 1977 Poppen Sensei to Doro no Ōji (ぽっぺん先生とどろの王子) Chikuma Shobo, Tokyo, 1979 Poppen Sensei no Dōbutsu Jiten (ぽっぺん先生の動物事典) Chikuma Shobo, Tokyo, 1983 Poppen Sensei Jigoku he Yōkoso (ぽっぺん先生地獄へようこそ) Chikuma Shobo, Tokyo, 1988 Poppen