Kana Founder and Publishing Executive Yves Schlirf Dies September 13

Dargaud and Kana announced on September 14 that Kana founder Yves Schlirf had died on September 13. At his death, he served as Dargaud's director-general in Belgium and editorial director at Dargaud Benelux publishing.

Schlirf founded Kana in 1996 after making several trips to Japan. The company grew into one of Europe's largest manga publishers.

Its French-language manga catalog includes:

• Naruto
• YuYu Hakusho
• Saint Seiya
• Slam Dunk
• Detective Conan
• Hunter X Hunter
• Yu-Gi-Oh!
• Kagurabachi
• Fire Force
• Assassination Classroom
• Blue Spring Ride
• Death Note

Before his death, Schlirf was preparing an album marking the 80th anniversary of the Belgian comic series Blake and Mortimer. The series first appeared in 1946.

Dargaud and Kana remembered him for his deep knowledge of comics and their language. They described his faith in how fiction and human adventure work, and his passion for comics. Their tribute invoked the “9th art,” a French term for comics within the “Nine Arts.”

Born in Brussels, Belgium, Schlirf opened Schlirfbook in 1972. It was among the city's first specialist comic bookstores. He sold the shop in 2002 to concentrate on publishing.

During the 1980s, he expanded his activities and developed an interest in publishing. Then director-general Jean Van Hamme recruited him for his first role in the marketing department at Dupuis, the Belgian comics and magazine publisher.

Schlirf left Dupuis when Van Hamme stepped down. He later established Dargaud's Belgian branch in Brussels, overseeing bestsellers including:

• Pin-Up
• Murena
• Le Scorpion
• The Lament of the Lost Moors
• XIII