Japanese manga artist Tetsuya Chiba, known for his boxing masterpiece ‘Ashita no Joe,’ dies at 87
Publishers said the 87-year-old helped shape sports manga and inspired generations of younger creators.
- Manga creator Tetsuya Chiba died in a Tokyo hospital on October 22 at 87 years old due to myelodysplastic syndrome, a blood cell cancer affecting bone marrow.
- Debuting at 17 years old in 1956, Chiba became renowned for sports-themed manga, most notably the boxing drama 'Ashita no Joe,' serialized from 1968 to 1973.
- 'Ashita no Joe' inspired anime adaptations in 1970 and 1980, plus two anime films in 1980 and 1981; Chiba also created 'Notari Matsutaro,' a sumo wrestling series.
- In 2024, Chiba became the first manga artist to receive the Order of Culture, awarded to those 'who have made outstanding contributions in developing' Japanese culture.
- The boxing underdog Joe Yabuki helped establish sports manga as a major genre, while Chiba's generation included prominent artists Takao Saito, known for 'Golgo 13,' and Leiji Matsumoto, known for 'Galaxy Express 999.
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Chiba's works used to tell stories about the physical and mental growth of young athletes in various sports, such as golf, boxing and kendo martial art, while showing the poverty, despair, joy and optimism of daily life in post-war Japan
Tetsuya Chiba, Ashita no Joe's Legendary Creator, Dies at 87
Image Courtesy of Kodansha Tetsuya Chiba, the legendary creator behind manga hits such as Ashita no Joe and more, has died at the age of 87. Kodansha has announced that the legendary creator had passed away on October 22nd at the age of 87 due to myelodysplastic syndrome, disorders that impact bone marrow, at a hospital in Tokyo. A […]
'Ashita no Joe' Creator Tetsuya Chiba Dies at 87 After Final Manga Was Suspended Over Health Concerns
Tetsuya Chiba, co-creator of iconic boxing manga Ashita no Joe, has died in Tokyo aged 87, weeks after his autobiographical series was paused over health concerns. His seven-decade career helped shape Japanese sports manga and inspired new artists.
His work of mangaka often reflected the learning of young athletes in various sports (golf, boxing, kendo martial art...), while portraying the poverty, despair, joy and optimism of ordinary people in post-war Japan. His series "Ashita no Joe", published in the 1960s and 1970s and published in French by Glénat, staged a problem-ridden young man who learned boxing in a juvenile detention centre and climbed up the professional ranks to the point o…
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