Ume Aoki

Ume Aoki (Japanese: 蒼樹 うめ, Hepburn: Aoki Ume, born August 3, 1981) is a Japanese manga artist, illustrator and dōjin artist from Hyōgo Prefecture. She officially romanizes her name as aokiume.^[1][2][3] She illustrates under the pennames apricot+ for many of her dōjinshi,^[4] and Apply Fujimiya (藤宮 アプリ, Fujimiya Apuri) for the visual novel Sanarara.

Ume Aoki
Native name	蒼樹 うめ
Born	(1981-08-03) August 3, 1981 (age 43) Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan
Occupation	Manga artist, illustrator
Nationality	Japanese
Alma mater	Musashino Art University
Genre	Fiction
Website
ap.sakuraweb.com

Aoki provided the voice for her Metapod persona in the Shaft anime adaptation of her four-panel comic strip Hidamari Sketch.^[5] She later created the original character designs for Puella Magi Madoka Magica, a Shaft anime production;^[6] and has been involved with the franchise—spanning several films, mobile games, manga, novels, and further television anime series—since then.

Works

• Hidamari Sketch (2004–present; original manga published in Manga Time Kirara Carat) – Voice of 'Ume-sensei' in anime adaptation^[7]
• Sanarara (2005) – Character design, artwork
• Tetsunagi Kooni (てつなぎこおに, lit. Hand Holding Little Demon) (2006–present; original manga published in Dragon Age Pure)^[8]
• Puella Magi Madoka Magica (2011–present) – Original character design^[9]
• Mado no Mukōgawa (マドの向こう側, lit. The Other Side of the Window) (2012–present; original manga published in Manga Time Kirara Carino)^[10][11]
• Binetsu Kūkan (微熱空間, lit. Feverish Atmosphere) (2014–present; manga published in Hakusensha's Rakuen (Le Paradis))^[12]
• Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story (2017–2024) – Original character design