Manga artist Tetsuya Chiba, ``Ashita no Joe'', dies at age 87

Tetsuya Chiba (real name Tetsuya Chiba), known for his masterpiece ``Ashita no Joe'' and the first manga artist to receive the Order of Culture, died at 6pm on the 22nd at a hospital in Tokyo due to myelodysplastic syndrome. He was 87 years old. The funeral was attended by close relatives. The chief mourner was his wife, Yukiko.

Born in Tokyo in 1939. Immediately after birth, he moved to the Korean Peninsula, and at the age of 2, he moved to the former Manchuria (northeast China). After the war ended there, they survived the chaos of violence and looting, and were brought back to Japan in 1946. Around that time, he became interested in manga and joined the doujinshi ``Manga Club.'' He made his debut as a manga artist at the age of 17.

In 1962, he won the Kodansha Children's Manga Award for ``1, 2, 3 and 4, 5, Roku.'' After that, he produced hit works such as ``Shidenkai no Taka'', and ``Harris' Wind'' received attention as a TV anime.

He teamed up with graphic novelist Asao Takamori (Ikki Kajiwara) and released ``Ashita no Joe'' in 1968. The story is about the main character, Takeru Yabuki, who puts his life on the line for boxing, and it became an explosive hit, being made into a TV anime and a live-action movie. It dramatically increased the circulation of Weekly Shonen Magazine, where it was serialized.

He has also worked on many popular works such as ``Ore wa Tetsuhei'' as well as sports manga such as ``Notari Matsutaro'', which is set in the world of horns, and ``Ashita Weather ni Are'', which has a golf theme.

He received the Medal with Purple Ribbon in 2002, the Order of the Rising Sun with Small Ribbon in 2012, and the Order of Culture in 2024. He has also served as president of the Japan Manga Artists Association.