Manchu

Philippe Bouchet, better known by the pseudonym Manchu, was born in Cholet, France, in 1956. He adopted the name in tribute to the fictional character Dr. Fu Manchu. From an early age, he dreamed of becoming either a fighter pilot or an astronaut before eventually turning to animation and illustration. Manchu first worked in animated films and television, contributing to the design of spacecraft and environments for the acclaimed animated series Once Upon a Time... Space (Il était une fois… l’Espace) and Ulysses 31. In 1984, he met Gérard Klein and began illustrating nearly half of The Great Anthology of Science Fiction published by Le Livre de Poche. He subsequently collaborated with many of France’s leading science fiction publishers, including Denoël / Lunes d’Encre, Delcourt, Folio SF, L’Atalante, and Bragelonne. Specializing in hard science fiction—a genre in which fictional elements remain consistent with established scientific knowledge—and an astronomy enthusiast, Manchu became one of the principal illustrators for major scientific magazines such as Ciel & Espace and Sciences & Vie Junior. His breakthrough came in 2001 when he received four major awards: the Bob Morane Award (Special Jury Prize) for the quality of his cover illustrations, the Grand Prix de l’Imaginaire for his cover artwork of the year, the Ozone Award for Best Illustrator, and the Grand Prix Visions du Futur. His artwork has since been featured in major exhibitions, notably at the Utopiales Festival in Nantes (2007), the Imaginales Festival in Épinal (2007), and the Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie in Paris (2011). A leading figure in science fiction illustration, Manchu has published two major art books, Science (Fiction) in 2002 and Starship(s) in 2010, both released by Delcourt, as well as a Sketchbook published by Comix Buro in 2008.

Today, with more than 500 published book covers to his name, Manchu is widely regarded as one of the most influential and respected science fiction illustrators in France.